Patent ID: 7310661

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for assigning functions between participants in a communications arrangement comprising a plurality of participants, the method comprising the steps of: assigning, to a first participant from the plurality of participants, one or more functions to be performed by the first participant; prior to a failure of the first participant that prevents the first participant from performing any of the one or more functions assigned to the first participant: designating a second participant from the plurality of participants to perform the one or more functions if any of one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; the first participant communicating directly with the second participant to indicate that the second participant has been designated to perform the one or more functions if any of the one or more handoff criteria are satisfied; the first participant performing the one or more functions; and the second participant not performing the one or more functions; in response to any of the one or more handoff criteria being satisfied: assigning the one or more functions to the second participant; and the second participant performing the one or more functions instead of the first participant performing the one or more functions.