Method and system for off-line, on-line, and instant-message-based multimedia collaboration

• US 20050188016A1
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Vdaygiri, Subramanyam, Sastry, Chellury R., Pizano, Arturo
• Application Number:
  US10/721,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20050188016A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users including a host of a collaboration event includes storing an interface representative of the plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to the users; creating a composite document from selected source materials; selectively annotating the composite document; and personalizing the composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document. A step of selecting a collaboration mode includes selecting a plurality of offline, near real time, real time, and disconnected modes and causing a selective seamless transition from one selected mode to another.

Claims

1. A method for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users including a host of a collaboration event, comprising the steps of:

storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

creating a composite document from selected source materials;

selectively annotating said composite document; and

personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document.

2. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step selectively highlighting specific regions and adding synchronous voice annotations.

3. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step of adding any of dynamic and static annotations.

4. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step of selectively adding highlights to specific regions and adding synchronous voice annotations.

5. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 4, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step of adding any of dynamic and static annotations.

6. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step of selectively adding a video file.

7. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step of selectively adding a video clip.

8. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of adding a video clip comprises a step of selecting said video clip from a stored video file.

9. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 8, wherein said step of adding a video clip comprises a step of adding hyperlinks to said video clip.

10. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises using browser based controls.

11. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, including the steps of:

storing said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users; and

sharing retrieval address information for said collaboration document with said users.

12. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of storing an interface comprises sending said interface to any of:

(a) a content management system of the type represented by Sharepoint, Interwoven, and the like,

(b) file systems on different servers, and

(c) a local file system.

13. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 11, wherein said step of sharing retrieval address information comprises sending retrieval address information by e-mail.

14. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 11, including a step of categorizing and storing said collaboration document.

15. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of personalizing said composite document comprises using e-mail.

16. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 15, wherein said step of personalizing comprises utilizing rich multimedia messaging by way of e-mail.

17. A method for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users of a collaboration event, comprising the steps of:

storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

creating a composite document from selected source materials;

selectively annotating said composite document;

personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document;

storing said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users;

establishing instant conferencing amongst said plurality of users;

selectively making and locally storing further annotations to said collaboration document;

selectively sending at a desired time said further annotations to said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users; and

wherein the foregoing steps are also selectively performed in an ongoing manner during said instant conferencing.

18. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of selectively annotating is repeatedly performed by any of said users and results thereof are overlaid and stored.

19. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of selectively annotating includes selectively annotating with any of animation, graphics, voice, and video.

20. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of establishing instant conferencing includes establishing voice conferencing.

21. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of establishing instant conferencing includes establishing video conferencing.

22. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of creating a composite document comprises creating said composite document in conformance with needs of said users and applicable confidentiality and security requirements.

23. A method for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users including a host of a collaboration event, comprising the steps of:

storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

creating a composite document from selected source materials;

selectively annotating said composite document;

personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document;

storing said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users;

sharing retrieval address information for said collaboration document with said users;

making and locally storing further annotations to said collaboration document; and

selectively sending at a desired time said further annotations to said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users.

24. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 23, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises a step wherein said selectively adds highlight specific regions and adds synchronous voice annotations.

25. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 23, wherein said step of selectively annotating comprises using browser based controls.

26. A method for multimedia collaboration between a first user and at least a second user, comprising the steps of:

said first user selecting a document page for said collaboration;

said first user optionally associating user-entered data with said document page;

said first user saving said document page together with said user-entered data associated therewith as a collaboration document in a memory location commonly accessible to said first and said second user;

said first and second users establishing message communication for said collaboration;

said second user retrieving said collaboration document, including said user-entered data associated therewith; and

said first and second users optionally modifying said user-entered data in the context of said collaboration.

27. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of said first user selecting a document comprises selecting a document from any of a server, a data repository, a shared portal, disk storage, a database, and the Web.

28. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of said first user optionally associating user-entered data with said document page comprises a step of associating any of voice and graphic annotations.

29. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of said first user optionally associating user-entered data with said document page comprises a step of associating audio and graphic annotations and a step of streaming said audio synchronously along with said graphic annotations.

30. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of saving said document page comprises saving said document page in a format requiring only a regular web browser to view said annotated documents.

31. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of saving said document page comprises saving said document page with a URL (Universal Resource Locator) in an Internet information server and wherein said step of establishing message communication comprises said first user communicating said URL to said second user.

32. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of creating a composite document comprises creating said composite document in conformance with needs of said users and applicable confidentiality and security requirements

33. A system for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users including a host of a collaboration event, comprising:

means for storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

means for creating a composite document from selected source materials;

means for selectively annotating said composite document; and

means for personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document.

34. A system for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users of a collaboration event, comprising:

means for storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

means for creating a composite document from selected source materials;

means for selectively annotating said composite document;

means for personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document;

storing said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users;

establishing instant conferencing amongst said plurality of users;

selectively making and locally storing further annotations to said collaboration document;

selectively sending at a desired time said further annotations to said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users; and

wherein the foregoing steps are also selectively performed in an ongoing manner during said instant conferencing.

35. A system for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users including a host of a collaboration event, comprising:

means for storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

means for creating a composite document from selected source materials;

means for selectively annotating said composite document;

means for personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document;

means for storing said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users;

means for sending retrieval address information for said collaboration document to said users;

means for making and locally storing further annotations to said collaboration document; and

means for selectively sending at a desired time said further annotations to said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users.

36. A method for multimedia collaboration between a plurality of users for a collaboration event, comprising the steps of:

storing an interface representative of said plurality of users in a memory location commonly accessible to said users;

creating a composite document from selected source materials;

selectively annotating said composite document;

personalizing said composite document with browser based annotations to form a collaboration document;

storing said collaboration document in said memory location commonly accessible to said users;

sharing retrieval address information for said collaboration document with said users; and

selecting a collaboration mode for said collaboration event respecting said collaboration document, wherein said collaboration mode comprises any of said offline, near real time, real time, and disconnected modes.

37. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 36, including a step of generating and storing a log of said collaboration.

38. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 36, wherein said step of selecting a collaboration mode comprises selecting a single one of said offline, near real time, real time, and disconnected modes.

39. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 36, wherein said step of selecting a collaboration mode comprises selecting a plurality of said offline, near real time, real time, and disconnected modes.

40. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 39, including a step of generating and storing a log of said collaboration.

41. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 36, wherein said step of selecting a collaboration mode comprises selecting a plurality of said offline, near real time, real time, and disconnected modes and causing a selective seamless transition from one selected mode to another.

42. A method for multimedia collaboration as recited in claim 41, including a step of generating and storing a log of said collaboration.