Instant document sharing

• US 6,601,087 B1
• Filed: 11/17/1999
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebEx Communications Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Min, Yang, Guanghong
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/442,424
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/245, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and computer program product for instant document sharing. In one embodiment, referred to as “document sharing,” a file is converted to a “shared document” which is distributed to the members of a data conference for review. In another embodiment, referred to as “application viewing,” the “owner” of a document shares the screens created by an application associated with the document. The other members of the data conference can view the screens, but cannot interact with the application. In another embodiment, referred to as “application sharing,” the “owner” of a document shares the screens created by an application associated with the document. The other members of the data conference can view the screens and interact with the application.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically sharing a file, comprising:

a local computer including;

a document loader;

a first viewer application;

a virtual printer; and

a communication module,

wherein the document loader is configured to print a file from an application to the virtual printer, the application associated with the file, the virtual printer is configured to create a shared document for use in a live data conference and the first viewer application is configured to display the shared document on the local computer; and

a remote computer including a second viewer application,

wherein the communication module is configured to send the shared document to the remote computer and the second viewer application is configured to display the shared document, the shared document being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local computer further includes:

an overlay editor configured to create a transparent window appearing to be displayed over the shared document and to create a user-defined object,

wherein the first viewer application is further configured to display the user-defined object at a user-specified position within the transparent window.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the communication module is further configured to send data representing the user-defined object and user-specified position to the remote computer and the second viewer application is further configured to display the shared document including the user-defined object at the user-specified position within the transparent window.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the communication module is further configured to receive data representing a further user-defined object and a further user-specified position from the remote computer and the first viewer application is further configured to display the further user-defined object at the further user-specified position within the transparent window, the transparent window appearing to be displayed over the shared document.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication module is further configured to send the shared document to a plurality of other remote computers, each of the plurality of other remote computers including a viewer application to simultaneously display the shared document during the live data conference.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the communication module sends the shared document to the remote computer and the plurality of other remote computers through a remote server, the remote server distributing the shared document to the remote computer and the plurality of other remote computers.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a local computer including a first viewer application;

an application invoker configured to invoke an application on the local computer, the application to generate an application screen;

a document loader configured to send the application screen to a virtual device, the virtual device to create a shared screen for use in a live data conference, the first viewer application to display the shared screen on the local computer;

a communication module configured to send the shared screen to a remote server for distribution to a remote computer, the remote computer including a second viewer application configured to display the shared screen at the remote computer, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference; and

an input device configured to receive user input from the local computer, the application to edit the application screen based on the user input and generate an application screen update, the application screen update occasioned by the editing of the application screen; and

a document sharing application configured to receive the application screen update from the application and send the application screen update to the virtual device, the virtual device to create a shared screen update, the first viewer application to update the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update,

wherein the communication module is further configured to send the shared screen update to the remote server for distribution to the remote computer, the second viewer application to update the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update and the shared screen update, the shared screen update being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the document loader comprises:

a software program configured to replace the default device driver with a virtual device driver associated with the virtual device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the communication module is further configured to send the shared screen to the remote server for distribution to a plurality of other remote computers, each of the plurality of other remote computers including a viewer application to simultaneously display the shared screen or the shared screen update during the live data conference.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a local computer including a first viewer application;

an application invoker configured to invoke an application on the local computer, the application to generate an application screen;

a document loader configured to send the application screen to a virtual device the virtual device to create a shared screen for use in a live data conference, the first viewer application to display the shared screen on the local computer;

a communication module configured to send the shared screen to a remote server for distribution to a remote computer, the remote computer including a second viewer application to display the shared screen at the remote computer, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference; and

an input device to receive user input from the remote computer,

wherein the application is configured to edit the application screen based on the user input.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a document sharing application to receive an application screen update from the application, the application screen update occasioned by an editing of the application screen; and

a document loader to send the application screen update to the virtual device, the virtual device to create a shared screen update, the first viewer application to update the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update;

wherein the communication module is further configured to send the shared screen update to the remote computer, the second viewer application to update the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update at the remote computer, the shared screen update being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the shared screen update represents only the portion of the application screen that was edited.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the document loader comprises:

a software program configured to replace a default device driver with a virtual device driver associated with the virtual device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communication module is further configured to send the shared screen to the remote server for distribution to a plurality of other remote computers, each of the plurality of other remote computers including a viewer application to simultaneously display the shared screen or the shared screen update during the live data conference.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a remote computer including;

