System and method for combining instant messaging and video communication systems
A method and apparatus for initiating videoconferences in instant messaging systems is described, including posting of a videoconference URL in the instant messaging chat window if any of the desired participants of the videoconferencing session is unavailable, so that the unavailable participants can simply click on the videoconference URL and join the videoconferencing session.
1. A method of initiating a videoconference between an initiating user and one or more selected users of an instant messaging system, the method comprising:
receiving a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;
verifying that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;
if the initiating user is not a videoconference, starting a new videoconference;
if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, requesting that an associated videoconference URL is created;
obtaining the associated videoconference URL;
requesting that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;
checking if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and
if any of the one or more selected instant messaging system users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, posting the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.
3. A method of initiating a videoconference between an initiating user and one or more selected users of an instant messaging system, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;
obtaining the user names of the initiating user and the one or more selected users from the instant messaging system;
obtaining, from the user names of the initiating user and each of the one or more selected users, the associated user names in the videoconferencing system;
verifying that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;
if the initiating user is not a videoconference, starting a new videoconference;
if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, creating an associated videoconference URL;
obtaining the associated videoconference URL;
requesting that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;
checking if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and
if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, posting the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.
5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for initiating videoconferencing sessions from instant messaging sessions, the computer-readable medium having a set of instructions operable to direct a processing system to:
receive a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;
verify that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;
if the initiating user is not a videoconference, start a new videoconference;
if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, request that an associated videoconference URL is created;
obtain the associated videoconference URL;
request that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;
check if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and
if any of the one or more selected instant messaging system users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, post the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.
6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for initiating a videoconference between an initiating user and one or more selected users of an instant messaging system, the computer-readable medium having a set of instructions operable to direct a processing system to:
receive a request from the initiating user to create a videoconference between himself and the one or more selected users;
obtain the user names of the initiating user and the one or more selected users from the instant messaging system;
obtain, from the user names of the initiating user and each of the one or more selected users, the associated user names in the videoconferencing system;
verify that the initiating user is not in a videoconference or is in a videoconference that he is allowed to manage;
if the initiating user is not a videoconference, start a new videoconference;
if the videoconference does not have an associated URL, create an associated videoconference URL;
obtain the associated videoconference URL;
request that the one or more selected users are added to the videoconference;
check if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference; and
if any of the one or more selected users is unavailable to be added to the videoconference, post the associated videoconferencing URL to an instant messaging chat window of the initiating user and the one or more selected users so that the one or more selected users can join the videoconference by clicking the associated videoconferencing URL.
8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the initiating user request is performed through graphical user interface means.