SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISCUSSION INITIATION AND MANAGEMENT IN A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

摘要

A virtual conferencing system is described which provides discussion support services such as during a debate between virtual conference participants. For example, one embodiment of virtual conferencing system comprises: a plurality of clients operated by participants and at least one moderator of a virtual conference, each of the clients comprising state management logic to maintain a current state of the virtual conference; a virtual conferencing service to establish audio and/or video connections between the plurality of clients during the virtual conference, the virtual conferencing service further including a state synchronization service communicatively coupled to the state management logic on each client to ensure that the current state of the virtual conference is consistent on each client; a virtual conferencing graphical user interface (GUI) to be rendered on the plurality of clients, the virtual conferencing GUI configured, via signals sent from the state synchronization service, to display a video stream of one or more current speakers during the virtual conference utilizing the established video connections; and a discussion support module to implement a discussion between two or more selected participants in the virtual conference by generating a discussion configuration including data structures and GUI features required to implement the discussion in response to a set of discussion parameters specified by the virtual conferencing moderator, wherein the discussion configuration implemented by the discussion support module are synchronized to clients through the state synchronization service.

主权项

1. A virtual conferencing system comprising:
a plurality of clients operated by participants and at least one moderator of a virtual conference, each of the clients comprising state management logic to maintain a current state of the virtual conference; a virtual conferencing service to establish audio and/or video connections between the plurality of clients during the virtual conference, the virtual conferencing service further including a state synchronization service communicatively coupled to the state management logic on each client to ensure that the current state of the virtual conference is consistent on each client; a virtual conferencing graphical user interface (GUI) to be rendered on the plurality of clients, the virtual conferencing GUI configured, via signals sent from the state synchronization service, to display a video stream of one or more current speakers during the virtual conference utilizing the established video connections; and a discussion support module to implement a discussion between two or more selected participants in the virtual conference by generating a discussion configuration including data structures and GUI features required to implement the discussion in response to a set of discussion parameters specified by the virtual conferencing moderator, wherein the discussion configuration implemented by the discussion support module are synchronized to clients through the state synchronization service.