Abstract: Methods and systems for allowing users to participate in concurrent real-time audio or audio-video communication sessions over the Internet, the public telephone networks, and other networks. A user may switch among two or more conversations, and upon doing so, can play back the conversational content that was created while the user was engaged in other conversations or other tasks. After playing back part or all of the new conversational content, the user can reply with an audio or audio-video instant message that can then be played by the other conversation participants. Temporary storage of the conversation content (the instant messages) can occur on network servers, on the sender's terminal or on the recipient's terminal, depending upon preferences and the capacity of the terminal devices.

Abstract: An improved method for sharing multimedia information across a data communication network based on a concurrent connection among users communicating with one another on a first communication network such as a telephone network, the data communication network distinct from the first communication network. Attributes of the first communication network (e.g., phone call or conference call) are used to establish a means of transmitting information over the data communication network (e.g., a cable network) to the same users who are communicating with one another over the first communication link. When the first communication link is established, a session identifier is created and associated with the user accounts of two or more participants. The user account data are used to specify which users of a second communication link are granted permission to join the specified data communication session.