Patent ID: 8631069

Claim:
A method of providing a multi-media conference, the method comprising: receiving a request to participate in the conference from a first client via a signaling protocol; assigning a conference identifier to the conference; inviting the first client and a media server adapted to support the conference to join the conference via third-party call control of the signaling protocol, wherein inviting the first client and the media server comprises sending invitation messages of the signaling protocol to each of the first client and the media server wherein the invitation messages include the conference identifier; inviting a second client to join the conference via the third-party call control of the signaling protocol; and providing floor control of the conference via messages of the signaling protocol, wherein providing floor control comprises: receiving a request from the first client to control the conference; and in response to the request from the first client, granting control of the conference to the first client, wherein receiving the request from the first client to control the conference comprises receiving a first message via the signaling protocol indicating a request for the floor and granting control of the conference to the first client comprises sending a Session Description Protocol (SDP) update to the second client.