Networked Audio Communication with Login Location Information

• US 20070083595A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pragmatus AV LLC (Pragmatus, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Collaboration Properties Incorporated
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester, Lauwers, J., Burnett, Gerald, Burns, Emmett, Lantz, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,412 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 collaboration initiation software product includes machine readable code to allow a first user to log in at a first device. The code is operable to cause the first device to communicate first user location-related information to a network to allow a server to maintain a service record. The code is operable to cause display of representations of at least two real-time communication types from the group consisting of video communication, audio communication and data conferencing. The code is operable to allow the user to select a real-time communication type. The code is operable to cause display of a user identifier for a second user in a directory on the first device. The code is operable to respond to the first user'"'"'s selection of the displayed identifier to cause initiation of communication, in which location information of a second device at which the second user has logged in is retrieved.

Claims

1. A collaboration initiation software product for use in real-time communication over at least one network system connecting a plurality of users each with respective communication devices having associated displays, the collaboration initiation software product comprising machine readable code operable to:

allow a first user to log in at a respective first communication device;

cause the first user'"'"'s communication device to communicate at least first user location-related information to at least one communication network to thereby allow at least one server to maintain at least one service record for the first user, at least one of the service records including location information for the communication device at which the first user has logged in;

cause display of representations of at least two real-time communication types from the group consisting of video communication, audio communication and data conferencing;

allow the user to select at least one real-time communication type;

cause display of a user identifier, for at least a second user, in a directory on the display of the first user'"'"'s communication device;

respond to the first user'"'"'s selection of the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier to cause initiation of communication in which location information, of a second communication device at which the second user has logged in, is retrieved, whereby the retrieved location information is used to establish a connection between the first and second communication devices, to thereby enable real-time communication, of the selected type, between the first and second users.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein at least one user identifier comprises an icon representing a user.

3. The product of claim 2, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to indicate to the first user that another user is not logged in.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to cause registration of at least one communication service capability of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device.

5. The product of claim 4, wherein the registered communication service capability includes at least one of the group consisting of audio, video, snapshot sharing, conference, file sharing, and data conferencing.

6. The product of claim 4, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to enable an incoming real-time communication based on a communication request by the first user, wherein the incoming real-time communication is enabled based on the registered capabilities of at least the first communication device.

7. The product of claim 4, wherein indicating to the first user that another user is not logged in occurs if no service instance is found for that user.

8. The product of claim 4, wherein information in at least one service record is usable to associate a user with ports associated with the communication device into which that user is logged.

9. The product of claim 2, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to allow at least the first user to send a non-real time message to the second user.

10. The product of claim 4, wherein the communication is established over first and second communication networks.

12. The product of claim 4, wherein the first user'"'"'s device is a wireless device.

14. The product of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is configured to receive the retrieved location information and to use the received location information to establish the real-time communication with the second user.

15. The product of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to cause display of a personalized directory of users to the first user.

16. The product of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to enable a plurality of separate real-time communications between the first user and a plurality of other users.

17. The product of claim 16, wherein each of the separate communications is displayed in a different window on the first user'"'"'s device'"'"'s display.

18. The product of claim 16, wherein each of the separate communications is respectively between the first user and at least two different users.

19. The product of claim 16, wherein at least two of the separate communications are of different types.

20. The product of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is further operable to enable at least one of the first user and the second user to add a third user to the real-time communication between the first and second users.

11. The product of claim 11, wherein at least one of the networks is a wireless network.

13. The product of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second communication networks is a wide area network.