Accessories for teleconference component

• US 20060271628A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Riddle, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A system and method providing capability expansion in a teleconferencing environment. One or more accessories are invoked and arranged in an accessory stack associated with an application. The accessory stack is positioned logically between a teleconferencing application and a conference component in both a local and a remote end point. Each accessory provides at least one additional capability to the system independent of the application and the conference component

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a teleconferencing application and at least one accessory; and

an accessory invocation mechanism which dynamically associates the accessory with the application such that a capability of the accessory is provided during a teleconference, independent of the application.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory stores a plurality of accessories each providing a capability and the processor accessorizes the plurality of accessories creating an accessory stack.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the accessory has an associated window.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the accessory is a faceless accessory.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the accessory provides one of the following capabilities:

file sharing capability, shared white board capability, chat window capability, application sharing capability, desktop sharing capability, window mirroring capability, call logging capability, data compression capability, encryption capability, and protocol translation capability.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the application issues API calls only to a top accessory in an accessory stack during a teleconference.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the processor automatically associates all automatic accessories with the application.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the accessories include at least two of the following accessories:

file sharing accessory, shared white board accessory, chat window accessory, application sharing accessory, desktop sharing accessory, window mirroring accessory, call logging accessory, data compression accessory, encryption accessory, and protocol translation accessory.

9. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a teleconferencing application and at least one accessory wherein the accessory provides an additional capability independent of the application.

10. A teleconferencing system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor and storing an application which supports teleconferencing;

an accessory invocation mechanism, the accessory invocation mechanism stacking a plurality of accessories and dynamically associating the accessory stack with the application such that the application communicates directly only with the top accessory of the stack to a teleconference independent of the application; and

a transmitting mechanism in communication with a bottom accessory in the stack, the transmitting mechanism transmitting realtime media and accessory generated messages.

11. A method of expanding the capabilities of an end point of a teleconferencing system in which a teleconferencing application and a conference component are stored in a memory comprising the steps of:

storing at least one accessory in a memory; and

accessorizing the accessory to the application.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

determining if a second end point participating in a teleconference has a capability of the accessory.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the memory stores a plurality of accessories and the step of accessorizing comprises the steps of:

stacking the accessories serially between the application and the conference component.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein stacking is performed in an arbitrary order.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

establishing a teleconference with the second end point using only capabilities that are mutually supported.

16. A method of teleconferencing comprising the steps of:

booting a teleconferencing application;

automatically accessorizing all automatic accessories each automatic accessory having a capability; and

establishing a teleconference with a remote end point.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of automatically accessorizing comprises the steps of:

determining which accessories are automatic; and

linking all automatic accessories serially between the application and a conference component.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

automatically identifying which capabilities of the automatic accessories are common to a local end point and the remote end point.