Method and apparatus for maintaining configuration information of a teleconference and identification of endpoint during teleconference

• US 6,151,619 A
• Filed: 11/26/1996
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Riddle, Guy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, MArk H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US08/757,016
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.34, 395/200.33, 395/200.35, 345/330, 345/331, 345/1, 345/2, 370/260, 370/261, 370/263, 709/204, 709/205, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A method and apparatus for initiating a teleconference between two or more digital processing systems. A method according to one aspect of the invention comprises retrieving information containing an address and configuration data for the teleconference and retrieving a teleconference application program and using the information to initiate a teleconference with the teleconference application program where the information is independent of the teleconference application program and may be shared or used by another teleconference application program and is typically stored independently of the teleconference application program. A method according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of transmitting a representation of an image to a second processor and prior to receiving a confirmation of an acceptance to begin the teleconference, displaying the image at the second processor. Various examples of apparatuses which may perform these methods are also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a digital processing system for initiating a teleconference comprising:

a processor coupled to a display;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing at least one teleconferencing application program, said processor executing said teleconferencing application program to initiate said teleconference using information stored in said memory independently of said teleconferencing application program such that another teleconferencing application program stored in said memory is capable of using said information.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a camera coupled to said processor; and

wherein said memory further stores a resource program which causes said camera to capture an image of a user of said digital processing system upon initiation of said teleconference and which causes said image to be transmitted to a remote processor.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said information is associated with a graphical representation which is displayed on said display and wherein said teleconference is initiated by selecting said graphical representation on said display.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said memory also stores another teleconferencing application program and wherein said processor is capable of executing said another teleconferencing application program using said information to initiate said teleconference.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said information includes a stored, predetermined image which is for transmission to a remote processor upon initiation of said teleconference.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said teleconference is with a remote processor and wherein said information is capable of being transferred to another digital processing system and stored therein and, when executed with another teleconferencing application program on said another digital processing system, is capable of initiating another teleconference with said remote processor.

7. A communication system comprising said apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

a communication medium coupled to said processor;

another processor coupled to said communication medium, said information specifying an address of said another processor.

8. An apparatus for initiating a teleconference on a digital processing system, said apparatus comprising:

a means for processing;

a means for storing information and at least one teleconferencing application, said means for storing being coupled to said means for processing, said means for processing executing said teleconferencing application to initiate said teleconference using said information which is stored independently of said teleconferencing application such that another teleconferencing application program stored in said means for storing is capable of using said information.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said information is associated with a graphical representation which is displayed on a display coupled to said means for processing and wherein said teleconference is initiated by selecting said graphical representation.

10. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said means for storing also stores another teleconferencing application program and wherein said means for processing is capable of executing said another teleconferencing application program using said information to initiate said teleconference.

11. A method for initiating a teleconference comprising:

retrieving information stored in a memory containing an address and configuration data for said teleconference;

retrieving a teleconference application program stored in said memory and using said information to initiate a teleconference with said teleconference application program, said information being independent of said teleconference application program such that another teleconference application program is capable of using said information.

12. A method as in claim 11 further comprising transmitting an image representative of an initiator of said teleconference to said address.

13. A method as in claim 11 wherein said information is stored independently of s aid teleconferencing application program.

14. A method as in claim 11 wherein said information is associated with a graphical representation which is displayed on a display window of a file management program, and wherein said teleconference is initiated by selecting said graphical representation on said display.

15. A method as in claim 11 wherein said teleconference is capable of being initiated using said information and another teleconference application program.

16. A method as in claim 11 wherein said information comprises an indication of the application that created the information, such that, if the information is selected, the application that created it, if resident on the same computer system, initiates a teleconference using the information and wherein if the application that created the resource is not resident on the same computer system as the information then an application selector is initiated, said application selector being either a list of applications each having a unique priority identifier corresponding thereto, the application having the highest priority indicator corresponding thereto initiating a teleconference using the information in said resource, or a dialog presentation, such that a user may select an application, said selected application initiating a teleconference using the information.

17. A method as in claim 11 wherein said information comprises at least one resource preference, said resource preference comprising at least one of the following:

a list of addresses;

an ordered list of applications capable of establishing teleconferences according to the information;

an application selector preference for use when no application on the ordered list is available;

a sound volume;

a video window location;

a video window size;

a picture corresponding to at least another node on a communication medium and an address within the address list for said another node; and

a data file corresponding to each address in the address list such that said data file contains an e-mail and postal address as well as telephone and other data.

18. A method for creating an entry in information for use in initiating a teleconference, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a teleconference request;

extracting from the teleconference request an address corresponding to a node on a communication medium that provided the teleconference request to the communication medium; and

creating an entry in a calling card resource, the entry storing the address, the calling card resource being usable by at least one teleconferencing application, the resource being able to be stored in memory independently of any teleconferencing applications that may be in memory.