a first viewer application;

an application invoker configured to invoke an application on the remote computer, the application to generate an application screen; and

a document loader configured to send the application screen to a virtual device, the virtual device to create a shared screen for use in a live data conference, the first viewer application to display the shared screen on a first display device attached to the remote computer;

a local computer including;

a second viewer application configured to display the shared screen on a second display device attached to the local computer, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed on the first display device and the second display device during the live data conference;

an input device configured to receive user input from the local computer;

a communication module configured to send the user input to a remote server for distribution to the remote computer, where the application associated with the application screen edits the application screen based on the user input to generate an application screen update, the application screen update occasioned by the editing of the application screen, the document loader to send the application screen update to the virtual device, the virtual device to generate a shared screen update; and

a document sharing application configured to receive the shared screen update from the remote computer, the shared screen update representing only the portion of the application screen that was edited,

wherein the first viewer application is further configured to update the display of the shared screen on the first display device and the second viewer application is further configured to update the second display device using the shared screen update, and wherein the shared screen update is simultaneously displayed on the first display device and the second display device during the live data conference.

16. A method for automatically sharing a file, comprising:

printing a file, on a local computer, to a virtual printer from application associated with the file to create a shared document for use in a live data conference;

displaying the shared document on the local computer using a first viewer application;

sending the shared document to a remote computer; and

displaying the shared document at the remote computer using a second viewer application, wherein the shared document is simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

creating a transparent window appearing to be displayed over the shared document;

creating a user-defined object; and

displaying the user-defined object at a user-specified position within the transparent window.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sending data representing the user-defined object and user-specified position to the remote computer; and

displaying the shared document including the user-defined object at the user-specified position within the transparent window.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving data representing a further user-defined object and a further user-specified position from the remote computer; and

displaying the further user-defined object at the further user-specified position within the transparent window, the transparent window appearing to be displayed over the shared document.

20. A method, comprising:

invoking an application, on a local computer to generate an application screen;

sending the application screen to a virtual device to create a shared screen for use in a live data conference;

displaying the shared document on the local computer using a first viewer application;

sending the shared screen to a remote server for distribution to a remote computer;

displaying the shared screen at the remote computer using a second viewer application, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference;

receiving user input from the local computer;

driving the application to edit the application screen based on the user input;

receiving an application screen update from the application, the application screen update occasioned by the editing of the application screen;

sending the application screen update to the virtual device to create a shared screen update;

revising the display of the shared screen using the shared screen update on the first display device using the first viewer application;

sending the shared screen updated to the remote server for distribution to the remote computer; and

revising the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update on the second display device using the second viewer application, wherein the shared screen update is simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of sending the application screen comprises:

replacing a default device driver with a virtual device driver associated with the virtual device.

22. A method, comprising:

invoking an application on a local computer to generate an application screen for use in a live data conference;

sending the application screen to a virtual device to create a shared screen;

displaying the shared screen on the local computer using a first viewer application;

sending the shared screen to a remote server for distribution to a remote computer;

displaying the shared screen at the remote computer using a second viewer application, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference;

receiving user input from the remote computer; and

driving the application to edit the application screen based on the user input.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving an application screen update from the application, the application screen update occasioned by an editing of the application screen; and

sending the application screen update to the virtual device to create a shared screen update;

sending the shared screen update to the remote computer; and

revising the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update using the second viewer application.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the shared screen update represents only the portion of the application screen that was edited.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of sending the application screen comprises:

replacing a default device driver with a virtual device driver associated with the virtual device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

presenting a display of the shared screen on a display device attached to the local computer using the first viewer application.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

revising the display of the shared screen on the display device with the shared screen update using the first viewer application.

28. A method, comprising:

presenting, on a first display device attached to a local computer, a display of a shared screen generated at a remote computer by sending an application screen to a virtual device, the remote computer simultaneously displaying the shared screen on a second display device attached to the remote computer;

receiving user input from the local computer;

sending the user input to a remote server for distribution to the remote computer, where an application associated with the application screen edits the application screen based on the user input;

receiving a shared screen update from the remote computer, the shared screen update occasioned by the editing of the application screen, wherein the shared screen update represents only the portion of the application screen that was edited; and

revising the display of the shared screen using the shared screen update on the first display device using the first viewer application and the second display device using the second viewer application.

