Method and apparatus for application sharing interface
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
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.
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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.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of application sharing between a host user and at least one audience member, comprising:
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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.
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2. A method of application sharing between a host user and audience members, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of application sharing between a host user and a participant, comprising:
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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.
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8. A method for application sharing between a host user and a participant, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for providing a window list, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for providing a window list, comprising:
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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.
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18. A method for application sharing, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of application sharing from a host computer, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for storing an application-sharing meeting configuration, comprising:
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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.
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27. A method for storing an application-sharing meeting configuration, comprising:
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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.
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28. A method of adjusting a participant list, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of adjusting a participant list, comprising:
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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.
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34. A system for application sharing, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A system for application sharing, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification