RENDEZVOUS CALLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS THEREFOR

1 . A computer-implemented method for setting up a teleconference among a plurality of participants that comprises at least a first participant and a second participant comprising:

receiving a conference period indication from said first participant said conference period indicating a duration of time available for conducting said teleconference

monitoring, using participant presence information available in a user presence database, whether said first participant and said second participant are available to conduct said teleconference within said conference period; and

if both said first participant and said second participant are available to conduct said teleconference within said conference period, initiating said teleconference by automatically setting up calls to a first telecommunication device associated with said first participant and to a second telecommunication device associated with said second participants thereby facilitating said teleconference.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said first telecommunication device is a Wi-Fi device that employs Wi-Fi for said teleconference.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein said second telecommunication device is a cellular telephone device that employs a public cellular telephone network for at least a portion of said teleconference.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first telecommunication device and said second telecommunication device is selected by consulting said user preference database.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising consulting an enterprise conference rules database and conducting said teleconference in accordance with an enterprise conference rule that affects said first participant and said second participant.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising ascertaining whether at least one of said first participant and said second participant is involved in an overlapping teleconference request and resolving an overlap situation involving said at least one of said first participant and said second participant if said overlapping teleconference request is found.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said first telecommunication device represents a dual-mode (Wi-Fi/cellular) telecommunication device that is capable of roaming between a Wi-Fi network and a public cellular network in the middle of a call.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein said participant presence informnation includes participant log-in status.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising confirming with said first participant and said second participant prior to automatically setting up calls to said first telecommunication device and to said second telecommunication device associated with said second participant.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying said first participant upon expiration of said conference period that an attempt to set up said teleconference is not successful if said teleconference has not taken place prior to said expiration of said conference period.

11 . A computer-implemented method for setting up a teleconference among a plurality of participants that comprises at least a first participant and a second participant, comprising:

receiving a conference period indication from said first participant, said conference period indicating a duration of time available for conducting said teleconference;

monitoring, using participant presence information available in a user presence database, whether said first participant and said second participant are available to conduct said teleconference within said conference period;

if both said first participant and said second participant are available to conduct said teleconference within said conference period, initiating said teleconference by automatically setting up calls to a first telecommunication device associated with said first participant by dialing an enterprise extension of said first participant and to a second telecommunication device associated with said second participant by dialing an enterprise extension of said second participant; and

completing an end-to-end call path between said first telecommunication device and said second telecomunication device even if one of said first telecommunication device and said second telecommunication device is outside of a Wi-Fi coverage area and reachable only via a public cellular telephone network.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein said first telecommunication device represents a dual-mode (Wi-Fi/cellular) telecommunication device that is capable of roaming between a Wi-Fi network and a public cellular network in the middle of a call.

13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising constituting an enterprise conference rules database and conducting said teleconference in accordance with an enterprise conference rule that affects said first participant and said second participant.

14 . The method of claim 11 further comprising ascertaining whether at least one of said first participant and said second participant is involved in an overlapping teleconference request and resolving an overlap situation involving said at least one of said first participant and said second participant if said overlapping teleconference request is found.

15 . The method of claim 11 wherein said participant presence information includes participant log-in status.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising confirming with said first participant and said second participant prior to automatically setting up calls to said first telecommunication device and to said second telecommunication device associated with said second participant.

17 . The method of claim 11 further comprising notifying said first participant upon expiration of said conference period that an attempt to set up said teleconference is not successful if said teleconference has not taken place prior to said expiration of said conference period.

18 . A computer-implemented system for setting up a teleconference among a plurality of participants that comprises at least a first participant and a second participant, comprising:

means for receiving a conference period indication from said first participant, said conference period indicating a duration of time available for conducting said teleconference;

means for monitoring, using participant presence information available in a presence database, whether said first participant and said second participant are available to conduct said teleconference within said conference period; and

means for initiating, if both said first participant and said second participant are available to conduct said teleconference within said conference period, said teleconference by automatically setting up calls to a first telecommunication device associated with said first participant and to a second telecommunication device associated with said second participant, thereby facilitating said teleconference.

19 . The system of claim 18 wherein said first telecommunication device is a Wi-Fi device that employs Wi-Fi for said teleconference.

20 . The system of claim 19 wherein said second telecommunication device is a cellular telephone device that employs a public cellular phone network for at least a portion of said teleconference.

21 . The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of said first telecommunication device and said second telecommunication device is selected by consulting a user preference database.

22 . The system of claim 18 wherein said first telecommunication device represents a dual-mode (Wi-Fi/cellular) telecommunications device that is capable of roaming between a Wi-Fi network and a public cellular network in the middle of a call.

23 . The system of claim 18 wherein said participant presence information includes participant log-in status.