Skype Limited

Mike Bartlett

Simon Tickner

Dmytro Izotov

Torsten Rehberg

Duncan Lamb

Umberto Abate

Priidu Zilmer

Hando Tint

Mikael Suvi

Ole Mahrt

Tiago Loureiro

Antonio Varanda

Dan Houghton

Bettina Sutter

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.

Group communication system and method

A method of sorting communication events at a user terminal connected to a communication network and executing a communication client arranged to be operable by a user is provided. The method comprises storing an event list comprising a list of identifiers, each identifier having information relating to at least one previously received communication event associated therewith, wherein the identifier identifies the initiator of the associated at least one previously received communication event and each identifier is listed only once in the list of identifiers. The event list is displayed in a user interface of the communication client. The method further comprises receiving an incoming communication event at the user terminal from an initiating user over the communication network and determining whether the initiating user is present in the list of identifiers stored in the event list. In the case that the initiating user is present in the list of identifiers, the event list is amended by adding information relating to the incoming communication event to the information relating to the at least one previously received communication event associated with the identifier of the initiating user. In the case that the initiating user is not present in the list of identifiers, a new entry is created at the top of the event list comprising an identifier for the initiating user and having information relating to the incoming communication event associated therewith. The display of the event list is updated in the user interface of the communication client.

Communication method and apparatus

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

Mike Bartlett