PROVIDING ACTIVE SCREEN SHARING LINKS IN AN INFORMATION NETWORKING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20150033140A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Kuchoor, Santhosh Kumar
• Application Number:
  US14/035,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• 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]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A user engaged in an online chat session with one or more other users can start a screen sharing session with the other users without having to leave the context of the online chat session. In an implementation, a chat window for the chat session includes a screen sharing button. The screen sharing button can be clicked to start a screen sharing session with the other chat participants. A system generated message is displayed within the chat windows of the other chat participants inviting them to view the remote screen. Upon accepting the invite, a viewer is launched to show the information being displayed on the remote screen. A variety of enhanced features and functions are also presented in the context of screen sharing in an information networking environment.

Claims

1. A screen sharing method for users of an information networking environment, the method comprising:

managing a post thread that includes posts created by a first user of the information networking environment and a second user of the information networking environment;

providing an interactive screen share control element in association with a post created by the first user, wherein the post appears in the post thread;

receiving a screen sharing request at a database system, the screen sharing request generated in response to selection of the interactive screen share control element by an initiating user of the information networking environment; and

initiating, in response to receiving the screen sharing request, a screen sharing session involving the initiating user, the first user, and the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating the initiating user as a host of the initiated screen sharing session.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inviting the first user and the second user to join the initiated screen sharing session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the post thread comprises a referencing post that mentions a third user of the information networking environment; and

the method further comprises inviting the third user to join the initiated screen sharing session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating screen sharing session data during the screen sharing session; and

creating a new post in the post thread, wherein the new post comprises at least some of the generated screen sharing session data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a multi-tenant database system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a processor executing instructions of a tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium.

8. A screen sharing method for users of an information networking environment, the method comprising:

initiating a screen sharing session for a plurality of invited users of the information networking environment, the plurality of invited users comprising a presenter user associated with a shared display, and at least one participant user;

providing a first version of a home page of the presenter user for access by the plurality of invited users, wherein the first version of the home page comprises an interactive screen share control element that, when selected, initiates sharing of the shared display; and

providing a second version of a home page of the presenter user for access by users of the information networking environment other than the plurality of invited users, wherein the second version of the home page is devoid of the interactive screen share control element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first version of the home page is provided exclusively to the plurality of invited users.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

presenting the first version of the home page to a first invited user of the plurality of invited users;

receiving a screen sharing request at a database system, the screen sharing request generated in response to selection of the interactive screen share control element by the first invited user; and

sharing, in response to receiving the screen sharing request, the shared display with the first invited user.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

terminating the screen sharing session; and

in response to the terminating, updating the first version of the home page such that the updated first version of the home page is devoid of the interactive screen share control element.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is performed by a multi-tenant database system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is performed by a processor executing instructions of a tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium.