Sharing of still images within a video telephony call
First Claim
1. A method of sharing still images between first and second computers connected to an internetwork for exchanging network packets therebetween, wherein each of said computers has a respective private IP address within said internetwork, said method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining a central server coupled to said internetwork and containing a database of IP addresses of registered computers;
running first and second call clients in said first and second computers, respectively, for establishing a data call between said first and second computers in response to said database of IP addresses, said data call comprising live video exchange from at least one video camera coupled to one of said first and second computers and comprising a network session between said first and second call clients;
establishing a voice telephone call between first and second users of said first and second computers, respectively, at least one of said first and second users being seen in said live video exchange;
said first user initiating a first image viewer subclient under control of said first call client;
said first image viewer subclient loading and displaying still image data specified by said first user on said first computer;
said first image viewer subclient transmitting said still image data to said second computer using said network session;
said second call client in said second computer receiving said still image data, running a second image viewer subclient, and loading said still image data into said second image viewer subclient; and
said second image viewer subclient displaying said still image data on said second computer;
wherein said live video exchange is maintained simultaneously with display of said still image data by said image viewer subclients.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A data call between at least two internetworked computers is established using a central server and call clients in the two computers. Once the data call is in place, a video telephony conversation is initiated. In addition, still images such as a slideshow of personal photographs are shared between the two computers while the video telephony call fully continues. Image viewer subclients utilize the same network session as is used by the call clients. Either user can pause, navigate through, or change the display a parameters of the slideshow as it is being viewed by both users.
99 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of sharing still images between first and second computers connected to an internetwork for exchanging network packets therebetween, wherein each of said computers has a respective private IP address within said internetwork, said method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a central server coupled to said internetwork and containing a database of IP addresses of registered computers;
running first and second call clients in said first and second computers, respectively, for establishing a data call between said first and second computers in response to said database of IP addresses, said data call comprising live video exchange from at least one video camera coupled to one of said first and second computers and comprising a network session between said first and second call clients;
establishing a voice telephone call between first and second users of said first and second computers, respectively, at least one of said first and second users being seen in said live video exchange;
said first user initiating a first image viewer subclient under control of said first call client;
said first image viewer subclient loading and displaying still image data specified by said first user on said first computer;
said first image viewer subclient transmitting said still image data to said second computer using said network session;
said second call client in said second computer receiving said still image data, running a second image viewer subclient, and loading said still image data into said second image viewer subclient; and
said second image viewer subclient displaying said still image data on said second computer;
wherein said live video exchange is maintained simultaneously with display of said still image data by said image viewer subclients. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Computer apparatus for privately sharing still images residing in said computer apparatus with a remote computer via an internetwork for exchanging network packets, said computer apparatus and said remote computer having respective private IP addresses within said internetwork, said computer apparatus comprising:
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a call client for transmitting information identifying said remote computer to a central server maintaining a database of IP addresses of registered computers, and for establishing a data call between said computer apparatus and said remote computer in response to said database of IP addresses, said data call comprising live video exchange from at least one video camera coupled to one of said computer apparatus or said remote computer, and said data call comprising a network session; and
an image viewer subclient under control of said call client for loading and displaying still image data specified on said first computer and for transmitting said still image data to said remote computer using said network session;
wherein said live video exchange is maintained simultaneously with display of said still image data by said image viewer subclient. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A software product for privately sharing still images in conjunction with a video telephony call between a resident computer and a remote computer via a computer network for video and a public switched telephone network for audio, the software product comprising:
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software configured to;
transmit information identifying said remote computer to a central server maintaining a database of IP addresses of registered computers;
to establish a data call between said resident computer and said remote computer in response to said database of IP addresses, said data call comprising live video exchange from at least one video camera coupled to one of said resident computer or said remote computer, and said data call comprising a network session; and
to direct an image viewer subclient to load and display still image data specified on said resident computer and to transmit said still image data to said remote computer using said network session, wherein said live video exchange is maintained simultaneously with display of said still image data by said image viewer subclient; and
a storage system that stores said software product.
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Specification