Abstract: A conference management system that is capable of managing one or more panels within a teleconference. The conference manager is capable of receiving commands for the purposes of configuring one or more panels and, during a teleconference, activating various panels at various times. In particular, the conference manager is configured to add participants in a teleconference to a panel. The conference manager is also configured to activate a panel, which has the effect of unmuting the audio and video media of the participants previously identified as members of the panel. The conference manager can be further configured to restore the conference to its previous mode, such as a lecture mode in which a lecturer participant is identified as a permanent speaker such that activating and deactivating a panel does not result in the lecturer being muted. Muting treatments other than activating a panel can also be applied to the teleconference.

Abstract: A conference management system that is capable of managing one or more panels within a teleconference. The conference manager is capable of receiving commands for the purposes of configuring one or more panels and, during a teleconference, activating various panels at various times. In particular, the conference manager is configured to add participants in a teleconference to a panel. The conference manager is also configured to activate a panel, which has the effect of unmuting the audio and video media of the participants previously identified as members of the panel. The conference manager can be further configured to restore the conference to its previous mode, such as a lecture mode in which a lecturer participant is identified as a permanent speaker such that activating and deactivating a panel does not result in the lecturer being muted. Muting treatments other than activating a panel can also be applied to the teleconference.

Abstract: A conference management system that is capable of managing one or more panels within a teleconference. The conference manager is capable of receiving commands for the purposes of configuring one or more panels and, during a teleconference, activating various panels at various times. In particular, the conference manager is configured to add participants in a teleconference to a panel. The conference manager is also configured to activate a panel, which has the effect of unmuting the audio and video media of the participants previously identified as members of the panel. The conference manager can be further configured to restore the conference to its previous mode, such as a lecture mode in which a lecturer participant is identified as a permanent speaker such that activating and deactivating a panel does not result in the lecturer being muted. Muting treatments other than activating a panel can also be applied to the teleconference.

Abstract: A conference management system that is capable of managing one or more panels within a teleconference. The conference manager is capable of receiving commands for the purposes of configuring one or more panels and, during a teleconference, activating various panels at various times. In particular, the conference manager is configured to add participants in a teleconference to a panel. The conference manager is also configured to activate a panel, which has the effect of unmuting the audio and video media of the participants previously identified as members of the panel. The conference manager can be further configured to restore the conference to its previous mode, such as a lecture mode in which a lecturer participant is identified as a permanent speaker such that activating and deactivating a panel does not result in the lecturer being muted. Muting treatments other than activating a panel can also be applied to the teleconference.

Abstract: An input device disposed on the rotatable cover of a portable terminal. The input device is a compound switch that has five binary switching elements. The input device includes an outer, ring-shape element and inner, circular-shape element. When a switching element is actuated, the portable terminal responds, wherein the response is a function of the operating mode of the portable terminal. A graphical representation of the input device appears in the display screen of the portable terminal. The graphical representation includes up to five icons, which correspond to the five binary switching elements. The icons are visually suggestive of the function of the associated switching element. The icons change, as a function of operating mode, to reflect the change in function of the switching elements from mode to mode.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for more conveniently creating a message at a wireless terminal and sending the message to a user-specified group of one or more recipients. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention, for the purposes of creating and sending a message, essentially rearranges the conventional wireless communication paradigm. The conventional paradigm consists of first specifying a destination address (e.g., dialed digits of the called party, etc.), then hitting the “SEND” key, and then communicating. Instead, the illustrative embodiment specifies first communicating (i.e., creating a message), then specifying one or more destination addresses, and then hitting the “SEND” key.