Collaborative multimedia architecture for packet-switched data networks

• US 6,728,784 B1
• Filed: 08/21/1997
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Net2Phone, Inc. (IDT Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NetSpeak Corporation (IDT Corporation)
• Inventors: Mattaway, Shane D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, HIEU C
• Application Number:
  US08/916,091
• Time in Patent Office: 2,441 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/203, 709/245, 709/202, 370/260-262, 370/200, 455/416, 379/265, 713/1
• US Class Current: 709/245
• 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 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/566 : relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 : Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

A collaborative multimedia system includes a plurality of notebook processes operatively interconnected over a computer network to a conference server, and, an optional podium process capable of controlling the priority of communications within the conference. The notebook processes are capable of privately communicating with other conference participants in addition to participating in the conference. A sophisticated graphic user interface provides public and private whiteboard areas by which graphic information may be exchanged with other processes in a conference or over separate communication link.

Claims

1. A collaborative system for use with a plurality of computer processes and servers interconnected by a packet-switched computer network comprises:

a plurality of client processes, each client process is executed on a client computer and coupled to the computer network and addressable by a network protocol address dynamically assigned upon connection to the computer network, the plurality of client processes configured to forward to a connection server a respective network protocol address at which the client process is connected to the computer network each time connection to the computer network is established, wherein the dynamically assigned network protocol address is stored at the client computer;

the connection server operatively coupled to the computer network and capable of maintaining a compilation of entries, selected of the entries comprising a network protocol address assigned to a respective client process upon connection to the computer network; and

a conference server operatively coupled to the computer network and responsive to one or more of the client processes for enabling conferenced communications among the client processes to which communication links are established.

2. The collaborative multimedia system of claim 1, further comprising:

control process, operatively coupled to the computer network and the conference server, for controlling the priority of communications in a conference among the plurality of client processes.

3. The collaborative multimedia system of claim 1, wherein one or more client processes on a conference communication may communicate individually on a separate communication link.

4. A system for use with a plurality of computer processes interconnected by a packet-switched computer network, each process being executed on a client computer and coupled to the computer network and addressable by a network protocol address which has been dynamically assigned upon connection to the computer network, the system comprising:

a connection server operatively coupled to the computer network and capable of maintaining a compilation of entries, selected of the entries comprising a network protocol address received from a process each time connection to the computer network is established, the network protocol address assigned to a respective process upon connection to the computer network, wherein the dynamically assigned network protocol address is stored at the client computer; and

a conference server operatively coupled to the computer network and the connection server and responsive to one or more of the processes for enabling conferenced communications among the processes to which communication links are established.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

a control process, operatively coupled to the computer network and the conference server for controlling the priority of communications in a conference among the plurality of processes.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein one or more processes on a conference communication may communicate individually on a separate communication link.