Patent ID: 6870916

Claim:
In a multimedia telecommunications system including a user terminal, a server for conference establishment and a means for facilitating communication between the user terminal and the server, a method for scheduling a conference call comprising the steps of: the server receiving a request for a conference call, including an indication of participants for the conference call; the server determining an availability of participants for the conference call; the server notifying participants of a conference time for the conference call; the server requesting confirmation from participants of availability for the conference call, where at least one participant is designated a critical participant, where a critical participant is deemed required for the conference call; the server designating a predetermined amount of resources as critical resources, where critical resources are deemed necessary for the conference call; the server reserving the critical resources for the conference call; the server determining that the conference time is approaching; the server determining an availability of participants and resources for the conference time; the server sending a notification to participants that the conference time is approaching; and the server canceling the conference call if a critical participant or critical resource is unavailable.