System for real-time communication between plural users

• US 20040107253A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pragmatus AV LLC (Pragmatus, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Collaboration Properties Incorporated
• Inventors: Lantz, Keith A., Lauwers, J. Chris, Burns, Emmett R., Burnett, Gerald J., Ludwig, Lester F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,152,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system for real-time, communication between a plurality of separated users comprising at least one communication device for use by each of the plurality of users and having an associated display, at least one communication network to which at least first and second users can connect by logging in at their respective communication devices. Further included are at least one service record for the first and second logged in users, the at least one service record including user identification information and an associated location where each user is logged in. Computer software also is provided for causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user on the display of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device, and generating a signal in response to a user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier. Further, there is collaboration initiation software that functions to cause the retrieving of necessary addressing information of the second user, and to cause the establishing of a connection between the first and second users, and thereby to enable real-time communication, including video images of at least one user and real-time text messages to be displayed on the display of at least one user.

Claims

1. A system for real-time, communication between a plurality of separated users, comprising

(a) at least one communication device for use by each of the plurality of users and having an associated display;

(b) at least one communication network to which at least first and second users can connect by logging in at their respective communication devices;

(c) at least one service record for the first and second logged in users, the at least one service record including user identification information and an associated location where each user is logged in;

(d) computer software for

(i) causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user on the display of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device, and

(ii) generating a signal in response to a first user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier; and

(e) collaboration initiation software that functions

(i) to cause the retrieving of necessary addressing information of the second user, and

(ii) to cause the establishing of a connection between the first and second users, and thereby

(iii) to enable real-time communication including video images of at least one user and real-time text messages to be displayed on the display of at least one user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service records further include a location where each user is logged in no matter where they are located.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one communication device can be a wireless device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the communication network can be a wide area network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user identifier can be in a personalized list.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the personalized list can include graphical icons representing a user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is configured to indicate to a user whether another user is not logged in.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is configured to allow the first user to:

(a) select a new user from among a plurality of potential users; and

(b) add that new user to an existing communication.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the system is configured to:

(a) detect an attempt by a third user to initiate a communication with the first user;

(b) notify the first user of the attempt; and

(c) allow the first user to establish a communication with the third user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured to cause the attempt to initiate communications to appear automatically on a user'"'"'s display.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is configured to

(a) allow the first user to send an e-mail to the second user.

12. A system for real-time, communication between a plurality of separated users, comprising

(a) at least one communication device for use by each of the plurality of users, at least one device being a wireless and each device having an associated display;

(b) at least one communication network to which at least first and second users can connect by logging in at their respective communication devices;

(c) at least one service record for the first and second logged in users, the at least one service record including user identification information and an associated location where each user is logged in no matter where they are located;

(d) computer software for

(i) causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user on the display of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device, and

(ii) generating a signal in response to a user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier; and

(e) collaboration initiation software that functions

(i) to cause the retrieving of necessary addressing information of the second user, and

(ii) to cause the establishing of a connection between the first and second users, and thereby

(iii) to enable real-time communication displayed on the display of the first and second users.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one communication device can be a mobile phone.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication can include real-time text messages displayed on the displays associated with the first and second users.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein at least part of the communication network can be a wide area network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user identifier can be in a personalized list.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the personalized list can include graphical icons representing a user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to indicate to a user whether another user is not logged in.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is configured to allow the first user to:

(a) select a new user from among a plurality of potential users; and

(b) add that new user to an existing communication.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a user can be selected by clicking on an icon.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the system is configured to:

(a) detect an attempt by a third user to initiate a communication with the first user;

(b) notify the first user of the attempt; and

(c) allow the first user to establish a communication with the third user.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the system is configured to cause the attempt to initiate communications to appear automatically on a user'"'"'s display.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is configured to

(a) allow the first user to send an e-mail to the second user.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the communications can include video images of at least one participant.

25. A system for real-time, communication between a plurality of separated users, comprising

(a) at least one communication device for use by each of the plurality of users and having an associated display;

(b) at least one communication network to which at least first and second users can connect by logging in at their respective communication devices;

(c) at least one service record for the first and second logged in users, the at least one service record including user identification information and an associated location where each user is logged in no matter where they are located;

(d) computer software for

(i) causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user in a personalized list on the display of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device, and

(ii) generating a signal in response to a first user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier; and

(e) collaboration initiation software that functions

(i) to cause the retrieving of necessary addressing information of the second user, and

(ii) to cause the establishing of a connection between the first and second users, and thereby

(iii) to enable real-time communication displayed on the display of the first and second users, wherein the real-time communication further can include video images of at least one user displayed on at least one other user'"'"'s associated display.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the communication can include real-time text messages displayed on the displays associated with the first and second users.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the personalized list can include graphical representations of users and is scrollable.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the system is configured to indicate to a user whether another user is not logged in.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the communication can include video images of at least two participants.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein at least one communication device can be a wireless device.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein at least part of the communication network can be a wide area network.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the system is configured to allow the first user to:

(a) select a new user from among a plurality of potential users; and

(b) add that new user to an existing communication.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the system is configured to:

(a) detect an attempt by a third user to initiate a communication with the first user;

(b) notify the first user of the attempt; and

(c) allow the first user to establish a communication with the third user.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the system is configured to cause the attempt to initiate communications to appear automatically on a user'"'"'s display.

35. A system for real-time, communication between a plurality of separated users, comprising

(a) at least one communication device for use by each of the plurality of users, at least one device being a wireless device and each device having an associated display;

(b) at least one communication network to which at least first and second users can connect by logging in at their respective communication devices;

(c) at least one service record for the first and second logged in users, the at least one service record including user identification information and an associated location where each user is logged;

(d) computer software for

(i) causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user in a personalized list on the display of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device, and

(ii) generating a signal in response to a first user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier; and

(e) collaboration initiation software that functions

(i) to cause the retrieving of necessary addressing information of the second user, and

(ii) to cause the establishing of a connection between the first and second users, and thereby

(iii) to enable real-time communication displayed on the display of the first and second users.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the communication can include real-time text messages displayed on the displays associated with the first and second users.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the personalized list can include graphical icons representing a user.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the system is configured to indicate to a user whether another user is not logged in.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the system is configured to allow the first user to:

(a) select a new user from among a plurality of potential users; and

(b) add that new user to an existing communication.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the system is configured to:

(a) detect an attempt by a third user to initiate a communication with the first user;

(b) notify the first user of the attempt; and

(c) allow the first user to establish a communication with the third user.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the system is configured to cause the attempt to initiate communications to appear automatically on a user'"'"'s display.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the communications can include video images of at least one participant.