29. A computer program automatically sharing a file, the computer program tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a computer to:

print a file, on the computer, to a virtual printer from an application associated with the file to create a shared document for use in a live data conference;

display the shared document on the local computer using a first viewer application;

send the shared document to a remote computer; and

display the shared document at the remote computer using a second viewer application, wherein the shared document is simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

30. The computer program of claim 29, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

create a transparent window appearing to be displayed over the shared document;

create a user-defined object; and

display the user-defined object at a user-specified position within the transparent window.

31. The computer program of claim 30, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

send data representing the user-defined object and user-specified position to the remote computer;

display the shared document including the user-defined object at the user-specified position within the transparent window.

32. The computer program of claim 31, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

receive data representing a further user-defined object and a further user-specified position from the remote computer; and

display the further user-defined object at the further user-specified position within the transparent window, the transparent window appearing to be displayed over the shared document.

33. A computer program tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a computer to:

invoke an application on the computer to generate an application screen;

send the application screen to a virtual device to create a shared screen for use in a live data conference;

display the shared document on the local computer using a first viewer application;

send the shared screen to a remote server for distribution to a remote computer;

display the shared screen at the remote computer using a second viewer application, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference;

receive user input from the local computer;

drive the application to edit the application screen based on the user input;

receive an application screen update from the application, the application screen update occasioned by the editing of the application screen;

send the application screen update to the virtual device to create a shared screen update;

revise the display of the shared screen using the shared screen update on the first display device using the first viewer application;

send the shared screen update to the remote server for distribution to the remote computer; and

revise the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update on the second display device using the second viewer application, wherein the shared screen update is simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference.

34. The computer program of claim 33, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

replace a default device driver with a virtual device driver associated with the virtual device.

35. A computer program tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a computer to:

invoke an application on a the computer to generate an application screen for use in a live data conference;

send the application screen to a virtual device to create a shared screen;

display the shared screen on the local computer using a first viewer application;

send the shared screen to a remote server for distribution to a remote computer;

display the shared screen at the remote computer using a second viewer application, the shared screen being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the live data conference;

receive user input from the remote computer; and

drive the application to edit the application screen based on the user input.

36. The computer program of claim 35, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

receive an application screen update from the application, the application screen update occasioned by an editing of the application screen; and

send the application screen update to the virtual device to create a shared screen update;

send the shared screen update to the remote computer; and

revise the display of the shared screen with the shared screen update using the second viewer application.

37. The computer program of claim 36, wherein the shared screen update represents only the portion of the application screen that was edited.

38. The computer program of claim 37, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

replace a default device driver with a virtual device driver associated with the virtual device.

39. The computer program of claim 38, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

present a display of the shared screen on a display device attached to the local computer using the first viewer application.

40. The computer program of claim 39, further including instructions for causing the computer to:

revise the display of the shared screen using the shared screen update on the display device using the first viewer application.

41. A computer program tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a computer to:

present, on a first display device attached to the computer, a display of a shared screen generated at a remote computer by sending an application screen to a virtual device, the remote computer simultaneously displaying the shared screen on a second display device attached to the remote computer;

receive user input from the computer;

send the user input to a remote server for distribution to the remote computer, where an application associated with the application screen edits the application screen based on the user input;

receive a shared screen update from the remote computer, the shared screen update occasioned by the editing of the application screen, wherein the shared screen update represents only the portion of the application screen that was edited; and

revise the display of the shared screen using the shared screen update on the first display device using the first viewer application and the second display device using the second viewer application.

42. A system for sharing a file comprising:

a local computer configured to create a shared document that can be displayed at the local computer using a first viewer application;

a communication module configured to send the shared document to a remote computer for use in a live data conference; and

the remote computer having a second viewer application to display the shared document, wherein the shared document that is displayable simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the shared document can be send to a plurality of other remote computers, each of the plurality of other remote computers including a viewer application to simultaneously display the shared document during the live data conference.

44. A system for sharing an application screen comprising:

a local computer configured to create an application screen that can be displayed at the local computer using a first viewer application;

a communication module configured to send the application screen to a remote computer for use in a live data conference; and

the remote computer having a second viewer application to display the application screen, wherein the application screen that is displayable simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application.