Workspace Collaboration Via a Wall-Type Computing Device

• US 20130091440A1
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kotler, Matthew J., Friend, Joseph F., Friend, Ned B., Kikin-Gil, Erez, Parker, Charles W., Zaika, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 9,544,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

Multi-user, multi-computing device collaborative work experience is provided. One or more computing devices, including wired and wireless personal computers, laptop computers, servers, handheld mobile computing devices, for example, mobile telephones, tablet type computers, slate type computers and the like, may be linked together to allow users of such devices to engage in a collaborative work session. Information for each user engaged in the collaborative work session may be displayed on the one or more devices along with any content such as agenda items, documents, data, images, and the like. User participation may be tracked, and information on user participation, work session communications and content may be stored for subsequent use.

Claims

1. A method for providing a collaborative work session via a wall-type computing device, comprising:

generating a computer-generated display surface for displaying content associated with a collaborative work session; and

operatively associating the display surface with a storage medium for storing work session participant identifying information and for storing work session content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

as one or more work session participants are associated with the collaborative work session, displaying identifying information for the one or more work session participants on the computer-generated display surface;

displaying on the computer-generated display surface one or more content items associated with the collaborative work session and providing via the wall-type computing device one or more functionalities of one or more software applications associated with each of the one or more content items; and

optimizing the one or more functionalities of one or more software applications associated with each of the one or more content items for operation via the wall-type computing device to allow presentation of the one or more content items via a large-scale display surface and to allow participant interaction with the one or more content items via participant interaction with the wall-type computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying on the computer-generated display surface one or more content items associated with the collaborative work session includes displaying a meeting agenda, said meeting agenda including one or more agenda items associated with the collaborative work session.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying a meeting agenda, said meeting agenda including one or more agenda items associated with the collaborative work session further comprising mapping the one or more agenda items to one or more additional content items such that, in response to receiving a selection of a given agenda item, causing a display of a corresponding one or more of the one or more additional content items on the computer-generated display surface.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein causing a display of a corresponding one or more of the one or more additional content items on the computer-generated display surface includes causing a display of one or more of an electronic task item associated with the selected agenda item, an electronic meeting notes content items associated with the selected agenda item, an electronic calendaring item associated with the selected agenda item or an electronic document associated with the selected content item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying on the computer-generated display surface one or more content items associated with the collaborative work session includes displaying a list of task items associated with the collaborative work session and mapping one or more task items contained in the list of task items to one or more corresponding work session participants.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising after a commencement of the collaborative work session, tracking an elapsed time during which the collaborative work session is conducted, and reporting the elapsed time on the computer-generated display surface for review by one or more work session participants.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operatively associating the wall-type computing device with one or more additional computing devices via a teleconferencing session between the wall-type computing device and the second computing device; and

presenting any content items displayed on either the wall-type computing device or the one or more additional computing devices on each of the other of the wall-type computing device or the one or more additional computing devices such that users of either the wall-type computing device or the one or more additional computing devices receive a display on each of their respective computing devices of content items displayed on the other respective computing devices and such that a user of one of the respective computing devices receives a video presentation of the a user of the other of the respective computing devices including a video presentation of any interaction of the user of the other of the respective computing devices with the displayed content items.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein optimizing the one or more functionalities of one or more software applications associated with each of the one or more content items for operation via the wall-type computing device to allow participant interaction with the one or more content items via participant interaction with the wall-type computing device includes providing a plurality of views associated with a given content item or associated with one or more components of a given content item where the plurality of views are optimized for display by the wall-type computing device.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein optimizing the one or more functionalities of one or more software applications associated with each of the one or more content items for operation via the wall-type computing device to allow presentation of the one or more content items via a large-scale display surface includes presenting a customized display of one or more user interface components of the one or more software applications for allowing participant interaction with the one or more functionalities of the one or more software applications via one or more input means including, gesture inputs, voice inputs, touch inputs, electronic ink inputs, keyboard inputs and mouse-controlled inputs.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving on the computer-generated display surface a hand-written content item received via touch input on the computer-generated display surface; and

associating the hand-written content item with an application functionality operative to interpret and process the hand-written content according to the application functionality; and

enabling the application functionality to process the hand-written content and output data resulting from the hand-written content onto the computer-generated display surface.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operatively associating the computer-generated display surface with one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices being associated with one or more work session participants; and

displaying on the computer-generated display surface an identification of each of the one or more computing devices to which the computer-generated display surface is operatively associated.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing on the computer-generated display surface a close view user interface component for displaying one or more selectable application functionalities or one or more selectable content items, wherein selection of one or more of the one or more selectable application functionalities or one or more selectable content items causes a display of the associated application functionalities or content items on the computer-generated display surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more selectable application functionalities or one or more selectable content items is associated with a workspace for which the collaborative work session is conducted.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more selectable application functionalities or one or more selectable content items is associated with a first participant of a plurality of work session participants engaged in the collaborative work session.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein upon command from a second participant of the plurality of work session participants, replacing the one or more selectable application functionalities or one or more selectable content items with one or more other selectable application functionalities or one or more other selectable content items that are associated with the second participant of the plurality of work session participants engaged in the collaborative work session.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing on the computer-generated display an agenda pane in which is displayed a replica of any content items or selectable application functionality controls that are presently in view on the computer-generated display wherein, in response to navigation input in the agenda pane, moving a display of the any content items or selectable application functionality controls displayed on the computer-generated display according to the navigation input.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the computer-generated display surface to receive input via one or more input means including gesture inputs, voice inputs, touch inputs, electronic ink inputs, keyboard inputs and mouse-controlled inputs.

19. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing a collaborative work session, comprising:

generating a computer-generated display surface for displaying content associated with a collaborative work session;

operatively associating the display surface with a storage medium for storing work session participant identifying information and for storing work session content;

as one or more work session participants are associated with the collaborative work session, displaying identifying information for the one or more work session participants on the computer-generated display surface;

displaying on the computer-generated display surface one or more content items associated with the collaborative work session and providing via the wall-type computing device one or more functionalities of one or more software applications associated with each of the one or more content items; and

optimizing the one or more functionalities of one or more software applications associated with each of the one or more content items for operation via the wall-type computing device to allow presentation of the one or more content items via a large-scale display surface and to allow participant interaction with the one or more content items via participant interaction with the wall-type computing device.

20. A system for providing a collaborative work session, comprising:

a collaborative work session application coupled with one or more computing devices operative to

generate a computer-generated display surface for displaying content associated with a collaborative work session;

operatively associate the display surface with one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices being associated with one or more work session participants;

operatively associate the display surface and the one or more computing devices with a storage medium for storing work session participant identifying information and for storing work session content;

display on the computer-generated display surface an identification of each of the one or more computing devices to which the computer-generated display surface is operatively associated;

reflect a display of work session participant identifying information or work session content on all other of the one or more computing devices as work session participant identifying information or work session content is displayed on any of the one or more computing devices; and

provide on the computer-generated display a navigation pane in which is displayed a replica of any content items or selectable application functionality controls that are presently in view on the computer-generated display wherein, in response to navigation input in the navigation pane, moving a display of the any content items or selectable application functionality controls displayed on the computer-generated display according to the navigation input.