Method for managing real-time communications

• US 7,487,210 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• 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:
  US11/622,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 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 method 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 method of real-time communication comprising:

enabling a first user to log in using any one of a plurality of communication devices each at an associated location and each for IP based communication;

associating, with the first user, location information for the communication device the first user used to log in, no matter which of the communication devices the first user used to log in;

storing the location information for the communication device the first user used to log in at a first server;

enabling a second user to log in using any one of a plurality of communication devices each at an associated location and each for IP based communication;

associating, with the second user, location information for the communication device the second user used to log in, no matter which of the communication devices the second user used to log in;

storing the location information for the communication device the second user used to log in at a second server, the second server and the communication device the second user used to log in being geographically separated from the first server and the communication device the first user used to log in by a wide area network;

causing display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the communication device used by the first user to log in, the graphical rolodex having a scrollable listing of user identifiers of potential participants;

causing display of a quick dial panel on the display of the communication device used by the first user to log in, the quick dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potential participants including identifiers for at least the second 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 communication device used by the first user to log in;

indicating 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;

presenting 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;

allowing 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;

causing automatic establishing of one of the real-time communication types upon a communication type being selected or by default when the second user'"'"'s identifier is selected, wherein the real-time communication is established over the wide area network using the location information for the second user,

detecting an incoming communication, from at least one communicating participant, at the communication device used by the first user to log in during an active communication with the second user;

notifying the first user of the identity of the at least one communicating participant; and

providing 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 instead of video communication, the text communication from both the first and second users is displayed in respective windows on displays of the devices that the first and second users used to log in.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining in a service record, for any one of the logged in users, an association with respective location information for the respective communication devices used by the users to log in, wherein indicating to the first user that the third user is not available occurs if no service record is found for the third user.

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

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the addressing information for the second user includes port information for the second user'"'"'s 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.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering information as to capabilities of at least one of the communication devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information for the second user is provided to the communication device used by the first user to log in.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the first user'"'"'s request for real-time communication with the second user, causing an indication of the request, including at least a display of the first user'"'"'s identifier, to appear on the display of the communication device used by the second user to log in.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device used by the first user to log in communicates with a first network and the communication device used by the second user to log in communicates with a second network.

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

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

11. A method of communication between at least first and second users, with respective first and second communication devices each with associated communication capabilities, the method comprising:

enabling the first user to use the first communication device to log in, to connect to at least a first communication network, and to initiate a collaboration module at the first communication device;

associating with the first user location information for the first communication device into which the user is logged, the location information further associated with addressing information including port information on at least one network port corresponding to at least one communication type associated with the first communication device;

storing the location information for the first communication device the first user used to log in at a first server;

enabling the second user to use the second communication device to log in and to connect to at least a second communication network, the second user associated with location information for the second communication device, the location information further associated with addressing information including port information, the port information for the second communication device includes information on at least one network port corresponding to at least one communication type associated with the second communication device;

storing the location information for the second communication device the second user used to log in at a second server, the second server and the second communication device being geographically separated from the first server and the first communication device the first user used to log in by a wide area network;

causing 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;

causing 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;

causing 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;

allowing 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;

causing the 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 addressing information including port information for the second communication device, to facilitate the real-time communication between the first and second users over the wide area network;

detecting 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;

notifying the first user of the identity of the at least one communicating participant; and

providing 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 method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining in a service record an association between a respective user'"'"'s communication device and respective location information, and further indicating to the first user that a third user is not available if no service record is found for the third user.

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

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the addressing information for the second communication device is provided to at least the first communication device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising registering the communication capabilities of at least one of the communication devices.

16. The method of claim 11, 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 method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to the first user'"'"'s attempt to initiate communication with the second user, causing an indication of the attempt, including at least a display of the identification of the first user'"'"'s identifier, to appear on a display of the second communication device.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising enabling the first user 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 method of claim 11, wherein at least one user identifier in the graphical rolodex includes at least one icon representing a corresponding potential participant.

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