| CPC H04L 12/1822 (2013.01) | 14 Claims |
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1. A method is provided for supporting a plurality of users using a plurality of electronic devices to engage in an online meeting as meeting participants, wherein each device in said plurality of devices comprises at least a processor, a display displaying an at least a display window displaying meeting-related information, a microphone, and preferably a video camera configured to be able to capture an image of a device user, wherein said plurality of devices are connected via a communication network to one another and preferably to a network server or servers, wherein all meeting participants are taking part in a general discussion and are present in the same communication space, in which meeting participants having a conversational floor are addressing all other participants in said meeting; the method comprising the method steps of
detecting a user action performed by a user from said plurality of users, said user action being a request for dividing at least some meeting participants into a set of non-overlapping subgroups according to predefined parameters included in said requesting user action; wherein said parameters include at least a parameter selected from a group comprising at least: number of subgroups, size or sizes of subgroups, names of subgroups, list of persons to be included in a subgroup, and whether or not said meeting participants can join a subgroup themselves; and
displaying, in said display window, visual cues indicating which meeting participants are placed in which subgroups; and
enabling meeting participants to perform at least a user action selected from a set comprising at least: requesting a conversational floor for giving presentation as a subgroup, muting/unmuting a subgroup, sharing screen within a subgroup, sending messages to members of own subgroup, sending messages to other meeting participants on behalf of a subgroup;
wherein said meeting participants, divided into said subgroups, remain in said common communication space.
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