Automatic scheduling and formation of a virtual meeting over a computer network

US6363352B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Jane L. Dailey · Seattle, US
• Matthew D. Bookspan · Kirkland, US
• Yoram Yaacovi · Redmond, US
• Steven Mark Silverberg · Seattle, US
• Troy A. Hakala · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 13, 1998
• Grant date: Mar 26, 2002
• Expiry date: Nov 13, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/1093
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for scheduling a virtual meeting and automatically making the required connections near the time the virtual meeting is scheduled to take place between a meeting host's computer and at least one meeting participant's computer. The virtual meeting is scheduled by sending a meeting request from the meeting host's computer over a communication network to each meeting participant's computer. The meeting request is stored on the meeting host's computer and on each meeting participant's computer that accepts the meeting request. A personal information manager component on the meeting host's computer and on each meeting participant's computer activates a virtual meeting utility component near the time of the virtual meeting based on the time and date of the virtual meeting contained in the virtual meeting request. The virtual meeting is hosted on the meeting host's computer and each meeting participant's computers joins the virtual meeting automatically using information contained in the virtual meeting request. If an electronic document is specified in the virtual meeting request for collaborative editing during the virtual meeting, the personal information manager co…