19. A method for searching entries in information for use in initiating a teleconference, and initiating a teleconference comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of search terms;

examining the entries in the information for a record having fields that match the search terms if a match exists, and that provides the closest entry if no match is found to provide a found entry; and

receiving an indication as to whether a user wishes to establish a teleconference with the found entry, and if so, establishing a teleconference according to the preferences corresponding to the found entry in the information.

20. A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions in a digital processing system, said instructions when executed in said digital processing system causing said digital processing system to perform the steps of:

retrieving information from a memory containing an address and configuration data for a teleconference

retrieving a teleconference application program from said memory and using said information to initiate said teleconference with said teleconference application program, said information being independent of said teleconference application program such that another teleconference application program stored in said memory is capable of using said information.

21. A computer readable medium as in claim 20 wherein said steps further comprise:

transmitting an image representative of an initiator of said teleconference to said address.

22. A computer readable medium as in claim 20 wherein said information is stored independently of said teleconferencing application program.

23. A computer readable medium as in claim 20 wherein said information is associated with a graphical representation which is displayed on a display window of a file management program, and wherein said teleconference is initiated by selecting said graphical representation on said display.

24. A computer readable medium as in claim 20 wherein said teleconference is capable of being initiated using said information and another teleconference application program.

25. A computer readable medium as in claim 20 where said information comprises at least one resource preference having at least one of the following:

a list of addresses;

an ordered list of applications capable of establishing teleconferences according to the information;

an application selector preference for use when no application on the ordered list is available;

a sound volume;

a video window location;

a video window size;

a picture corresponding to at least another node on a communication medium and an address within the address list for said another node; and

a data file corresponding to each address in the address list such that said data file contains an e-mail and postal address as well as telephone and other data.

26. A method for initiating a teleconference from a first processor comprising:

transmitting a representation of an image to a second processor; and

prior to receiving a confirmation of an acceptance to begin said teleconference, displaying said image at said second processor.

27. A method as in claim 26 further comprising:

capturing a first image of an initiator at said first processor, wherein said representation which is transmitted is said first image.

28. A method as in claim 27 wherein said step of capturing occurs upon the initiator initiating said teleconference.

29. A method as in claim 26 wherein said image is a predetermined image.

30. A method as in claim 27 further comprising:

selecting a representation which has associated information which specifies an address of said second processor, and wherein said capturing step occurs in response to selecting said representation.

31. A method as in claim 26 wherein said representation identifies said image which is stored on a medium at said second processor.

32. A method as in claim 26 wherein after displaying said image, a user at said second processor is provided with an option to either reject a teleconference request or to provide said acceptance to establish said teleconference.

33. An apparatus in a digital processing system for initiating a teleconference, said apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a teleconference request from a first processor;

means for transmitting a representation of an image to a second processor prior to receiving a confirmation of an acceptance to said teleconference request.

34. An apparatus as in claim 33 further comprising:

means for capturing a first image of a user at said first processor, wherein said representation which is transmitted is said first image.

35. An interconnected combination of systems comprising said apparatus of claim 33 and further comprising:

a communication medium coupled to said first processor;

said second processor coupled to said communication medium; and

a means for displaying coupled to said second processor, said means for displaying providing a display of said image prior to an acceptance of said teleconference request.

36. A computer readable medium in a digital processing system, said computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which, when executed in said digital processing system, cause said system to perform the steps of:

transmitting a teleconference request from said digital processing system;

transmitting a representation of an image prior to receiving a confirmation of an acceptance to said teleconference request.

37. A computer readable medium as in claim 36 wherein said steps further comprise:

capturing a first image of a user at said digital processing system, wherein said representation is said first image.

38. A computer readable medium as in claim 37 wherein said capturing step occurs upon said user initiating said teleconference request.

39. A computer readable medium as in claim 37 wherein said steps further comprise:

selecting a representation which has associated information which specifies an address of a second processor to which said teleconference request is directed, and wherein said capturing step occurs in response to selecting said representation.

40. A method for initiating a teleconference comprising:

determining a network parameter of a first system;

examining at least one information record, which may be used to initiate a teleconference, to determine whether a second system specified by said one information record is compatible with said network parameter;

displaying an indicia of said at least one information record if said second system is compatible with said network parameter.

41. A method as in claim 40 wherein said network parameter comprises a network protocol and wherein said one information record comprises information which is independent of a first and a second teleconference application such that said one information record may initiate a teleconference with said second system using either said first or said second teleconference application.

42. A method as in claim 41 wherein said displaying step comprises not displaying said indicia if said second system is not compatible with said network parameter.

43. A method for initiating a teleconference comprising:

receiving at a first system a message from a second system;

determining an address of said first system;

associating at said first system an information record having said address with said message, said information for initiating a teleconference with said second system.

44. A method as in claim 43 wherein said information record comprises information which is independent of a first and a second teleconference application such that said one information record may initiate a teleconference with said second system using either said first or said second teleconference application.

45. A method as in claim 43 wherein said message is stored at said first system and comprises a sequence of image frames.

46. A method as in claim 43 wherein said message is stored at said first system and comprises an electronic mail document.