Co-presence data retrieval system which indicates observers of data

• US 20020019816A1
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shapiro, Ehud, Shafrir, Avner
• Granted Patent: US 6,651,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A data retrieval system has a data server, a co-presence server and at least one awareness co-presence client. The data server retrieves at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository. The co-presence server opens communication and observation channels associated with at least one of the data objects. The awareness co-presence clients communicate with the co-presence server and define an awareness state of the client. The co-presence server opens a communication channel or an observation channel with each client depending on the awareness state of each client per retrieved data object. For observation channels, the co-presence server indicates to each client which other clients have retrieved the same data object. The co-presence server opens a communication channel associated with a retrieved data object to those clients which retrieved the data object and which are in a communication type of awareness state.

Claims

1. A data retrieval system comprising:

a data server for retrieving at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository;

a co-presence server for opening communication and observation channels associated with at least one of said data objects;

at least one awareness co-presence client for communicating with said co-presence server and for defining an awareness state of said client for each retrieved data object,

wherein the type and number of channels opened by said co-presence server with each said client depends on said awareness state of each said client for each retrieved data object.

2. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said co-presence server includes:

means for generating one virtual place per data object retrieved from said data server,

means for associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed; and

means for generating communication and observation channels to awareness co-presence clients in response to the awareness state of each said client.

3. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said awareness co-presence client includes object association means for associating a data object received from said data server with one of said at least one virtual places in said co-presence server.

4. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said awareness state is one of:

public observation, private observation and communication.

5. A data retrieval system comprising:

a data server for retrieving at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository;

a co-presence server;

at least one awareness co-presence client for communicating with said co-presence server and for defining an awareness state of said client with respect to each retrieved data object,

wherein, for a data object retrieved by said data server for one of said awareness co-presence clients, said co-presence server indicates to said one client which other clients have retrieved the same data object and provides a communication channel associated with said retrieved data object to those clients which retrieved the data object and which are in a communication type of awareness state.

6. A system according to claim 5 and wherein said co-presence server includes:

means for generating one virtual place per data object retrieved from said data server;

means for associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed; and

means for generating communication and observation channels to awareness co-presence clients in response to the awareness state of each said client.

7. A system according to claim 6 and wherein said awareness co-presence client includes object association means for associating a data object received from said data server with one of said at least one virtual places in said co-presence server.

8. A system according to claim 5 and wherein said awareness state is one of:

public observation, private observation and communication.

9. A method of data retrieval comprising the steps of:

retrieving by a client at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository;

defining an awareness state of said client per retrieved data object;

opening communication and observation channels associated with at least one of said data objects wherein the type and number of channels opened with each said client depends on said awareness state of each said client per retrieved data object.

10. A method according to claim 9 and said step of opening comprises the steps of,

generating one virtual place per retrieved data object;

associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed; and

generating communication and observation channels to said clients in response to the awareness state of each said client.

11. A method according to claim 9 and wherein said awareness state is one oft public observation, private observation and communication.

13. A method according to claim 12 and said step of opening comprises the steps of:

generating one virtual place per retrieved data object;

associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed; and

generating communication and observation channels to said clients in response to the awareness state of each said client.

14. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said awareness state is one of:

public observation, private observation and communication.

12. A method for data retrieval comprising the steps of:

retrieving by at least two clients at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository;

defining an awareness state of each said client per retrieved data object;

for a retrieved data object for one of said clients, indicating to said one client which other clients have retrieved the same data object; and

providing a communication channel associated with said retrieved data object to those clients which retrieved the data object and which are in a communication type of awareness state.