Methods, systems, and products for network conferencing

• US 7,694,228 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Song; Daeho D
• Application Number:
  US10/854,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20050268242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 715/751
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

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

Claims

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

establishing the conference amongst a host communications device, an intermediate host communications device, and a participant communications device;

prior to the conference, communicating a library of digital objects from the host communications device to the intermediate host communications device;

determining that the participant communications device is belatedly joining the conference that is already in progress;

during the conference, receiving a synchronization command at the intermediate host communications device that was sent from the host communications device, the command instructing the intermediate host communications device to retrieve a current object from memory of the intermediate host communications device that is being currently presented on the host communications device from the library of digital objects;

communicating the current object from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device during the conference;

receiving, at the intermediate host communications device, a synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device that confirms the current object was successfully presented the participant communications device;

forwarding the synchronization acknowledgment from the intermediate host communications device to the host communications device to confirm the current object was successfully presented at the participant communications device; and

during the conference, downloading a remainder of the library of digital objects from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein when the library of digital objects is downloaded to the participant communications device, then further comprising communicating a synchronization command from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device that synchronizes the participant communications device to the intermediate host communications device.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising delaying communication of a subsequent synchronization command until the synchronization acknowledgment is received by the intermediate host communications device from the participant communications device.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising ignoring receipt of the synchronization acknowledgment at the intermediate host communications device, thus allowing the host communications device to advance to any object from the library of digital objects.

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

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

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising visually informing of which remote participants are synchronized to the host communications device.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising visually informing of which remote participants are lagging the host communications device.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising determining that a remote participant is privileged and need not be synchronized.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the synchronization acknowledgment is received at the intermediate host communications device from the participant communications device, then allowing the host communications device to advance to the next object in the library of objects, the synchronization acknowledgment confirming a successful presentation of the current object at the participant communications device.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein if the synchronization acknowledgment is not received from the participant communications device, then preventing the host communications device from advancing to the next object in the library of objects, such that the host communications device is forced to wait until the participant communications device is synchronized to the current object.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising informing the host communications device of participant communications devices that lag behind the current object.

7. A system for managing a conference amongst remote participants, comprising:

a processor communicating with memory;

the processor establishing the conference amongst a host communications device, an intermediate host communications device, and a participant communications device;

the processor, prior to the conference, communicating a library of digital objects from the host communications device to the intermediate host communications device;

the processor determining that the participant communications device is belatedly joining the conference that is already in progress;

the processor, during the conference, receiving a synchronization command at the intermediate host communications device, the command sent from the host communications device, the command instructing the intermediate host communications device to retrieve a current object from the memory of the intermediate host communications device that is being currently presented on the host communications device and to display the current object at the intermediate host communications device from the library of digital objects;

the processor communicating the current object from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device during the conference;

the processor receiving, at the intermediate host communications device, a synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device that confirms the current object was successfully presented the participant communications device;

the processor forwarding the synchronization acknowledgment from the intermediate host communications device to the host communications device to confirm the current object was successfully presented at participant communications device; and

during the conference, the processor downloads a remainder of the library of digital objects from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processor comprising receives a synchronization command at the intermediate host communications device to present another object from the library of digital objects.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processor forwards the synchronization command to the participant communications device.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions for performing a method of managing a conference amongst remote participants, the method comprising:

establishing the conference amongst a host communications device, an intermediate host communications device, and a participant communications device;

prior to the conference, communicating a library of digital objects from the host communications device to the intermediate host communications device;

determining that the participant communications device is belatedly joining the conference that is already in progress;

during the conference, receiving a synchronization receiving a command at the intermediate host communications device, the command sent from the host communications device, the command instructing the intermediate host communications device to retrieve a current object from memory of the intermediate host communications device that is being currently presented on the host communications device and to display the current object at the intermediate host communications device from the library of digital objects;

communicating the current object from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device during the conference;

forcing the host communications device to remain at the current object;

receiving, at the intermediate host communications device, a synchronization acknowledgment from the participant communications device that confirms the current object was successfully presented the participant communications device;

forwarding the synchronization acknowledgment from the intermediate host communications device to the host communications device to confirm the current object was successfully presented at the participant communications device;

permitting the host communications device to advance to a next object after the synchronization acknowledgment is received; and

during the conference, downloading a remainder of the library of digital objects from the intermediate host communications device to the participant communications device.

17. The computer program product according to claim 8, further comprising instructions for receiving a synchronization command at the intermediate host communications device to present another object from the library of digital objects.

18. The computer program product according to claim 8, farther comprising instructions for forwarding the synchronization command to the participant communications device.

19. The computer program product according to claim 8, farther comprising instructions for informing the host communications device of participant communications devices that lag behind the current object.