Synchronization between conference and calendar systems

Abstract

A method for scheduling a meeting using an email client that is part of an email system includes receiving a request at the email client to schedule the meeting. The request may include an indication of the resources that are to be provided by a conferencing system for the meeting. The method also includes communicating the request to a conference bridge that is part of the conferencing system and receiving from the conference bridge an access code associated with the meeting. The method also includes appending the access code to a meeting invitation associated with the meeting and providing the meeting invitation to an email server that is part of the email system. The method also includes sending the meeting invitation to users invited to participate in the meeting.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising:
 at an email client that is part of an email system, receiving a request to schedule a meeting, wherein the request includes a schedule for the meeting and specifies resources that are to be used during the meeting by a conferencing system, the resources that are specified in the request include at least one of video conferencing or desktop sharing, and the email system is separate from the conferencing system;   from the email client, communicating the request directly to a conference bridge that is part of the conferencing system, wherein the request is communicated from the email client directly to the conference bridge by a plug-in associated with the email client;   at the email client, receiving directly from the conference bridge an access code associated with the meeting;   at the email client, automatically appending the access code to a subject line of a meeting invitation associated with the meeting;   from the email client, providing the meeting invitation including the access code to an email server that is part of the email system; and   from the email server, sending the meeting invitation including the access code to users invited to participate in the meeting.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a computing platform of the email system is different from a computing platform of the conferencing system. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the access code includes a code portion and a uniform resource identifier (URI) portion. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the access code includes at least one of a host access code, a moderator access code, or a participant access code. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the meeting request is a request to schedule a new meeting that has not been previously scheduled. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the meeting request is a request to change at least one of a schedule or the resources of a previously scheduled meeting. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 from an email client that is part of an email system, communicating a meeting request directly to a conference bridge of a conferencing system, wherein the meeting request is communicated from the email client directly to the conference bridge by a plug-in associated with the email client, the meeting request is generated at the email client by a user of the email client, the meeting request specifies resources that are to be used during the meeting by the conferencing system, the resources that are specified in the meeting request include at least one of video conferencing or desktop sharing, and the email system is separate from the conferencing system;   at the email client, receiving an access code associated with the meeting directly from the conference bridge;   at the email client, automatically appending the access code to a meeting invitation associated with the meeting, the meeting invitation generated by the email client; and   from the email client, communicating the meeting invitation to users invited to participate in the meeting.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein a computing platform of the email system is different from a computing platform of the conferencing system. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the access code is appended to a subject line of the meeting invitation. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the access code is appended to a body of the meeting invitation. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the access code includes a code portion and a uniform resource identifier (URI) portion. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the access code includes at least one of a host access code, a moderator access code, or a participant access code. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the meeting request is a request to schedule a new meeting that has not been previously scheduled. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the meeting request is a request to change at least one of a schedule or the resources of a previously scheduled meeting.