Co-presence data retrieval system

• US 5,819,084 A
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ubique Ltd. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ubique Ltd. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Shapiro, Ehud, Sella, Ariel, Mass, Yosef
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US08/827,845
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/425, 395/1, 395/610, 395/614, 395/200.04, 395/200.08, 395/200.12, 395/682, 395/683, 395/685
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A data retrieval system includes a data server which retrieves a data object from a data repository and a system for associating a virtual place with a retrieved data object. The virtual place provides co-presence to users which access the retrieved data object. A method for upgrading a data retrieval system comprised of a data server capable of retrieving data objects from a data repository and a plurality of data-retrieval clients is aLso described. The method includes the steps of adding a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place associated with one of said data objects and upgrading at least two of said data-retrieval clients with the following abilities: a) the ability to open a separate communication channel with said co-presence server; b) the ability to map retrieved data objects to said virtual places; c) the ability to display co-presence information; d) the ability to enable users to communicate; and e) the ability to notify said co-presence server when said data-retrieval client is terminated.

Claims

1. A data retrieval system comprising:

a data server for retrieving at least a plurality of data objects from a data repository;

means for generating one virtual place per data object retrieved from said data server and for associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed; and

means for providing each virtual place with co-presence for at least two users that access the retrieved data object associated with each virtual place; and

means responsive to said co-presence at said virtual place, for placing said at least two users that access said retrieved data object associated with said virtual place in communication with each other.

2. A data retrieval system according to claim 1 and wherein said means for generating comprises:

a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place; and

at least two co-presence data-retrieval clients for communicating at least with said data server and with said co-presence server, each including object association means for associating a data object received from said data server with one of said at least one virtual places in said co-presence server.

3. A data retrieval system according to claim 2 and wherein said co-presence server comprises a changing plurality of place processes, one for each virtual place, and a managing process for providing communication from said co-presence data retrieval clients to said place processes.

4. A data retrieval system according to claim 2 and wherein said object association means comprises means for moving to a new virtual place.

5. A data retrieval system according to claim 1 and wherein said means for generating comprises:

a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place which communicates with said data server; and

at least two co-presence data-retrieval clients for communicating with said co-presence server, each including object association means for associating a data object received from said co-presence server with one of said at least one virtual places in said co-presence server.

6. A data retrieval system according to claim 5 and wherein said co-presence server comprises a changing plurality of place processes, one for each virtual place, and a managing process for providing communication from said co-presence data retrieval clients to said place processes.

7. A data retrieval system according to claim 5 and wherein said object association means comprises means for moving to a new virtual place.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for placing said at least two users in communication with each other additionally includes,

means for detecting when at least one user terminates said co-presence;

and

means for terminating communication with said non co-present user.

8. A method for upgrading a data-retrieval system comprised of a data repository having data objects stored therein, a data server which retrieves the data objects from the data repository and a plurality of data-retrieval clients, the method comprising the steps of:

adding a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place associated with one of said data objects; and

upgrading at least two of said data-retrieval clients corresponding to at least two open with a system comprising;

means for opening a separate communication channel with said co-presence server;

means for mapping retrieved data objects to said virtual places;

means for displaying co-presence information;

means for enabling co-present users to communicate when said users have co-presence; and

means for notifying said co-presence server when said data-retrieval client is terminated.

9. A method for upgrading a data retrieval system comprised of a data server which retrieves the data objects from a data repository and a plurality of data-retrieval clients, the method comprising the steps of:

adding a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place associated with one of said data objects; and

upgrading at least two of said data-retrieval clients corresponding to at least two users with a system comprising;

means for opening a separate communication channel with said co-presence server;

means for mapping retrieved data objects to said virtual places;

means for displaying co-presence information;

means for enabling co-present users to communicate when said users have co-presence; and

means for notifying said co-presence server when said data-retrieval client is terminated.

10. A device for providing a communication channel associated with a data object retrieved from a data server, the device comprising:

a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place associated with said data object;

at least two co-presence data-retrieval clients for communicating at least with said data server and with said co-presence server, each data retrieval client comprising;

object association means for generating a virtual place for said data object said data server and for associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed; and

means associated with said at least one virtual place and responsive to said at least two co-presence data-retrieval clients communicating at least with said data server and with said co-presence server, for enabling communication between said at least two data-retrieval clients that are associated with said at least one virtual place.

11. A device according to claim 10 and wherein said co-presence server comprises a changing plurality of place processes, one for each virtual place, and a managing process for providing communication from said co-presence data retrieval clients to said place processes.

12. A device according to claim 10 and wherein said object association means comprises means for moving to a new virtual place.

14. A data retrieval system comprising:

a data server for retrieving at least a plurality of data objects from a data repository;

means for generating one communication object place per data object retrieved from said data server and for associating each communication object with its data object once its data object is accessed;

means for providing each virtual place with co-presence for at least two users that access the retrieved data object associated with each virtual place; and

means responsive to said co-presence at said virtual place, for placing said at least two users that access said retrieved data object associated with said communication object in communication with each other.

15. A data retrieval system according to claim 14 and wherein said means for generating comprises:

a co-presence server comprising at least one communication object; and

at least two co-presence data retrieval clients for communicating at least with said data server and with said co-presence server, each including object association means for associating a data object received from said data server with one of said at least one communication objects in said co-presence server.

16. A data retrieval system according to claim 15 and wherein said co-presence server comprises a changing plurality of object processes, one for each communication object, and a managing process for providing communication from said co-presence data retrieval clients to said object processes.

17. A data retrieval system according to claim 15 and wherein said object association means comprises means for moving to a new communication object.

18. A data retrieval system according to claim 14 and wherein said means for generating comprises:

a co-presence server comprising at least one virtual place which communicates with said data server; and

at least two co-presence data retrieval clients for communicating with said co-presence server, each including object association means for associating a data object received from said co-presence server with one of said at least one virtual places in said co-presence server.

19. A data retrieval system according to claim 18 end wherein said co-presence server comprises a changing plurality of object processes, one for each communication object, and a managing process for providing communication from said co-presence data retrieval clients to said place processes.

20. A data retrieval system according to claim 18 and wherein said object association means comprises means for moving to a new virtual place.

21. A method for accessing data comprising the steps of:

retrieving at least a plurality of data objects from a data repository;

generating one communication object per data object retrieved from said data server;

associating each communication object with its data object once its data object is accessed;

providing each communication object with co-presence for at least two users that access the retrieved data object associated with each communication object; and

placing said at least two users that access said retrieved data object associated with said communication object in communication with each other.

22. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said communication object is a virtual place.