Method and apparatus for application sharing interface

• US 7,284,203 B1
• Filed: 07/27/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visible Connections, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sokolov, Jeffrey Lawrence, Meeks, William Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US09/362,014
• Time in Patent Office: 3,003 Days
• Field of Search: 345/751, 345/753, 345/755, 345/759, 345/969, 345/733, 345/740, 345/741, 345/743, 345/748, 345/783, 345/738, 345/739, 345/715, 709/204, 709/205, 709/201, 709/203, 709/220, 709/222, 709/223, 709/225, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229, 715/751, 715/753, 715/755, 715/759, 715/969, 715/733, 715/740, 715/741, 715/743, 715/748, 715/783, 715/738, 715/739
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An interface is provided for application sharing. An interface program facilitates application sharing by reducing it to a two step process hiding underlying details from a user. This interface program in cooperation with a conferencing program facilitates application sharing by enabling a user to select one or more files and one or more participants. Subsequently, this interface program automatically establishes application sharing. This interface program provides both an application list and a participant list to facilitate a user'"'"'s selection thereof.

Claims

1. A method of application sharing between a host user and at least one audience member, comprising:

selecting at least one document to be shared by the host user;

selecting the at least one audience member with whom to share the at least one document; and

automatically establishing a substantially real-time shared viewing of the at least one document between the at least one audience member and the host user.

2. A method of application sharing between a host user and audience members, comprising:

selecting documents to be shared by the host user;

selecting the audience members with whom to share the documents; and

automatically establishing a substantially real-time shared viewing of the documents between the audience members and the host user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the documents are selected by selecting a first single object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the audience members are selected by selecting a second single object.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the audience members are selected by selecting a first single object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the documents are selected by selecting a second single object.

7. A method of application sharing between a host user and a participant, comprising:

providing a first computer system having a first operating system, a first conferencing program and an interface program;

providing a document and an application program associated with the document on the first computer system;

providing a second computer system having a second operating system and a second conferencing program;

providing a communication link operatively coupling the first computer system to the second computer system;

selecting by the host user the document;

selecting by the host user the participant; and

automatically establishing a substantially real-time shared viewing of the document on the first computer system and the second computer system using the interface program.

8. A method for application sharing between a host user and a participant, comprising:

providing a computer system, the computer system having an operating system, an application program and a conferencing program;

providing a file associated with the application program on the computer system;

initiating an interface program;

providing a graphic user interface on the computer system associated with the interface program;

initializing an application list for the graphic user interface;

determining if the file associated with the application program has been selected; and

providing a share view menu in response to a selection of the file.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a second computer system, the second computer system having another operating system compatible with the operating system and having another conferencing program compatible with the conferencing program;

providing a status indicator for the graphic user interface;

operatively coupling the first computer system and the second computer system for communication therebetween; and

contextually updating the status indicator responsive to connection status between the first computer system and the second computer system.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a participant list associated with the share view menu in response to the selection of the file.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a second computer system, the second computer system having another operating system compatible with the operating system and having another conferencing program compatible with the conferencing program;

providing a status indicator for the graphic user interface;

operatively coupling the first computer system and the second computer system for communication therebetween; and

contextually updating the status indicator responsive to connection status between the first computer system and the second computer system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the application list is configurable to provide window titles.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the application list is configurable to provide document titles.

14. A method for providing a window list, comprising:

providing a computer system, the computer system having a windowing operating system;

displaying the window list in a user interface;

locating a window;

obtaining information associated with the window; and

using at least one heuristic and the information to determine if the window should be added to the window list.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

adding the window to the window list; and

locating another window.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the window is already on the window list;

if the window is not already on the window list, adding the window to the window list;

if the window is already on the window list, using the information to update the window on the window list; and

determining whether another window is available.

17. A method for providing a window list, comprising:

providing a computer system, the computer system having a windowing operating system;

locating a window;

displaying the window list in a user interface;

obtaining information associated with the window; and

using heuristics and the information for;

determining if the window should be added to the window list; and

if the window should be added to the window list, determining how at least a portion of the information should appear on the window list.

18. A method for application sharing, comprising:

providing a first programmed computer system having a first screen display;

providing a file on the computer system, the file associated with an application program;

providing a first object associated with the file on the first screen display;

selecting the file for shared viewing;

providing a popup menu for the shared viewing, the popup menu configurable to have a list of selectable participants associated therewith;

selecting a participant for the shared viewing;

loading the file into the application;

determining if a second programmed computer associated with the participant selected is in electrical communication with the first programmed computer, the second programmed computer having a second screen display;

if the second programmed computer is not in electrical communication with the first programmed computer, placing a call from the first programmed computer to the second programmed computer using at least in part an Internet Protocol address, and establishing connectivity between the first programmed computer and the second programmed computer for electrical communication therebetween; and

substantially real-time shared viewing of a working image associated with the file on the first screen display and the second screen display.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the participant is selected from the list of selectable participants.

