Patent ID: 6363352
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
A computer-implemented method for scheduling a virtual meeting between a meeting host and at least one meeting participant, the method comprising:providing a meeting host's computer having a host virtual meeting utility and a host personal information manager application, the host personal information manager application having a facility for creating and sending a scheduled virtual meeting request over a communication network to at least one meeting participant's computer; sending the scheduled virtual meeting request from the meeting host computer to each meeting participant's computer, the scheduled virtual meeting request specifying a date and time of a virtual meeting; providing a meeting participant's personal information manager application on each meeting participant's computer, the meeting participant's personal information manager having a facility for receiving the scheduled virtual meeting request and storing the scheduled virtual meeting request until the date and time of the virtual meeting; the host personal information manager program invoking the host virtual meeting utility at a first predetermined time before the time and date of the virtual meeting specified in the scheduled virtual meeting request, the host virtual meeting utility being invoked to host the virtual meeting; the host personal information manager generating a host meeting reminder on the meeting host computer at the predetermined time before the time and date of the virtual meeting specified in the scheduled virtual meeting request; the meeting participant's personal information manager application invoking the meeting participant virtual meeting utility at a second predetermined time before the time and date of the virtual meeting that is specified in the scheduled virtual meeting request, the participant virtual meeting utility being invoked to join the virtual meeting; invoking the host virtual meeting utility only if the scheduled meeting request specifies that the host virtual meeting utility should be started at the time the host meeting reminder is generated; and providing an option to activate the host virtual meeting utility from the host meeting reminder.