Method and apparatus for viewpoint collaboration

• US 20050060656A1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rahn, Michael D., Martinez, Anthony Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing messages. A viewport is displayed on a display in association with a chat window in which the viewport defines an area on the display. The image is defined as graphical data in the area defined by the viewport to form a selected image in response to a user input to select an image. A marker is placed in a text message in the chat window in which the marker is associated with the selected image.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for managing messages, the method comprising:

displaying a viewport on a display in association with a chat window, wherein the viewport defines an area on the display;

responsive to a user input to select an image, defining the image as graphical data in the area defined by the viewport to form a selected image; and

placing a marker in a text message in the chat window, wherein the marker is associated with the selected image.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a user input to send the text message, sending the text message and the image to a target, wherein the text message and the image are displayed at the target.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a pointer being moved over the marker, displaying the image associated with the marker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the marker is an icon or a thumbnail representation of the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the marker is displayed in a callout window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewport is attached to the chat window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewport includes a hot spot and further comprising:

responsive to movement of the viewport to another location, determining whether the hot spot is over a graphical object; and

resizing the viewport to encompass the graphical object if the hot spot is over the graphical object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewport is coupled to the messaging window to form an assembly, wherein the viewport and the messaging window have relation and further comprising:

responsive to a movement of the assembly, determining whether keeping the relation fixed will result in a portion of the viewport moving off the display; and

responsive to a determination that keeping the relation fixed will result in a portion of the viewport moving off the display, changing the relation between the viewport and the messaging window to prevent the viewport from moving off the display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein messages, markers in the messages, and images are stored in a log allowing for later review of the log with the images being displayed in proper context with the text.

10. A method in a data processing system for managing messages, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a user;

displaying text in the message;

responsive to a marker being present in the message, displaying the marker in the text; and

responsive to the marker being present in the message, displaying an image associated with the marker.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising

responsive to a user input, storing all messages in a log, wherein the log includes text, markers, and images.

12. A data processing system for managing messages, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to display a viewport on a display in association with a chat window in which the viewport defines an area on the display;

define the image as graphical data in the area defined by the viewport to form a selected image in response to a user input to select an image; and

place a marker in a text message in the chat window in which the marker is associated with the selected image.

13. A data processing system for managing messages, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a message from a user;

display text in the message;

display the marker in the text in response to a marker being present in the message; and

display an image associated with the marker in response to the marker being present in the message.

14. A data processing system for managing messages, the data processing system comprising:

displaying means for displaying a viewport on a display in association with a chat window, wherein the viewport defines an area on the display;

defining means, responsive to a user input to select an image, for defining the image as graphical data in the area defined by the viewport to form a selected image; and

placing means for placing a marker in a text message in the chat window, wherein the marker is associated with the selected image.

15. The data processing system of claim 14 further comprising:

sending means, responsive to a user input to send the text message, for sending the text message and the image to a target, wherein the text message and the image are displayed at the target.

16. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the displaying means is a first displaying means and further comprising:

second displaying means, responsive to a pointer being moved over the marker, for displaying the image associated with the marker.

17. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the marker is an icon or a thumbnail representation of the image.

18. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the marker is displayed in a callout window.

19. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the viewport is attached to the chat window.

20. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the viewport includes a hot spot and further comprising:

determining means, responsive to movement of the viewport to another location, for determining whether the hot spot is over a graphical object; and

resizing means for resizing the viewport to encompass the graphical object if the hot spot is over the graphical object.

21. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the viewport is coupled to the messaging window to form an assembly, wherein the viewport and the messaging window have relation and further comprising:

determining means, responsive to a movement of the assembly, for determining whether keeping the relation fixed will result in a portion of the viewport moving off the display; and

changing means, responsive to a determination that keeping the relation fixed will result in a portion of the viewport moving off the display, for changing the relation between the viewport and the messaging window to prevent the viewport from moving off the display.

22. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein messages, markers in the messages, and images are stored in a log allowing for later review of the log with the images being displayed in proper context with the text.

23. A data processing system for managing messages, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a message from a user;

first displaying means for displaying text in the message;

second displaying means, responsive to a marker being present in the message, for displaying the marker in the text; and

third displaying means, responsive to the marker being present in the message, for displaying an image associated with the marker.

24. The data processing system of claim 23 further comprising storing means, responsive to a user input, for storing all messages in a log, wherein the log includes text, markers, and images.

25. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for managing messages, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for displaying a viewport on a display in association with a chat window, wherein the viewport defines an area on the display;

second instructions, responsive to a user input to select an image, for defining the image as graphical data in the area defined by the viewport to form a selected image; and

third instructions for placing a marker in a text message in the chat window, wherein the marker is associated with the selected image.

26. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for managing messages, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a message from a user;

second instructions for displaying text in the message;

third instructions, responsive to a marker being present in the message, for displaying the marker in the text; and

fourth instructions, responsive to the marker being present in the message, for displaying an image associated with the marker.