System for managing real-time communications

• US 7,412,482 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pragmatus AV LLC (Pragmatus, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avistar Communications Corporation (Avistar)
• Inventors: Lantz, Keith A., Lauwers, J. Chris, Burns, Emmett R., Burnett, Gerald J., Ludwig, Lester F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess; Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US11/622,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-207, 709223-224, 709227-228, 715751-759
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system of communication that includes causing user identifiers to be displayed in a group or panel that has been previously created by the first user by selecting user identifiers of potential callees from a list, and further including user identifier information for the second user retrieved over at least one network is disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for real-time communication comprising:

a first server having stored thereon a first location information for a first user, the first location information associated with the first user logging in using a first communication device for IP based communication;

a second server having stored thereon a second location information for a second user, the second location information associated with the second user logging in using a second communication device for IP based communication, wherein the second communication device and the second server are geographically separated from the first communication device and the first server by a wide area network; and

computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to;

cause display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the first user'"'"'s communication device, the graphical rolodex having a scrollable listing of user identifiers of potential participants,

cause display of a quick dial panel on the display of the first communication device, the quick dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potential participants including identifiers for at least the second user and a third user and being for selection by the first user, the quick dial panel having been previously created by the first user by selecting user identifiers of potential participants from the graphical rolodex wherein at least one of the graphical rolodex and the Quick dial panel further includes user identifier information for the second and third users retrieved over at least one network after the first user has initiated a collaboration module on the first communication device,

indicate to the first user that the third user is not logged in if the third user is not logged in to a communication device for IP based communication,

present the first user with representations for at least two real-time communication types from a group consisting of video communication, audio communication and interactive sharing of data in the form of text,

allow the first user to initiate communication by selecting at least an identifier for the second user from at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick dial panel,

cause the establishing of one of the real-time communication types automatically upon a communication type being selected or by default when the second user is selected, wherein the real-time communication is established over a wide area network using the second location information,

detect an incoming communication, from at least one communicating participant, at the first communication device of the first user during an active communication with the second user,

notify the first user of the identity of the at least one communicating participant, and

provide the first user with an option of accepting the incoming communication,

wherein if the selected communication is interactive sharing of data in the form of text, the text communication from both the first and second users is displayed in respective windows on displays of the first and second communication devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to maintain in respective service records an association between a respective user'"'"'s communication device and the respective location information, and to indicate to the first user that the third user is not available if no service record is found for the third user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location information of at least one user includes addressing information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system maintains information as to capabilities of at least one of the communication devices and is further configured to establish real-time communication based on the information as to the capabilities of at least one of the communication devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to provide addressing information of the second communication device to the first communication device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the addressing information includes port information for the second communication device, the port information including information on at least one network port corresponding to at least the communication type of the communication between the first and second users.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system, in response to the first user'"'"'s request for communication with the second user, is further configured to cause an indication of the request, including at least a display of the first user'"'"'s identifier, to appear on the display of the second communication device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is connected to a first communication network and the second communication device is connected to a second communication network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one user identifier in the graphical rolodex comprises at least an icon representing a corresponding potential participant.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication devices is a wireless device.

11. A system for real-time communication between at least first and second users, with respective first and second communication devices each with associated communication capabilities, comprising:

a first server having stored thereon a first location information for the first user, the first location information associated with the first user logging in using the first communication device and further associated with a first addressing information including port information on at least one network port corresponding to at least one communication type associated with the first communication device, wherein the first user logging in is to connect to at least a first communication network, and to initiate a collaboration module at the first communication device

a second server having stored thereon a second location information for the second user, the second location information associated with the second user logging in using the second communication device and further associated with a second addressing information including port information on at least one network port corresponding to at least one communication type associated with the second communication device, wherein the second user logging in is to connect to at least a second communication network, and to initiate a collaboration module at the second communication device, the second communication network and the second server being geographically separated from the first communication network and the first server by a wide area network; and

computer-readable readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to;

cause display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the first communication device, the graphical rolodex having a scrollable listing of user identifiers of potential participants,

cause display of a quick dial panel on the display of the first communication device, the quick dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potential participants including identifiers for at least the second user and a third user and for selection by the first user, the quick dial panel having been previously created by the first user by selecting user identifiers of potential participants from the graphical rolodex,

at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick dial panel further including user identifier information for at least the second user retrieved over at least one network,

cause representations of at least two real-time communication types from a group consisting of video, audio and interactive sharing of data in the form of text to be displayed for selection by the first user,

allow the first user to initiate collaboration by selecting at least the second user listed in at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick dial panel,

cause automatic establishing of one of the real-time communication types between the first user and the second user upon a communication type being selected or by default, wherein the real-time communication is established using the second addressing information to facilitate the real-time communication between the first and second users over the wide area network,

detect an incoming communication, from at least one communicating participant, at the first communication device of the first user during an active communication with the second user,

notify the first user of the identity of the at least one communicating participant, and

provide the first user with an option of accepting the incoming communication,

wherein the default communication type is interactive sharing of data in the form of text.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to maintain in respective service records an association between a respective user'"'"'s communication device and the respective location information, and to indicate to the first user that a third user is not available if no service record is found for the third user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one service record further includes information as to capabilities of at least one of the communication devices and wherein the system is further configured to establish real-time communication based on the information as to the capabilities of at least one of the communication devices.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user'"'"'s attempt to initiate communication automatically invokes a collaboration window on a display of the second communication device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is further configured to provide the second addressing information to the first communication device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein if the communication is interactive sharing of data in the form of text, the communication is facilitated over the wide area network and the text communication from both the first and second users is displayed in respective windows on the displays of the first and second communication devices.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the system, in response to the first user'"'"'s attempt to initiate communication with the second user, is further configured to cause an indication of the attempt, including at least a display of the first user'"'"'s identifier, to appear on the display of the second communication device.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user is enabled to add a new user from among a plurality of potential users to the real-time communication between the first user and the second user.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one user identifier in the graphical rolodex comprises at least an icon representing a corresponding potential participant.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the communication devices is a wireless device.