Apparatus and method for providing multimedia conferencing services with selective information services

A communication apparatus for providing a multimedia conference between a plurality of user devices over a network, with start-up signals comprising:

• a media bridge for selectively provisioning information services to at least one of the plurality of users;
• a memory for storing information services related information;
• and
• a controller in communication with the media bridge and memory, wherein the controller identifies information services to be provided to at least two of the plurality of user devices during the multimedia conference, wherein the at least two of the plurality of user devices request different information services, and provides multimedia conference signals to the at least two of the plurality of user devices, and wherein the multimedia conference signals selectively include the requested different information services for the at least two of the plurality of user devices wherein the controller determines whether the information services of the at least two of the plurality of user devices are to be provided continuously or non-continuously and provides the information services in the multimedia conference signals in accordance with the determination
• means for monitoring the at least one two of the plurality of user devices for a change in selection of information services to be provided, said means for monitoring in communications with said controller;
• and
• a means for modifying the multimedia conference signals in accordance with the change in selection of information services.

A method of providing a multimedia conference between a plurality of user devices over a network comprising:

• receiving a request from at least two of the plurality of user devices requesting different information services;
• identifying information services to be provided to the at least two of the plurality of user devices during the multimedia conference;
• determining whether the information services of the at least two of the plurality of user devices are to be provided in at least one of a continuous or non-continuous manner;
• determining one of the plurality of user devices to be a speaker of the multimedia conference;
• and discontinuing information services to the user device that requests the discontinuance of information services and that is determined to be the speaker;
• and
• providing multimedia conference signals to at least one of the at least two of the plurality of user devices, wherein the multimedia conference signals include the identified information services in at least one of a continuous and non-continuous manner, said step of providing multimedia conference signals further comprising sending multimedia conference signals that selectively include the requested information services to each of the at least two of the plurality of user devices.

A communication apparatus for providing a multimedia conference between a plurality of user devices over a network, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a controller in communication with said memory, wherein at least two of the plurality of user devices request different information services, and
• the controller identifies different information services to be provided to the at least two of the plurality of user devices during the multimedia conference,
• the controller sends multimedia conference signals that selectively include the requested information services to each of the at least two of the plurality of user devices, and wherein the multimedia conference signals comprise the identified information services,
• the controller determines whether the different information services of the at least two of the plurality of user devices are to be provided continuously or non-continuously and provides the different information services in the multimedia conference signals in accordance with the determination, and
• the controller receives start-up signals from one of the plurality of user devices, and the start-up signals include information for determining whether the information services are to be provided continuously or non-continuously.