Patent ID: 7516411
Filing Date: 2009-04-07
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for facilitating collaboration between a team member and other members of a geographically dispersed team, the GUI comprising: a computer processor accessing respective preference and presence information concerning each of the other members of the team maintained by a persistent collaboration services suite, the preference information comprising communications information identifying types of communication in which the respective team member prefers to participate, and, for each identified type of communication, a communication device that the respective team member prefers to use to participate in that type of communication, wherein at least one communication device is only reachable through a Switched Telephone Network (STN); a first graphical display including a representation of the preference and presence information respecting each of the other members of the team; and means for initiating a selected one of a plurality of types of communication with at least one other member of the team; wherein the GUI further comprises a second graphical display representing a communications session between the team member and one or more other parties to the communications session; wherein the GUI is adapted to enable the user to invite a new party to join the communications session; and wherein the new party is not another member of the team, and the GUI is adapted to enable the team member to send an invitation to the new party using contact information concerning the new party.