Group communication system and method

摘要

A method is described for providing voice conferencing between a plurality of users over a communications network, the plurality of users comprising a host user and a plurality of participant users. The method comprises the host user initiating a voice conference using a host user terminal connected to the communications network. The plurality of users join the voice conference. Each of the plurality of users joins the conference by using a client executed at their respective user terminals, wherein on joining the voice conference the user terminal of each of the plurality of participant users displays a participant user interface and the user terminal of the host displays a host user interface. At least one of the plurality of participant users activates a request control on the participant user interface. The client transmits via the communication network a request to the host user to speak in the voice conference in response to the activation of the request control. The host user receives an indication on the host user interface of the request from the at least one of the plurality of participant users, and activates a selection control on the host interface to select from among the at least one of the plurality of users who transmitted the request, the speech of the at least one selected user being transmitted to all of the plurality of users over the communications network.

主权项

1. A method of providing voice conferencing between a plurality of users over a communications network, the plurality of users comprising a host user and a plurality of participant users, the method comprising:
initiating a voice conference using a host user terminal configured to be connected to said communications network; enabling the plurality of users to join the voice conference, wherein the user terminal of the host is configured to display a host user interface; receiving, via said communication network, at least one request from at least one of the plurality of participant users joined on the voice conference to speak in the voice conference; displaying, on the host user interface, an indication of the at least one request from the at least one of the plurality of participant users; activating a selection control on the host interface effective to enable selection of at least one user from said plurality of participant users associated with the at least one request to speak in the voice conference wherein selection of said at least one requesting user of said plurality of participant users enables transmission of speech associated with said at least one selected user to all of the plurality of users over the communications network; displaying a single common list of the plurality of users in the voice conference via the host user interface; and enabling display of the single common list via at least one participant user interface, wherein displaying the single common list via the host user interface and enabling display of the single common list via the at least one participant user interface comprises:
moving said at least one selected user and said at least one requesting user of said plurality of participant users from respective locations within the single common list to one or more top positions of the single common list displayed via the host user interface; andnotifying the at least one participant user interface of said at least one selected user and said at least one requesting user of the plurality of users effective to move each selected user and each requesting user from respective locations within the single common list displayed via the at least one participant user interface to one or more top positions of the single common list displayed via the at least one participant user interface.