Patent ID: 8898578

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of initiating a conference call, the method comprising: identifying, using one or more computers, a first thread in a first application having an affinity group between at least two participants that are members of the affinity group; identifying, using the one or more computers, a second thread in a second application having the affinity group between the at least two participants that are members of the affinity group, wherein the first thread and the second thread include one or more discussions between the at least two participants and a first medium of communication for the first thread that is different from a second medium of communication for the second thread; responsive to identifying the first thread, providing for display of a first button in the first application for initiating the conference call between the at least two participants; responsive to identifying the second thread, providing for display of a second button in the second application for initiating the conference call between the at least two participants; receiving, via the first button, a request from one of the participants to join the conference call, wherein the request includes a list of participants to join the conference call that includes the at least two participants; retrieving, the one or more computers, contact information for the list of participants; establishing, using the one or more computers, the conference call for later joining by one or more of the list of participants; determining whether for each participant from the list of participants, an application for the participant supports a conference module; responsive to the application supporting the conference module, allowing the invitee to automatically join the conference call; and responsive to the determination that the conference module is unsupported, generating a notification of the conference details to the participant.