An Online Meeting System and Method

An online meeting controller operable to connect devices having installed an online meeting application which is operable to present a user interface for the device, wherein the user interface of each device is operable to display data and/or documents and/or video data from the other device so as to allow users at each device to participate in an online meeting, the controller being operable to:

• communicate with a relationship manager which is operable to identify a user of a device as a host for an online meeting and identify a user of a device as the participant to be invited to the online meeting by the host, wherein the controller is operable to receive from the relationship management database first validation data which validates a device as a host device for an online meeting to be operated by a host of the meeting and second validation data which validates a device as a participant device to be operated by a participant invited to the online meeting;
• communicate with a validated host device and a validated participant device so as to receive data input at the user interfaces of the host and/or participant devices and so as to synchronize the data and/or documents displayed at the user interfaces of the host and participant devices to allow the data and/or documents displayed at the host device and participant device in an online meeting to be updated;
• and
• communicate with a video communication system operable to provide a video communication service between devices to initiate a video communication session through which the host device and the participant device can connect.

A process carried out by an online meeting controller for controlling an online meeting, wherein the process connects devices having installed an online meeting application which is operable to present a user interface for the device, wherein the user interface of each device is operable to display data and/or documents and/or video data from the other device so as to allow users at each device to participate in an online meeting, the process including the steps of:

• communicating with a relationship database storing data which identifies a user of a device as a host for an online meeting and identifies a user of a device as the participant to be invited to the online meeting by the host;
• receiving from the relationship database validation data which validates a device as a host device for an online meeting to be operated by a host of the meeting and validates a device as a participant device to be operated by a participant invited to the online meeting by the host;
• communicating with a validated host device and a validated participant device so as to receive data which is input at the user interface of the host or participant devices and so as to synchronize the data and/or documents displayed at the user interfaces of the host and participant devices to allow the data and/or documents displayed at the host device and participant device in an online meeting to be updated;
• and
• communicating with a video communication system which provides a video communication service between devices, wherein the controller communicates with the video communication service so as to initiate a video communication session through which the host device can connect with the participant device.

An online meeting controller operable to connect devices having installed an online meeting application which is operable to present a user interface for the device, wherein the user interface of each device is operable to display a form data entered at one or more of the devices so as to allow users at each device to participate in an online collaboration, the online meeting controller being operable to:

• communicate with a relationship manager which is operable to identify a user of a device as a host for an online meeting and identify a user of a device as the participant to be invited to the online meeting by the host, wherein the online meeting controller is operable to receive from the relationship management database validation data which validates a device as a host device for an online meeting to be operated by a host of the meeting and which validates a device as a participant device to be operated by a participant invited to the online meeting;
• store the form data and the signature data;
• communicate with the application running on a validated host device and a validated participant device so as to synchronize the user interfaces at the host and participant devices and so as to receive form data entered in fields of forms displayed at the user interfaces of the host and participant devices and so as to receive signature data capturing a signature made at one or more of the devices;
• retrieve a set of stored evidencing rules associated with the host, the rules defining one or more operations for the online meeting controller and including one or more addresses and/or endpoints transmission of form data and signature data;
• and
• generate an evidencing transmission carrying form data and signature data, wherein the evidencing transmission is generated dependent on the set of evidencing rules associated with the host.