US 12,149,567 B1
Interpersonal networking in virtual space pre-meeting waiting rooms and post-meeting exit queues for participants of a videoconferencing session
Benjamin Slotznick, Mt. Gretna, PA (US)
Filed by Benjamin Slotznick, Mt. Gretna, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/608,181.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/457,934, filed on Apr. 7, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/482,919, filed on Feb. 2, 2023.
Int. Cl. H04L 65/1069 (2022.01); H04L 9/40 (2022.01); H04L 65/1093 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 65/1069 (2013.01) [H04L 63/08 (2013.01); H04L 65/1093 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated method for allowing meeting participants of a host-scheduled videoconferencing session to interact with each other via an online meeting user interface of a videoconferencing system using their respective participant computers prior to initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, wherein the meeting participants request to join the host-scheduled videoconferencing session by sending a request to the videoconferencing system from their respective participant computers, and wherein the videoconferencing system provides a waiting room for the meeting participants to be placed in prior to the initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, and wherein the videoconferencing system establishes a post-meeting time window after the end of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, and the videoconferencing system establishes and maintains a post-meeting session during the post-meeting time window, the post-meeting session allowing cleared meeting participants to interact with each other via their respective participant computers, the method comprising:
(a) electronically clearing meeting participants to participate in the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, by the video conferencing system, who have requested to join the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, wherein cleared meeting participants automatically join the host-scheduled videoconferencing session upon its initiation via their respective meeting participant computers, and
wherein cleared meeting participants are in the waiting room prior to the initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session;
(b) providing, by the videoconferencing system, a selection option in the online meeting user interface to allow the cleared meeting participants to interact with other cleared meeting participants via the online meeting user interface using their respective participant computers prior to the initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, thereby allowing cleared meeting participants who are in the waiting room to interact with each other upon making the selection option; and
(c) automatically placing, by the videoconferencing system, the cleared meeting participants into the post-meeting session after the end of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session,
wherein the post-meeting session is a distinct and new session created subsequent to the end of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, and wherein the time window of the post-meeting session is separate and distinct from a time window of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session, and
wherein the cleared meeting participants who interact with other cleared meeting participants in the waiting room are simultaneously admitted to the host-scheduled videoconferencing session upon initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session.