20. A method of application sharing from a host computer, comprising:

providing a list of shareable window titles;

selecting a window title from the list of shareable window titles;

determining if the window title selected is currently being shared;

if the window title selected is not currently being shared,

providing a popup menu for sharing a file associated with the window title;

selecting with the host computer a participant computer with whom to share the file;

establishing connectivity for sharing the file between the host computer and the participant computer selected; and

substantially real-time shared viewing of the file on the host computer and the participant computer selected.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing substantially real-time shared editing of the file, the shared editing shareable between the host computer and the participant computer selected.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing a status indicator; and

changing the status indicator to indicate a shared viewing state or a shared editing state.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the window title selected is currently being shared, further comprising:

selecting at least one other participant computer with whom to share the file;

establishing connectivity for sharing the file with the other participant computer selected; and

substantially real-time shared viewing of the file on the host computer, the participant computer selected and the other participant computer selected.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing substantially real-time

shared editing of the file, the shared editing shareable between the host computer, the participant computer selected and the other participant computer selected.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

maintaining an active participant count; and

maintaining an active participant list.

26. A method for storing an application-sharing meeting configuration, comprising:

providing a programmed computer system;

selecting a name to save a state of the application-sharing meeting configuration;

saving an address for each participant;

saving descriptors for each shared application;

adding the name to the application-sharing meeting configuration; and

restoring the application-sharing meetix, configuration, the restoring comprising;

selecting the name;

reading the address stored for each participant;

attempting to establish electrical communication with each participant computer;

reading the shared window descriptors stored for each shared application;

searching for matching active applications associated with the shared window descriptors; and

attempting to open unmatched applications associated with the shared window descriptors.

27. A method for storing an application-sharing meeting configuration, comprising:

providing a programmed computer system;

selecting a save meeting command;

selecting a name to save a state of the application-sharing meeting configuration;

saving an address for each participant of the application-sharing meeting configuration to the programmed computer system;

saving descriptors for each shared application of the application-sharing meeting configuration to the programmed computer system; and

saving the name to the application-sharing meeting configuration; and

restoring the application-sharing, meeting configuration comprising;

selecting a restore meeting command;

selecting the name;

reading the address stored for each participant;

attempting to establish electrical communication with each participant programmed computer system;

reading the shared window descriptors stored for each shared application;

searching for matching active applications associated with the shared window descriptors; and

attempting to open unmatched applications associated with the shared window descriptors.

28. A method of adjusting a participant list, comprising:

providing a target name and associated network address;

setting a use item equal to a menu item;

determining if the use item is currently in use;

if the use item is not in use,

setting a label of the use item to the target name;

setting an address of the use item to the associated network address; and

enabling use of the use item.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

if the use item is in use, determining if the associated network address is equal to an address of the menu item;

if the associated network address equals the address of the menu item,

the setting of the label of the menu item to the target name; and

the enabling of use of the menu item.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

if the associated network address does not equal the address of the menu item, determining if the menu item is in use;

if the menu item is not in use,

setting the use item equal to the menu item;

the setting of the label of the use item to the target name;

the setting of the address of the use item to the associated network address;

the enabling of use of the use item; and

if the menu item is in use, getting a next menu item.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the associated network address is an Internet Protocol address.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

checking for a last menu item if the menu item is in use;

if the menu item is the last menu item, setting the use item equal to an added menu item;

the setting of the label of the use item to the target name;

the setting of the address of the use item to the Internet protocol address; and

the enabling of use of the use item.

33. A method of adjusting a participant list, comprising:

providing a first Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) address;

getting a menu item having a second IP address;

determining if the second IP address of the menu item is equal to the first IP address;

if the first IP address and the second IP address are equal, disabling the menu item;

if the first IP address and the second IP address are not equal, checking for a last menu item; and

if the menu item is not the last menu item, getting a next menu item.

34. A system for application sharing, comprising:

a call manager, the call manager having an interface program;

a plurality of communication devices for electrical communication with the call manager;

the call manager configured to manage calls to and from the plurality of communication devices for establishing connectivity for the application sharing; and

the interface program in cooperation with the call manager configured to maintain status information regarding the connectivity, the status information including current number of active participants.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the interface program automatically establishes at least a substantially real-time shared viewing of at least one document between at least one audience member and a host user, wherein the host user only selects the at least one document to be shared and the at least one audience member with whom to share the at least one document to initiate the substantially real-time shared viewing.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the status information includes a name for each active participant.

37. A system for application sharing, comprising:

a call manager;

a plurality of computer systems which may be put in electrical communication with the call manager, at least one of the plurality of computer systems having an interface program;

the interface program configured to initiate calls to the plurality of computer systems;

the call manager configured to manage the calls to the plurality of computer systems for the application sharing; and

the interface program in cooperation with the call manager configured to maintain status information regarding the connectivity, the status information including current number of active participants.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the interface program automatically establishes at least a substantially real-time shared viewing of at least one document between at least one audience member and a host user, wherein the host user only selects the at least one document to be shared and the at least one audience member with whom to share the at least one document to initiate the substantially real-time shared viewing.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the status information includes a name for each active participant.