Systems and methods for generating electronic meeting invitations in video communications and other services

Abstract

A method and related apparatus for generating electronic meeting invitations in video communication and other services is described, including using an agent to automatically respond to electronic meeting invitations generated by users such that the response includes the generated connection information that will allow the intended participants to access the video communication or other service.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for generating electronic meeting invitations to access a service over a network, the system comprising:
 one or more messaging clients;   one or more messaging servers coupled to the one or more messaging clients over a messaging network;   one or more servers providing the service;   an agent coupled to the one or more servers over the network and coupled to the one or more messaging servers over the messaging network;   wherein the agent is configured to respond to an electronic meeting invitation received from one of the one or more messaging clients by either: generating connection information, placing the generated connection information in an electronic meeting invitation acceptance, and sending the electronic meeting invitation acceptance, if the service can be provided; or sending an electronic meeting invitation rejection, if the service can not be provided.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the messaging network and the network are the same network, 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic meeting invitation acceptance or electronic meeting invitation rejection is sent to the one of the one or more messaging clients from which the electronic meeting invitation was received. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic meeting invitation acceptance or electronic meeting invitation rejection is sent to all messaging clients identified in the electronic meeting invitation. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is further configured to send the generated connection information to the messaging clients identified in the electronic meeting invitation by placing the generated connection information in a regular message and sending it to the messaging clients identified in the electronic meeting invitation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is further configured to send the generated connection information to the messaging client from which the electronic meeting invitation was received by placing the generated connection information in a regular message and sending it to the messaging client from which the electronic meeting invitation was received. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is further configured to parse the electronic meeting invitation in order to detect if it already contains connection information generated by it and, if it does, to combine the contained connection information with the information provided by the electronic meeting invitation, prior to deciding if the service can be offered and prior to generating the connection information. 
     
     
         8 . A method for generating electronic meeting invitations to access a service over a network using messaging clients coupled with one or more messaging servers over a messaging network, the method comprising:
 providing an agent to the one or more servers and one or more messaging servers;   receiving, at the agent, an electronic meeting invitation;   at the agent, deciding if the service can be provided and, if not, sending an electronic meeting invitation rejection; whereas if the service can be provided, generating connection information, placing the generated connection information in an electronic meeting invitation acceptance, and sending the electronic meeting invitation acceptance.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the messaging network and the network are the same network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic meeting invitation acceptance or electronic meeting invitation rejection is sent to the one of the one or more messaging clients from which the electronic meeting invitation was received. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic meeting invitation acceptance or electronic meeting invitation rejection is sent to all messaging clients identified in the electronic meeting invitation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the agent is further configured to send the generated connection information to the messaging clients identified in the electronic meeting invitation by placing the generated connection information in a regular message and sending it to the messaging clients identified in the electronic meeting invitation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the agent is further configured to send the generated connection information to the messaging client from which the electronic meeting invitation was received by placing the generated connection information in a regular message and sending it to the messaging client from which the electronic meeting invitation was received. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the agent is further configured to parse the electronic meeting invitation in order to detect if it already contains connection information generated by it and, if it does, to combine the contained connection information with the information provided by the electronic meeting invitation, prior to deciding if the service can be offered and prior to generating the connection information. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 9   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of  claim 14 .