Microsoft patents system to link overlapping online meetings automatically

1. A system for selectively using identical or different bridge configurations for overlapping meetings, the system comprising: one or more processing units; and a computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to cause the one or more processing units to: receive a first request for generating a primary meeting object defining attributes of a primary meeting for a first time period, the first request causing generation of a first bridge configuration for facilitating a first communication session; generate the primary meeting object including attributes of the primary meeting; store, within the primary meeting object, the first bridge configuration, wherein the first bridge configuration comprises at least one of a mixer identifier, dial-in number, participant access code, host access code, or media routing configuration; receive a second request for generating a sub-meeting object defining attributes of a sub-meeting for a second time period that overlaps at least a portion of the first time period; compare one or more attributes of the sub-meeting to one or more corresponding attributes of the primary meeting and determine, based on the comparison, whether a predefined relationship criterion between the sub-meeting and the primary meeting is satisfied, the predefined relationship criterion indicating whether the sub-meeting constitutes a deliberate overlapping meeting relative to the primary meeting; in response to determining that the predefined relationship criterion is satisfied: copy the first bridge configuration from the primary meeting object for storage in association with the sub-meeting object, such that invitees of the sub-meeting join the first communication session with invitees of the primary meeting using the same mixer identifier and access code, and store, within the sub-meeting object, the first bridge configuration, wherein the first bridge configuration comprises at least one of the mixer identifier, dial-in number, participant access code, host access code, or media routing configuration; and in response to determining that the predefined relationship criterion is not satisfied, generate a unique bridge configuration instantiated on a communication bridge logically isolated from the communication bridge of the primary meeting, such that invitees of the sub-meeting are prevented from exchanging audio streams or video streams with invitees of the primary meeting, and store, within the sub-meeting object unique bridge configuration instantiated on a communication bridge logically isolated from the communication bridge of the primary meeting.