Method, system and program product for managing windows in a network-based collaborative meeting

• US 20040109021A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Price, Christopher D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,278,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Under the present invention, a source meeting partner can select a target application for sharing with one ore more destination meeting partners during a collaborative meeting. Upon selection of the target application, a portion of a meeting application window will be removed, and a window corresponding to the target application will be positioned to be viewable through the removed portion. If necessary, one or more navigators (e.g., scroll bars) can be provided to manipulate the target application window. Thus, the present invention allows the meeting application window and the target application window to be simultaneously viewable without requiring resizing or repositioning of either one.

Claims

1. A method for managing windows in a network-based collaborative meeting, comprising:

accessing a meeting application window pertaining to the network-based collaborative meeting;

removing a portion of the meeting application window; and

viewing a window corresponding to a shared target application through the removed portion of the meeting application window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising designating a target application for sharing in the network-based collaborative meeting, prior to removing the portion of the meeting application window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the meeting application window is accessed via a source meeting application on a source computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a set of navigators for manipulating the window corresponding to the target application as viewed through the removed portion of the meeting application window.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sharing the target application with a destination computer system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the destination computer system includes a destination meeting application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing step comprises:

determining on-screen coordinates of a data portion of the meeting application window;

determining on screen coordinates of the meeting application window;

determining a region of the window corresponding to the target application;

determining a value by performing an AND logical operation of the region of the target application and the on-screen coordinates of the data portion of the meeting application window; and

determining the portion to be removed by performing an exclusive-OR logical operation of the value and the on-screen coordinates of the meeting application window; and

removing the portion from the meeting application window.

8. A system for managing windows in a network-based collaborative meeting, comprising:

a removal system for removing a portion of a meeting application window; and

a positioning system for positioning a window corresponding to a shared target application to be viewable through the removed portion of the meeting application window.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a navigator system for providing a set of navigators for manipulating the window corresponding to the target application as viewed through the removed portion of the meeting application window.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the set of navigators comprises a set of scroll bars.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the removed portion of the meeting application window comprises a data portion.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is loaded on a source computer system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the system operates in conjunction with a source meeting application loaded on a source computer system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the source meeting application comprises:

a window system for displaying the meeting application window; and

a designation system for designating the target application to be shared during the network-based collaborative meeting.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the target application is shared with a destination computer system that includes a destination meeting application.

16. A program product for managing windows in a network-based collaborative meeting, comprising:

program code for removing a portion of a meeting application window; and

program code for positioning a window corresponding to a shared target application to be viewable through the removed portion of the meeting application window.

17. The program product of claim 16, further comprising program code for providing a set of navigators for manipulating the window corresponding to the target application as viewed through the removed portion of the meeting application window.

18. The program product of claim 16, wherein the set of navigators comprises a set of scroll bars

19. The program product of claim 16, wherein the removed portion of the meeting application window comprises a data portion.

20. The program product of claim 16, wherein the program product is loaded on a source computer system.

21. The program product of claim 16, wherein the program product operates in conjunction with a source meeting program loaded on a source computer system.

22. The program product of claim 21, wherein the source meeting program comprises:

program code for displaying the meeting application window; and

program code for designating the target application to be shared during the network-based collaborative meeting.

23. The program product of claim 16, wherein the target application is shared with a destination computer system that includes a destination meeting program.