Event scheduling

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention is a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon. The instructions when executed by the processor, cause that processor to schedule a network-based media event; and to invite an attendee to attend the network-based media event. Other aspects of the invention includes a process and a method.

1 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A method comprising:
 a host computing device establishing a meeting;   transmitting, by the host computing device, media data to the meeting;   scheduling, by the host computing device, a poll;   transmitting, by the host computing device, the poll to the meeting for automatic display on an attendee computing device coupled to the meeting; and   receiving, at the host computing device, the poll response from the attendee computing device.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein scheduling the poll comprises indicating if the poll is for immediate use. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising:
 providing a user interface that allows a user to select from among a slideshow, the poll, and a whiteboard;   receiving a user selection of one of the slideshow and the whiteboard; and   transmitting the one of the slideshow and the whiteboard to the meeting.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein transmitting the whiteboard comprises transmitting data usable to depict markings on a representation of a whiteboard. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein transmitting the media data and transmitting the poll comprises transmitting the media data and the poll for simultaneous display on the attendee computing device. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein transmitting the media data and the poll comprises transmitting the media data and the poll for display in a same window. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising connecting the host computing device to a cellular telephone; and transmitting audio only to the cellular telephone. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the media data is transmitted from the host computing device to the attendee computing device by a server on an intranet. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising uploading a slideshow presentation to a server prior to establishing the meeting; and securing the slideshow presentation from access by the attendee computing device until the host computing device indicates the slideshow presentation should be made accessible. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein uploading the slideshow presentation comprises receiving a user indication of data representative of a slideshow presentation and transmitting the data to the server. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising scheduling the meeting prior to establishing the meeting, wherein a user defines a question and answers for the poll during scheduling. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein scheduling the meeting comprises receiving an indication of a desired meeting time from a user and transmitting the indication of the desired meeting time to the attendee computing device. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the media data comprises at least one of slideshow data and live video data. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein transmitting the poll comprises transmitting an indication of a poll question. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the host computing device establishes the meeting by connecting to a server configured to distribute the media data from the host to the attendee computing device. 
     
     
         68 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
 communicatively couple to a plurality of computing devices;   transmit media data to the plurality of computing devices   provide a user interface that allows a user to select from among a slideshow, a poll, and a whiteboard;   receive a user selection of one of the slideshow, the poll, and the whiteboard;   schedule the one of the slideshow, the poll, and the whiteboard per the user selection; and   transmit the one of the slideshow, the poll, and the whiteboard to the plurality of computing devices.   
     
     
         69 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 68 , wherein the user selection is for the poll, wherein transmitting the poll comprises transmitting the poll for automatic display on the plurality of computing devices, and wherein the program code causes the processor to receive poll responses from the plurality of computing devices. 
     
     
         70 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 69 , wherein transmitting the media data and transmitting the poll comprises transmitting the media data and the poll for simultaneous display on the plurality of computing devices. 
     
     
         71 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 70 , wherein transmitting the media data and the poll comprises transmitting the media data and the poll for display in a same window on each computing device. 
     
     
         72 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 68 , wherein one of the plurality of computing devices is a cellular telephone, and wherein transmitting media data comprises transmitting audio only to the cellular telephone. 
     
     
         73 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 68 , wherein the media data is transmitted to the plurality of computing devices by a server on an intranet. 
     
     
         74 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 68 , wherein the program code causes the processor to upload a slideshow presentation to a server prior to communicatively coupling to the plurality of computing devices; and secure the slideshow presentation from access by the plurality of computing devices until a host computing device indicates the slideshow presentation should be made accessible. 
     
     
         75 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 68 , wherein the program code causes the processor to schedule the communicative coupling prior to communicatively coupling to the plurality of computing devices, wherein the user defines a question and answers for the poll during scheduling. 
     
     
         76 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising program code configured to cause the processor to:
 receive media data, a poll, and scheduling information from a first computing device; and 
 transmit the media data and the poll to a second computing device for automatic, simultaneous display; and 
 receive a poll response from the second computing device. 
   
     
     
         77 . The apparatus of  claim 76 , wherein the program code is further configured to cause the processor to:
 receive a selection of one of a slideshow and a whiteboard from the first computing device; and   transmit the one of the slideshow and the whiteboard to the second computing device rather than the poll.   
     
     
         78 . The apparatus of  claim 76 , wherein the program code is further configured to cause the processor to transmit the media data and the poll for display in a same window. 
     
     
         79 . The apparatus of  claim 76 , wherein the program code is further configured to cause the processor to communicatively couple the first computing device to a cellular telephone; and transmit audio only to the cellular telephone. 
     
     
         80 . The apparatus of  claim 76 , wherein the program code is further configured to cause the processor to:
 receive a slideshow presentation prior to receiving the media data; and   securing the slideshow presentation from access by the second computing device until receiving an indication from the first computing device that the slideshow presentation should be made accessible.   
     
     
         81 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a server, a communicative coupling from a host computing device;   receiving, at the server, media data from the host computing device and transmitting, by the server, the media data to an attendee computing device;   receiving, at the server, a poll and scheduling information for the poll from the host computing device and transmitting, by the server, the poll for automatic display on the attendee computing device; and   receiving, at the server, a poll response from the attendee computing device.