System for real-time communication between plural users
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A system for use in communication between a plurality of users:
- one or more service programs; and
one or more collaboration initiation programs;
wherein at least one of the one or more service programs and one or more collaboration programs are for;
maintaining a first association between a first user and corresponding addressing information of a first communication device used by the first user to log in;
maintaining a second association between a second user and corresponding addressing information of a second communication device used by the second user to log in, wherein the second communication device is separated from the first communication device by a wide area network;
wherein the first and second associations are dynamically changeable by keeping track of client programs at the respective communication devices so that the first and second users, if logged in, can be found no matter where they are located;
presenting a user interface on a display associated with the first communication device, the user interface including at least one of a scrollable list of identifiers of the plurality of users and a dial panel of identifiers for at least a subset of users from the scrollable list, wherein at least one of the scrollable list and the dial panel includes an identifier for the second user;
allowing the first user to select the identifier of the second user from the user interface;
if the second user is not logged in, indicating to the first user that the second user is not logged in;
in response to the first user selecting the identifier of the second user and if the second user is logged in, using the addressing information of the second communication device to allow communication between the first and second users, the communication being established using either a communication type selected by the first user or a default communication type;
detecting an incoming request for communication, from at least a third user, at the first communication device of the first user during an active communication with the second user;
indicating to the first user the third user; and
providing the first user with an option of accepting the incoming request for communication with the third user.
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Abstract
A system for real-time communication between a plurality of separated users, comprising at least one communication device for use by each of the plurality of users and having an associated display and at least one communication network to which at least first and second users can connect by logging in at their respective communication devices. Further included are at least one service record for the first and second logged in users, the at least one service record including user identification information and an associated location where each user is logged in no matter where they are located. Computer software also is provided for causing display of a user identifier for at least the second user on the display of at least the first user'"'"'s communication device, and generating a signal in response to a user selecting the displayed second user'"'"'s identifier Further, there is collaboration initiation software that functions to cause the retrieving of necessary addressing information of the second user, and to cause the establishing of a connection between the first and second users, and thereby to enable real-time communication displayed on the display of the first and second users.
548 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for use in communication between a plurality of users:
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one or more service programs; and one or more collaboration initiation programs; wherein at least one of the one or more service programs and one or more collaboration programs are for; maintaining a first association between a first user and corresponding addressing information of a first communication device used by the first user to log in; maintaining a second association between a second user and corresponding addressing information of a second communication device used by the second user to log in, wherein the second communication device is separated from the first communication device by a wide area network;
wherein the first and second associations are dynamically changeable by keeping track of client programs at the respective communication devices so that the first and second users, if logged in, can be found no matter where they are located;presenting a user interface on a display associated with the first communication device, the user interface including at least one of a scrollable list of identifiers of the plurality of users and a dial panel of identifiers for at least a subset of users from the scrollable list, wherein at least one of the scrollable list and the dial panel includes an identifier for the second user; allowing the first user to select the identifier of the second user from the user interface; if the second user is not logged in, indicating to the first user that the second user is not logged in; in response to the first user selecting the identifier of the second user and if the second user is logged in, using the addressing information of the second communication device to allow communication between the first and second users, the communication being established using either a communication type selected by the first user or a default communication type; detecting an incoming request for communication, from at least a third user, at the first communication device of the first user during an active communication with the second user; indicating to the first user the third user; and providing the first user with an option of accepting the incoming request for communication with the third user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for use in real-time communication between a plurality of users, comprising:
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(a) one or more service programs; and (b) one or more collaboration initiation programs, wherein at least one of the one or more service programs and the one or more collaboration programs are for; maintaining a first association between a first user and corresponding addressing information of a first communication device used by the first user to log in, wherein the first communication device is a wireless device; maintaining a second association between a second user and corresponding addressing information of a second communication device used by the second user to log in, wherein the second communication device is separated from the first communication device by a wide area network; wherein the first and second associations are dynamically changeable by keeping track of client programs at the respective communication devices so that the first and second users, if logged in, can be found no matter where they are located; presenting a user interface on a display associated with the first communication device, the user interface including identifiers of the plurality of users including an identifier for the second user, wherein information associated with at least the second user is retrieved from at least one server; allowing the first user to select the identifier for the second user from the user interface; in response to the first user selecting the identifier of the second user and if the second user is logged in, using the addressing information of the second communication device to allow communication between the first and second users; allowing the first user to select a communication type for the communication between the first and second users; establishing communication between the first and second user using either the communication type selected by the first user or a default communication type; detecting an incoming request for communication, from at least a third user, at the first communication device of the first user during an active communication with the second user; indicating to the first user a corresponding identifier of the third user; and providing the first user with an option of accepting the incoming request for communication with the third user. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for use in real-time communication between a plurality of users, comprising:
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one or more service; and one or more collaboration initiation programs, wherein at least one of the one or more service programs and the one or more collaboration programs are for; maintaining a first association between a first user and corresponding addressing information of a first communication device used by the first user to log in; maintaining a second association between the first user and corresponding addressing information of a second communication device used by the first user to log in; maintaining a third association between a second user and corresponding addressing information of a third communication device used by the second user to log in, wherein the third communication device separated from the at least one of the communication devices used by the first user to log in by a wide area network, wherein the first, second and third associations are dynamically changeable by keeping track of client programs at the respective communication devices so that the first and second users, if logged in, can be found no matter where they are located; presenting a user interface on a display associated with the first communication device, the user interface including at least one of a scrollable list of identifiers of the plurality of users and a dial panel of identifiers for at least a subset of users from the scrollable list, wherein at least one of the scrollable list and the dial panel includes an identifier for the second user; allowing the second user to select the first user from the user interface; allowing the first user to select the identifier for the second user from the user interface; if the second user is not logged in, indicating to the first user that the second user is not logged in; in response to the first user selecting the identifier of the second user and if the second user is logged in, using the addressing information of the third communication device to allow communication between the first and second users, the communication being established using either a communication type selected by the first user or a default communication type; detecting an incoming request for communication, from at least a third user, at the first communication device of the first user during an active communication with the second user; indicating to the first user a corresponding identifier of the third user; and providing the first user with an option of accepting the incoming request for communication. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification