System for terminating multicast channel and data broadcast when at least two second endpoints do not transmit positive acknowledgment message to first endpoint

An apparatus in a first endpoint for transmitting data to a plurality of second endpoints receiving said data from said first endpoint on point-to-point communication channels comprising:

• a. a circuit for activating a multicast communication channel having a first multicast address and commencing broadcast of said data over said multicast communication channel;
• b. a circuit for transmitting a request message to each of said plurality of second endpoints in order to query each of said second endpoints whether they can receive transmissions broadcast to said first multicast address;
• c. a circuit for receiving acknowledgment messages, if any, from certain of said plurality of second endpoints;
• d. a circuit for deactivating each said point-to-point communication channel with said certain of said plurality of second endpoints responsive to receiving each said acknowledgment message;
• and
• e. a circuit for terminating said broadcast of said data and said multicast communication channel if at least two of said acknowledgment messages containing a positive acknowledgment are not received.

An automatic method in a teleconferencing system for merging at least two ongoing teleconferences comprising:

• performing at least one of transmitting or receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of a first teleconference to communicate with members of a second teleconference;
• receiving a list of members in said second teleconference;
• for each of at least a subset of the members in said list;
• comparing a first conference identifier (ID) of the respective member and a second conference ID of a second member;
• and
• if said first conference ID has a first relationship with said second conference ID, then transmitting, by said second member, a second message to the respective member to request participation by the member in the first teleconference, wherein the member is not the initiating member, said second message causing the transmitting of a response message, said response message comprising an indication of said member's participation level in the requested merging of conferences;
• and
• establishing a merged teleconference with at least a subset of the members in said list, based at least in part on said indication.

An automatic method in a teleconferencing system for merging at least two teleconferences, wherein a first of said teleconferences has a first set of members, and a second of said teleconferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• performing at least one of transmitting or receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first teleconference to communicate with members of the second teleconference;
• responsive to the first message, transmitting a second message to at least one member of the second teleconference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said second message configured to cause the transmission of a response message that includes a numeric code that indicates the response of said at least one member to said request by said initiating member;
• retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference said members;
• and
• establishing a merged teleconference including the first and second sets of members.

An automatic apparatus in a teleconferencing system for merging at least two ongoing teleconferences comprising:

• a first circuit for performing at least one of transmitting or receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of a first teleconference to communicate with members of a second teleconference, and for transmitting a list of members in one of said at least two ongoing teleconferences;
• a second circuit for transmitting a second message to each of at least a subset of the members in said list of members to request participation by the member in a teleconference, wherein the member is not the initiating member, said second message causing the transmitting of a response message that indicates the reaction of the receiving member to said second message;
• and
• a third circuit for establishing one teleconference responsive at least in part to said response message;
• and
• a detection circuit for determining whether a first member in said list of members will transmit said second message, and wherein, if the detection circuit determines that the first member will transmit said second message, said second circuit does not transmit said second message to said first member, wherein said detection circuit determines whether said first member in said list of members will transmit said second message by comparing a first conference identifier (ID) of a second member and a second conference ID of said first member, and wherein, if said first conference ID has a first relationship with said second conference ID, then said second circuit transmits said second message to said second member.

An automatic apparatus in a teleconferencing system for merging at least two teleconferences, wherein one of said teleconferences has a first set of members, and a second of said teleconferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• a first circuit for performing at least one of transmitting or receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of a first teleconference to communicate with members of a second teleconference;
• a second circuit for transmitting a second message to at least one member, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member;
• a third circuit for receiving a response message from said at least one member, wherein said response message includes a numeric code that answers said request for communication;
• and
• a fourth circuit for establishing one teleconference;
• and
• a merged conferences history table, wherein said first and second circuits use current identifiers stored in said merged conferences history table to reference said members.

A method for merging a first teleconference call including a first member and one or more other members with a second teleconference call including the first member and a second member, comprising:

• a conference component of the first member transmitting a merge request message to a conference component of the second member requesting merger of the first teleconference call with the second teleconference call, the merge request message identifying the one or more other members of the first teleconference call;
• a conference component of the second member receiving the merge request message and transmitting a join message to conference components of the one or more other members;
• a conference component of the second member retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference the one or more other members of the first teleconference call;
• a conference component of the second member receiving a merge accept message, wherein said merge accept message indicates participation or non-participation of said one or more other members in said merger of the first teleconference with the second teleconference;
• and
• the conference components of the first member, the second member and the one or more other members establishing one teleconference call.

Circuitry in a conference component of a member of a first teleconference call for merging the first teleconference call with a second teleconference call, comprising:

• circuitry for receiving a merge request message from a common member of both the first and second teleconference calls, the merge request message identifying one or more other members of the second teleconference call;
• circuitry for, responsive to the merge request message, transmitting a join message to the one or more other members;
• circuitry for receiving a merge accept message, wherein said merge accept message indicates the success or failure of said join message;
• and
• circuitry for establishing a single teleconference call with the common member and the one or more other members of the second teleconference call;
• and
• a merged conferences history table, wherein the circuitry uses current identifiers stored in said merged conferences history table to reference the one or more other members of the second teleconference call.

