A communication server and accompanying communication devices allow near instantaneous communication between users of the communication devices. A communication device may be configured with multiple channels, where each channel is assigned a corresponding communication device. As the communication devices are registered with the communication server, each communication device has knowledge of other registered communication devices. Thus, communication devices may communicate nearly instantaneously with each other. Furthermore, as the communication device is equipped with multiple channels, a single communication device may host a conference call with other communication devices. In addition, communication device may include multiple buttons to control the communication device, and indicator lights to indicate the status of calls with other communication devices

Systems and methods for controlling the privileges of participants in a multiparty interaction are described, wherein participants in the multiparty interaction are distributed among a plurality of areas, each area having different privileges, and further wherein a participant may obtain the privileges of another area by moving to the other area.

The present disclosure relates to technologies for a sensor network, machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, or machine type communications (MTC), and Internet of things (IoT), and may be utilized in intelligent services, based on the above technologies, such as a smart home, a smart building, smart cities, smart cars or connected cars, smart grids, healthcare, smart electronics, advanced medical services, public safety network communications through fusion and convergence with conventional IT technologies and various industries. Data transmission control between a group of uncoordinated electronic devices in a computer network including the use of transmission authorization request messages and transmission authorization grant messages.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for improving audio conferencing services. One aspect relates to processing audio content of a conference. A first audio signal is received from a first conference participant, and a start and an end of a first utterance by the first conference participant are detected from the first audio signal. A second audio signal is received from a second conference participant, and a start and an end of a second utterance by the second conference participant is detected from the second audio signal. The second conference participant is provided with at least a portion of the first utterance, wherein at least one of start time, start point, and duration is determined based at least in part on the start, end, or both, of the second utterance.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for facilitating a conference call with rotating participants. In a particular embodiment, a method provides identifying one or more static participants for the conference call and identifying at least two rotating participants for the conference call. The method further provides determining an order in which the rotating participants will be connected to the conference call. The method then provides connecting the conference call with the one or more static participants and connecting and disconnecting the conference call with each of the rotating participants in accordance with the order.

Systems and methods for providing capabilities to participants in a multiparty interaction are described, wherein the multiparty interaction is divided into a plurality of areas, and each area is provided with a different set of interaction capabilities. The interaction capabilities for a given area may be defined with respect to other participants within the given area, with respect to other participants outside of the given area, with respect to other participants in a specified area outside of the given area, and/or with respect to all other participants.

In a method of controlling a real-time conference session there is a first user and a second user connected to a media processing unit. The first user has a passive mode wherein data is received at and transmitted by the first user's communication terminal as passive data but not received by the communication terminal of the second user and an active mode wherein the data is received and transmitted by the first user's terminal and received by the second user's terminal as active data. When the first user switches from the passive mode to the active mode there is a duration of the conference call that is left to be transmitted to the second user. That portion has been recorded and is played at a faster rate to the second user.

A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

A system and method provides for multi-party communication including engaging a network communication engine from a mobile communication interface and providing a user identification and a location indicator to the network communication engine. The method and system further includes receiving in the mobile communication interface a plurality of communication channels based on at least one of: the user identification and the location indicator and in response to a user selection of a selected communication channel, transmitting a channel engagement request to the network communication engine requesting connection of the user to the selected communication channel.

Embodiments of this application belong to the field of audio processing technologies and provide an audio processing method and an electronic device. The method is applicable to an electronic device including a camera. The electronic device records a plurality of channels of audio and video pictures corresponding to the audio in a video recording mode, and plays, during video playback, some video pictures and audio obtained after the plurality of channels of audio are combined. When a speaker in a video picture starts to speak, played audio is switched to audio corresponding to the video picture in which the speaker is located; thereby resolving a feeling of a sudden change of sound caused by switching required for obtaining audio content when the electronic device that does not support playback of a plurality of channels of audio plays a video.