Abstract: A real-time communications system for initiating a real-time communications session involving a plurality of users that brings together the most appropriate individuals to participate in an on-line meeting or teleconference. A user who is a prospective participant in an on-line meeting or teleconference clicks on a hyperlink contained in a document to access a query form. Next, the user enters personal identifying information on the query form. Information relating to that user can also be included in parameters associated with the hyperlink. Next, the user clicks on a button associated with the query form to pass the personal identifying information to a real-time messaging server, which generates a request for an on-line meeting or teleconference, and provides the meeting request to one or more other specified users.

Abstract: A real-time communications system that is capable of convening an on-line meeting or teleconference involving text, audio, video, and/or data between multiple users of mobile and non-mobile devices. A mobile telephone is operative to receive an invitation to join an on-line meeting with at least one user of another mobile or non-mobile device. If the mobile telephone network can provide an indication of whether the mobile telephone is powered-on and within the coverage area of the mobile telephone network, a real-time messaging server employs this information to determine the on-line presence of the mobile telephone user before transmitting the meeting invitation. Otherwise, the real-time messaging server assumes that the mobile telephone user is present and on-line.

Abstract: A real-time messaging system and method for a plurality of users that obviates the need to install specialized, dedicated software on user computers, and renders the need to become a subscriber of the system unnecessary. The real-time messaging system is a rules-based system that applies a set of rules and user attributes to the availability status of the users to facilitate effective real-time communications between the users. The system allows each user to indicate his or her on-line presence via a hyperlink embedded in and displayable on a web page, an e-mail message, or other hyperlink-supporting document. Each hyperlink is associated with a URL that points to a document such as a web page configured to initiate an on-line meeting or teleconference. A user who wishes to participate in an on-line meeting or teleconference selects a hyperlink corresponding to a particular user or user group, thereby initiating the desired on-line meeting or teleconference.