An apparatus for merging a first teleconference call including a first member and one or more other members with a second teleconference call including the first member and a second member, comprising:

• circuitry in a conference component of the first member for transmitting a merge request message to a conference component of a second member requesting merger of the first teleconference call with the second teleconference call, the merge request message identifying the one or more other members of the first teleconference call;
• circuitry in the conference component of the second member for receiving the merge request message and transmitting a join message to conference components of the one or more other members;
• circuitry in the conference components of the first member, the second member and the one or more other members, for receiving the join message and determining participation within a merged teleconference call;
• and
• circuitry in the conference components of the first member, the second member and the one or more other members for establishing said merged teleconference call responsive to the determined participation;
• and
• a merged conferences history table, wherein the conference component of the second member uses current identifiers stored in said merged conferences history table to reference the one or more other members of the first teleconference call.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, transmitting a second message indicating at least one of application and system capabilities to each of at least a subset of the members in said first and said second sets and transmitting a join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said join request message causing the transmitting of a response message, said response message indicating the at least one member's intention to join in a merge of said first and second conference, wherein said second message is not transmitted to a particular member in said first and second sets if a first conference identifier (ID) of the particular member has a first relationship with a second conference ID of the transmitting member;
• and
• establishing a merged conference including the first and second sets of members.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, transmitting a second message including communication capabilities and transmitting a join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said join request message requesting the joining of said first and second conferences, and causing the transmitting of a response message indicating the recipient's action with respect to said join request;
• retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference said members of the first conference;
• and
• establishing a merged conference including the first and second sets of members.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, transmitting a first join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member;
• transmitting at least one additional join request message;
• for each join request message, receiving a response message that includes a numeric code that indicates the recipient accepting said request for communication with said initiating member of the first conference;
• retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• establishing a merged conference including the first and the second sets of members.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• an apparatus receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, the apparatus transmitting a first join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member;
• the apparatus transmitting a second join request message to at least one member of the first conference;
• the apparatus receiving a first response message, indicating the success or failure of said first join request message;
• the apparatus receiving a second response message, indicating the success or failure of said second join request message;
• the apparatus retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• the apparatus establishing a merged conference including the first and the second sets of members based at least in part on said first and second response messages.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• an apparatus receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, the apparatus transmitting a first join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said first join request message causing the transmission of a first response message that indicates the acceptance of said at least one member of the second conference to join a merged conference;
• the apparatus receiving a second message comprising a request by said initiating member to communicate with at least one member of the first conference;
• responsive to the second message, the apparatus transmitting a second join request message to at least one member of the first conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said second join request message causing the transmission of a second response message that indicates the acceptance of said at least one member of the first conference to join said merged teleconference;
• the apparatus retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• the apparatus establishing said merged conference including the first and the second sets of members.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• an apparatus receiving a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, the apparatus transmitting a first join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said first join request message causing the transmitting of a first response message that indicates the acceptance of said at least one member of the second conference to join said merging of at least two conferences;
• responsive to the first message, the apparatus transmitting a second join request message to at least one member of the first conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said second join request message causing the transmitting of a second response message that indicates the acceptance of said at least one member of the first conference to join said merging of at least two conferences;
• the apparatus retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• the apparatus establishing a merged conference including the first and the second sets of members.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• transmitting a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, transmitting a second message indicating at least one of application and system capabilities to each of at least a subset of the members in said first and said second sets and transmitting a join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said join request message requesting the joining of said first and second teleconferences and causing the transmitting of a response message that indicates agreement to join said first and second teleconferences;
• retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• establishing a merged conference including the first and second sets of members.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• transmitting a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, transmitting a second message including communication capabilities and transmitting a join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member, said join request message causing the transmitting of a response message that indicates the success or failure of said join request message;
• retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• establishing a merged conference including the first and second sets of members based at least in part on said response message.

An automatic method in a conferencing system for merging at least two conferences, wherein a first of said conferences has a first set of members, and a second of said conferences has a second set of members, comprising:

• an apparatus transmitting a first message comprising a request by an initiating member of the first conference to communicate with members of the second conference;
• responsive to the first message, the apparatus transmitting a first join request message to at least one member of the second conference, wherein the at least one member is not the initiating member;
• the apparatus transmitting at least one additional join request message, said first join request message and said at least one additional join request message causing the transmitting of response messages that indicate the success or failure of respective ones of said first join request and at least one additional join request message;
• the apparatus retrieving identifiers stored in a merged conferences history table to reference at least said first set of members or said second set of members;
• and
• the apparatus establishing a merged conference including the first and the second sets of members, based at least in part on said indications in response to said first and at least one additional join request messages.