Abstract: Extemporaneous awareness of rich presence information among members of a peer group connected to a communication network is described. As members of the peer group log onto the network, identification information is examined to determine membership in any defined groups. For each group member found, rich presence information, which includes at least the visual context information identifying the activity that the group member is currently displaying on his or her device, and navigational information providing a virtual path to that activity, is extemporaneously broadcast to each other online member of the peer group unsolicited by these group members. This rich presence information is then used to display what every other member is doing on each member's device. By selecting the display corresponding to a particular activity, the selecting member may join that virtual space with the other corresponding member via the navigational information.

Abstract: Extemporaneous awareness of rich presence information among members of a peer group connected to a communication network is described. As members of the peer group log onto the network, identification information is examined to determine membership in any defined groups. For each group member found, rich presence information, which includes at least the visual context information identifying the activity that the group member is currently displaying on his or her device, and navigational information providing a virtual path to that activity, is extemporaneously broadcast to each other online member of the peer group unsolicited by these group members. This rich presence information is then used to display what every other member is doing on each member's device. By selecting the display corresponding to a particular activity, the selecting member may join that virtual space with the other corresponding member via the navigational information.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling voice communication between users of common virtual spaces. A communication manager autonomously identifies a plurality of clients who are accessing a common virtual space, and autonomously initiates voice communication between the plurality of clients. The common virtual space may encompass any number of software applications (which may reside locally on client computers and/or which may be network-accessed applications) and which may be applications that are not communication centric. The communication manager comprises peer group identifying logic that is operable to identify a plurality of users who are accessing a common virtual space. The communication manager further comprises connection management logic that is operable to autonomously initiate voice communication between the peer group members.