Importance

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Abstract

A graphical user interface, i.e., multimedia communications application program, for setting up and handling a multimedia call is disclosed that employs realistic metaphors of real life face-to-meetings in setting up and handling a multimedia call to establish a virtual meeting which is automatically reconfigured in response to user action. This is realized by taking advantage of prospective virtual meeting participants' already existing knowledge of how real life face-to-face meetings operate. To this end, the multimedia communications application program enables the virtual meeting participants through direct manipulation of the realistic graphical metaphors to establish a realistic virtual meeting room which is displayed on the screen of their workstation monitor. The virtual meeting room includes a table and chairs arranged in a realistic manner in the virtual meeting room. The virtual meeting room and table are automatically configured in response to user action in such a manner as to minimize the screen area displaying the virtual meeting room and, thereby, maximizing the screen area available for multimedia collaboration by the meeting participants. An empty chair is displayed at the table which indicates that at least one more participant can be added to the virtual meeting. Once a predetermined maximum number of participants have been included in the virtual meeting, the empty chair is no longer displayed.

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First Claim