Methods, systems, and products for network conferencing

• US 7,587,452 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin; Yemane
• Application Number:
  US10/831,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for conducting a conference amongst remote participants. Prior to the conference a library of digital objects is communicated to a participant communications device. During the conference a synchronization command is communicated from a host communications device to the participant communications device. The synchronization command commands the participant communications device to present an object from the library of digital objects. A synchronization acknowledgment is then received from the participant communications device, and the synchronization acknowledgment confirms a successful presentation of the object on the participant communications device.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a conference amongst remote participants, comprising:

communicating a library of digital objects to a participant communications device;

communicating a synchronization command from a host communications device to the participant communications device via a distributed computing network, the synchronization command commanding the participant communications device to present an object from the library of digital objects;

receiving, at the host communications device, a synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, the synchronization acknowledgment confirming a successful presentation of the object on the participant communications device;

sending a synchronization override command from the host communications device to the participant communications device that allows the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects;

forcing the host communications device to await receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, thus preventing the host communications device from selecting another object in the library of digital objects; and

presenting information describing conference participants that are synchronized to the host communications device and describing other conference participants that lag the host communications device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising delaying communication of a subsequent synchronization command until the synchronization acknowledgment is received from the participant communications device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising ignoring receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, thus allowing the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising ignoring receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment, thus allowing the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing a list of participant communications devices.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising communicating the library of digital objects to each participant communications device in the list.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating the library of digital objects is performed prior to the conference.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating the synchronization command is performed during the conference.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

communicating a library of digital objects to a participant communications device;

communicating a synchronization command from a host communications device to the participant communications device via a distributed computing network, the synchronization command commanding the participant communications device to present an object from the library of digital objects;

receiving, at the host communications device, a synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, the synchronization acknowledgment confirming a successful presentation of the object on the participant communications device;

sending a synchronization override command from the host communications device to the participant communications device that allows the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects;

forcing the host communications device to await receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, thus preventing the host communications device from selecting another object in the library of digital objects; and

presenting information describing conference participants that are synchronized to the host communications device and describing other conference participants that lag the host communications device.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for delaying communication of a subsequent synchronization command until the synchronization acknowledgment is received from the participant communications device.

11. The computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for ignoring receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, thus allowing the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor executing code stored in memory that causes the processor to;

communicate a library of digital objects to a participant communications device;

communicate a synchronization command from a host communications device to the participant communications device via a distributed computing network, the synchronization command commanding the participant communications device to present an object from the library of digital objects;

receive, at the host communications device, a synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, the synchronization acknowledgment confirming a successful presentation of the object on the participant communications device;

present information describing conference participants that are synchronized to the host communications device and describing other conference participants that lag the host communications device;

force the host communications device to await receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device, thus preventing the host communications device from selecting another object in the library of digital objects; and

send a synchronization override command from the host communications device to the participant communications device that allows the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the code further causes the processor to communicate the library of digital objects prior to the conference.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the code further causes the processor to communicate the synchronization command during the conference.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the code further causes the processor to delay communication of a subsequent synchronization command until the synchronization acknowledgment is received from the participant communications device.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the code further causes the processor to ignore receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment, thus allowing the participant communications device to present any object from the library of digital objects.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the code further causes the processor to access a list of participant communications devices.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the code further causes the processor to communicate the library of digital objects to each participant communications device in the list.