System and method of enabling a non-host, participant-initiated breakout session in a videoconferencing system utilizing a virtual space, and simultaneously displaying a session view of a videoconferencing session and the participant-initiated breakout session

A method for enhancing a session view of a videoconferencing session of meeting participants in a first videoconferencing system with a simultaneously displayed participant-initiated breakout session view in a second videoconferencing system of a breakout session initiated from the first videoconferencing session, the session view and the participant-initiated breakout session view displaying video feeds of the meeting participants on their respective participant computers, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants, wherein breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants, and wherein the first videoconferencing system displays the session view to each of the meeting participants, the method comprising:

• (a) creating, by the second videoconferencing system, the participant-initiated breakout session upon initiation by one of the meeting participants, the participant-initiated breakout session including the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted an invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session,
• wherein the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted the invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session are the breakout session participants;
• (b) receiving, by the second videoconferencing system, the video feeds of each of the breakout session participants, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the breakout session participants;
• (c) generating, by the second videoconferencing system, instructions for a participant-initiated breakout session view in the online meeting user interface of the second videoconferencing system for viewing by the breakout session participants using the video feeds of the respective breakout session participants;
• and
• (d) transmitting, by the second videoconferencing system, via an electronic network in communication with the second videoconferencing system, instructions to the participant computers of the breakout session participants, the instructions being instructions to display the participant-initiated breakout session view to each of the breakout session participants,
• wherein the breakout session participants are allowed to interact with each other within the breakout session while simultaneously viewing at least a portion of the session view, and
• wherein the session view of the videoconferencing session is a breakout session, the participant-initiated breakout session thereby being of a further breakout session created from the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session, and
• wherein the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session is formed by meeting participants of the videoconferencing session who are in proximity to each other in virtual space within the videoconferencing system.

A method for simultaneously displaying a session view of a videoconferencing session and a participant-initiated breakout session view in a single online meeting user interface, the session view displaying a video feed of the videoconferencing session to meeting participants of the videoconferencing session on their respective participant computers, wherein breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants, and wherein the videoconferencing system allows the breakout session participants to simultaneously hear audio of the session view and audio of the breakout session participants, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving, by a videoconferencing system, video feeds of each of the meeting participants, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants;
• (b) generating, by the videoconferencing system, instructions for a session view of the videoconferencing session in the online meeting user interface for viewing by the meeting participants;
• (c) creating, by the videoconferencing system, a participant-initiated breakout session upon initiation by one of the meeting participants, the participant-initiated breakout session including the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted an invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session,
• wherein the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted the invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session are the breakout session participants;
• (d) generating, by the videoconferencing system, instructions for a participant-initiated breakout session view in the online meeting user interface for the breakout session participants using the video feeds of the respective breakout session participants;
• (e) transmitting, by the videoconferencing system, via an electronic network in communication with the videoconferencing system, instructions to the respective meeting participant computers, the instructions being instructions to:
• (i) display only the session view to each of the meeting participants who are not breakout session participants, and
• (ii) simultaneously display the participant-initiated breakout session view and at least a portion of the session view to each of the meeting participants who are breakout session participants,
• wherein the breakout session participants are allowed to interact with each other within the breakout session while simultaneously viewing at least a portion of the session view;
• and
• (f) receiving, by the videoconferencing system, from the breakout session participants, audio level control signals to independently control the audio of the session view and the audio of the breakout session participants,
• wherein the session view of the videoconferencing session is a breakout session, the participant-initiated breakout session thereby being of a further breakout session created from the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session, and
• wherein the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session is formed by meeting participants of the videoconferencing session who are in proximity to each other in virtual space within the videoconferencing system.

A computer-implemented apparatus for simultaneously displaying a session view of a videoconferencing session and a non-host participant-initiated breakout session view in a single online meeting user interface, the session view displaying a video feed of the videoconferencing session to meeting participants of the videoconferencing session on their respective participant computers, wherein breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants, the apparatus comprising a videoconferencing system configured to:

