Automatic rejoining of conferences

A server capable of facilitating a conference with automatic rejoin capability, the server comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory adapted to execute a conference application that is configured to:
• receive a request to join a first conference from a user at a participation module associated with the conference application executed on a conference server, wherein the request is received in natural language form and interpreted through speech recognition;
• identify the user and the first conference requested by the user at the participation module;
• connect the user to the first conference upon authentication at the participation module;
• while the first conference is being facilitated, receive another request from the user to join a conference without having to provide a conference identifier or be authenticated again;
• confirm an identity of the user at the participation module;
• determine an elapsed time since the user's first request to join the conference, wherein the elapsed time is compared to an expected duration of the conference and an analysis is provided to the conference server for reconnecting the user to the first conference;
• receive presence information associated with the user, wherein the presence information is collected at a data server and provided to the conference server;
• upon determining availability of at least a second conference for the user, employ the conference server to prompt the user to select between the first conference and the second conference;
• and
• if the user selects the first conference, re-connect the user to the first conference without requesting conference identification and authentication information from the user and if the user joins the second conference request conference identification and authentication information at a time of joining the second conference.

A method executed at least in part in a computing device for facilitating a conference with automatic rejoin capability, the method comprising:

• receiving a call to join a conference from a caller at a participation module associated with a communication application executed on a conference server;
• identifying the caller through detecting one of:
• a caller identification number and a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) number, wherein one of the caller identification number and the URI number is recorded by a server managing the conference;
• identifying the conference requested by the caller, wherein the identity depends on an integrated network and the identity includes one or more of:
• a telephone number, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), or a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI);
• connecting the caller to the requested conference;
• detecting a disconnect of the caller participating in the requested conference;
• while the conference is being facilitated, receiving another call from the caller to re-join a conference;
• confirming the identity of the caller;
• determining an elapsed time since the user's first request to join the conference;
• and
• reconnecting the user to the conference based on the elapsed time since the user's first request to join the conference.