System and method for teleconferencing

1. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared Content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server; and

creating a historical record of the video conference within a database including identifiers identifying all of the shared content by the clients.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

9. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

12. A method according to claim 10 ,

wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

13. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server;

receiving a rating for shared content from one or more clients; and

associating the rating with a database entry for the shared content in a database containing a listing of shared content wherein each entry in the database for shared content is identified by a URL.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

15. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

16. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

18. A method according to claim 13 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

19. A method according to claim 13 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

20. A method according to claim 13 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

21. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

22. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.

23. A method according to claim 22 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

24. A method according to claim 22 , wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

25. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server;

receiving one or more meta-data describing the shared content from a client; and

associating the meta-data with a database entry for the shared content in a database containing a listing of shared content.

26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

27. A method according to claim 25 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

28. A method according to claim 25 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

29. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

30. A method according to claim 25 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

31. A method according to claim 25 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

32. A method according to claim 25 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

33. A method according to claim 25 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

34. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.

35. A method according to claim 34 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

36. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

37. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server;

receiving a link to other shared content from a client; and

associating the link with a database entry for shared content in a database containing a listing of shared content.

38. A method according to claim 37 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

39. A method according to claim 37 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

40. A method according to claim 37 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

41. A method according to claim 37 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

42. A method according to claim 37 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

43. A method according to claim 37 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

44. A method according to claim 37 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

45. A method according to claim 37 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

46. A method according to claim 37 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.

47. A method according to claim 46 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

48. A method according to claim 46 , wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

49. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server;

receiving an annotation of the shared content from a client; and

associating the annotation of the shared content with a database entry for the shared content.

50. A method according to claim 49 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

51. A method according to claim 49 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

52. A method according to claim 49 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

53. A method according to claim 49 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

54. A method according to claim 49 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

55. A method according to claim 49 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

56. A method according to claim 49 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

57. A method according to claim 49 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

58. A method according to claim 49 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.

59. A method according to claim 58 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

60. A method according to claim 58 , wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

61. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server;

receiving a request for a change in the shared content to new shared content by a requesting client; and

providing to one or more of the clients as indicated by the requesting client a URL identifying the new shared content.

62. A method according to claim 61 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

63. A method according to claim 61 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

64. A method according to claim 61 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

65. A method according to claim 61 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

66. A method according to claim 61 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

67. A method according to claim 61 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

68. A method according to claim 61 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

69. A method according to claim 61 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

70. A method according to claim 61 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.

71. A method according to claim 70 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

72. A method according to claim 70 , wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

73. A method of managing video conferencing over a network, among a plurality of clients using a server as an intermediary, the method comprising;

receiving at the server a real-time video stream from each client;

defining, at the server, content to be shared by the clients;

providing to each client over the network a URL identifying the shared content;

serving, to any given client, a real-time video stream selected by the given client from among the video streams received at the server;

receiving a request message from a requesting client for a change in the shared content to new content; and

accessing a permissions database to confirm that the requesting client has authority change the shared content to new content.

74. A method according to claim 73 , further comprising, if data in the permissions database indicates that the requesting client has authority to change the shared content, distributing the new content to the requesting client and, if authority exists therefor in the permissions database, to one or more other clients.

75. A method according to claim 73 , wherein the plurality is at least three clients.

76. A method according to claim 73 , further comprising:

serving, to each client, a set of thumbnail video streams based on the streams received from the clients.

77. A method according to claim 73 , further comprising:

receiving at the server from a selected set of the clients a thumbnail image from a camera associated with the client; and

serving to at least one of the clients a set of thumbnail images from the selected set of the clients.

78. A method according to claim 77 , wherein serving the low-frequency video stream includes serving a set of thumbnail video streams based at least on streams received from some of the other clients.

79. A method according to claim 77 , wherein the low-frequency video stream includes the shared content.

80. A method according to claim 73 , wherein the shared content is curated content.

81. A method according to claim 73 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected phone.

82. A method according to claim 73 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected computer.

83. A method according to claim 73 , wherein one of the clients is an Internet-connected electronic device that includes a display.

84. A method according to claim 73 , further comprising:

receiving a request to create a group of selected clients associated with a group identifier; and

storing within a database, a database entry identified by the group identifier.

85. A method according to claim 73 , wherein the client-selected real-time video stream is served to the selecting client as a high-frequency video stream; and

serving to the selecting client a low-frequency stream including real-time video streams received by the server other than the selected real-time video stream.