• (a) receive video feeds of each of the meeting participants, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants;
• (b) generate instructions for a session view of the videoconferencing session in the online meeting user interface for viewing by the meeting participants;
• (c) create a non-host participant-initiated breakout session upon initiation by one of the meeting participants, the non-host participant-initiated breakout session including the meeting participant who initiated the non-host participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted an invitation to join the non-host participant-initiated breakout session,
• wherein the meeting participant who initiated the non-host participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted the invitation to join the non-host participant-initiated breakout session are the breakout session participants;
• (d) generate instructions for a non-host participant-initiated breakout session view in the online meeting user interface for the breakout session participants using the video feeds of the respective breakout session participants;
• and
• (e) transmit, via an electronic network in communication with the videoconferencing system, instructions to the respective meeting participant computers, the instructions being instructions to:
• (i) display only the session view of the videoconferencing session to each of the meeting participants who are not breakout session participants, and
• (ii) simultaneously display the non-host participant-initiated breakout session view and at least a portion of the session view of the videoconferencing session to each of the meeting participants who are breakout session participants,
• wherein the breakout session participants are allowed to interact with each other within the non-host participant-initiated breakout session while simultaneously viewing at least a portion of the session view of the videoconferencing session,
• wherein the session view of the videoconferencing session is a breakout session, the non-host participant-initiated breakout session thereby being of a further breakout session created from the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session, and
• wherein the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session is formed by meeting participants of the videoconferencing session who are in proximity to each other in virtual space within the videoconferencing system.

A computer-implemented apparatus for enhancing a session view of a videoconferencing session of meeting participants in a first videoconferencing system with a simultaneously displayed participant-initiated breakout session view of a breakout session initiated from the first videoconferencing session, the session view and the participant-initiated breakout session view displaying video feeds of the meeting participants on their respective participant computers, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants, wherein breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants, and wherein the first videoconferencing system displays the session view to each of the meeting participants, the apparatus comprising a second videoconferencing system configured to:

• (a) create the participant-initiated breakout session upon initiation by one of the meeting participants, the participant-initiated breakout session including the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted an invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session,
• wherein the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted the invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session are the breakout session participants;
• (b) receive the video feeds of each of the breakout session participants, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the breakout session participants;
• (c) generate instructions for a participant-initiated breakout session view in the online meeting user interface of the second videoconferencing system for viewing by the breakout session participants using the video feeds of the respective breakout session participants;
• and
• (d) transmit, via an electronic network in communication with the second videoconferencing system, instructions to the participant computers of the breakout session participants, the instructions being instructions to display the participant-initiated breakout session view to each of the breakout session participants,
• wherein the breakout session participants are allowed to interact with each other within the breakout session while simultaneously viewing at least a portion of the session view,
• wherein the session view of the videoconferencing session is a breakout session, the participant-initiated breakout session thereby being of a further breakout session created from the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session, and
• wherein the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session is formed by meeting participants of the videoconferencing session who are in proximity to each other in virtual space within the videoconferencing system.

A computer-implemented apparatus for simultaneously displaying a session view of a videoconferencing session and a participant-initiated breakout session view in a single online meeting user interface, the session view displaying a video feed of the videoconferencing session to meeting participants of the videoconferencing session on their respective participant computers, wherein breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants, wherein the videoconferencing system allows the breakout session participants to simultaneously hear audio of the session view and audio of the breakout session participants, the apparatus comprising a videoconferencing system configured to:

• (a) receive video feeds of each of the meeting participants, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants;
• (b) generate instructions for a session view of the videoconferencing session in the online meeting user interface for viewing by the meeting participants;
• (c) create a participant-initiated breakout session upon initiation by one of the meeting participants, the participant-initiated breakout session including the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted an invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session,
• wherein the meeting participant who initiated the participant-initiated breakout session and any meeting participants who accepted the invitation to join the participant-initiated breakout session are the breakout session participants;
• (d) generate instructions for a participant-initiated breakout session view in the online meeting user interface for the breakout session participants using the video feeds of the respective breakout session participants;
• (e) transmit, via an electronic network in communication with the videoconferencing system, instructions to the respective meeting participant computers, the instructions being instructions to:
• (i) display only the session view to each of the meeting participants who are not breakout session participants, and
• (ii) simultaneously display the participant-initiated breakout session view and at least a portion of the session view to each of the meeting participants who are breakout session participants,
• wherein the breakout session participants are allowed to interact with each other within the breakout session while simultaneously viewing at least a portion of the session view;
• and
• (f) receive, from the breakout session participants, audio level control signals to independently control the audio of the session view and the audio of the breakout session participants,
• wherein the session view of the videoconferencing session is a breakout session, the participant-initiated breakout session thereby being of a further breakout session created from the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session, and
• wherein the videoconferencing session that is a breakout session is formed by meeting participants of the videoconferencing session who are in proximity to each other in virtual space within the videoconferencing system.