Method and computer program product for establishing real-time communications between networked computers
First Claim
1. A system for establishing real-time communications between computer users, the system comprising:
- a first computer adapted to generate and send an invitation over a communication link, wherein said first computer determines a context to facilitate communication between said first computer and at least one second computer of said computer users, and wherein said invitation comprises data adapted to invoke an invitation communicator application in at least one second computer, wherein said invitation communicator application facilitates real-time communication between said first computer and said at least one second computer;
wherein said at least one second computer receives said invitation over said communication link,wherein said at least one second computer determines whether said invitation is able to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said at least one second computer receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) regarding accessing and downloading an invitation control module for access to said invitation when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is unable to be displayed on said at least one second computer,wherein said at least one second computer provides a visual display of said invitation when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is able to be displayed,wherein said invitation downloads and embeds an invitation control module at said at least one second computer, andwherein said invitation control module is embedded into said invitation when said at least one second computer does not have a current version of said invitation control module thereby making said invitation accessible to said second computer, andwherein said invitation control module provides a visual display of said received invitation, andwherein said URL is received through said communications link for access to said invitation if said invitation control module is not embedded in said invitation, andwherein said invitation facilitates download of said invitation communicator application on said at least one second computer,wherein said invitation automatically downloads and accesses said invitation communicator application upon selecting said invitation,wherein said invitation communicator application facilitates a real-time peer-to-peer communication session between said first computer and said at least one second computer and provides a visual display of said communication,wherein said determining a context comprises selecting a random number as a channel name.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method, and computer program product is provided for establishing real-time communications between computer users connected by a communications network. An invitation is created by a first computer. An invitation is data that proposes a communication session. An invitation can indicate the status or availability of the sending user or of some other resource. Creation of the invitation is followed by the transfer of the invitation from the first computer to at least one second computer. The invitation can be transferred electronically through the network, or physically, by the transfer of a magnetic medium bearing the invitation. The invitation contains parameters to configure an invitation communicator application for communications between the first and second computers. The second computer accepts the invitation and invokes an invitation communicator application to allow communication.
64 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for establishing real-time communications between computer users, the system comprising:
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a first computer adapted to generate and send an invitation over a communication link, wherein said first computer determines a context to facilitate communication between said first computer and at least one second computer of said computer users, and wherein said invitation comprises data adapted to invoke an invitation communicator application in at least one second computer, wherein said invitation communicator application facilitates real-time communication between said first computer and said at least one second computer; wherein said at least one second computer receives said invitation over said communication link, wherein said at least one second computer determines whether said invitation is able to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said at least one second computer receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) regarding accessing and downloading an invitation control module for access to said invitation when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is unable to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said at least one second computer provides a visual display of said invitation when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is able to be displayed, wherein said invitation downloads and embeds an invitation control module at said at least one second computer, and wherein said invitation control module is embedded into said invitation when said at least one second computer does not have a current version of said invitation control module thereby making said invitation accessible to said second computer, and wherein said invitation control module provides a visual display of said received invitation, and wherein said URL is received through said communications link for access to said invitation if said invitation control module is not embedded in said invitation, and wherein said invitation facilitates download of said invitation communicator application on said at least one second computer, wherein said invitation automatically downloads and accesses said invitation communicator application upon selecting said invitation, wherein said invitation communicator application facilitates a real-time peer-to-peer communication session between said first computer and said at least one second computer and provides a visual display of said communication, wherein said determining a context comprises selecting a random number as a channel name. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for automatically establishing electronic communication between a first computer and at least one second computer connected by a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating, by said first computer, an invitation that proposes a real-time communications session, and wherein, the invitation adapted to contain data capable of invoking an invitation communicator application in said at least one second computer, and said invitation further adapted to provide parameters to configure said invitation communicator application and adapted to facilitate real-time communication between said first computer and said at least one second computer; determining a context to be shared by said first and said at least one second computer; and sending said invitation from said first computer to said at least one second computer over a communication link; and determining, by said at least one second computer, whether said invitation is able to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said at least one second computer receives a URL regarding accessing and downloading an invitation control module for access to said invitation when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is unable to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said determining a context comprises selecting a random number as a channel name, and wherein the invitation embeds an invitation control module at said at least one second computer, wherein the invitation control module is embedded into the invitation when the at least one second computer does not have a current version of the invitation control module and when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is able to be displayed on said at least one second computer thereby making the invitation accessible to said second computer, and wherein the invitation control module provides a visual display of the received invitation, the invitation control module facilitates download of the invitation communicator application, wherein said invitation automatically downloads and accesses said invitation communicator application upon selecting said invitation, and wherein the invitation communicator application establishes a real-time peer-to-peer communication session between the first computer and the at least one second computer, wherein said invitation communicator application provides a visual display of said communication. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing a program to execute on a first computer that establishes a real-time communications session between said first computer and at least one second computer connected by a communications network, said computer readable program code means comprising:
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a first computer program product for causing said first computer to create an invitation that proposes said real-time communications session, said invitation being embedded in an email file, and wherein said invitation containing parameters to configure an invitation communicator application in said at least one second computer, and said invitation adapted to contain at least one embedded invitation control to invoke said invitation communicator application and to provide said parameters to said invitation communicator application in response to a selection of said control by a user of said second computer, and wherein said invitation comprises information regarding accessing and downloading said invitation control module through said communications link for access to said invitation if said invitation control module is not embedded in said email file; a second computer program product for causing said first computer to determine a context to be shared by said first computer and said at least one second computer for facilitating communications between said first computer and said at least one second computer; and a third computer program product for causing said first computer to send said invitation from said first computer to said at least one second computer over said communications network;
wherein determining a context comprises selecting a random number as a channel name,wherein the email file embeds the invitation control module at the second computer if the at least one second computer does not have a current version of the invitation control module, and wherein the invitation control module comprises a visual display of the invitation, wherein said at least one second computer determines whether said invitation is able to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said at least one second computer receives a URL regarding accessing and downloading an invitation control module that said second computer may display when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is unable to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said received invitation control module facilitates access to said invitation, said invitation comprising data for accessing and downloading said invitation communicator application for facilitating a peer-to-peer communication between said at least one second computer and said first computer, wherein said invitation automatically downloads said invitation communicator application upon selecting said invitation, and wherein said invitation communicator application provides a visual display of said communication.
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36. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing a program to execute on a first computer that establishes a real-time communications session between said first computer and at least one second computer connected by a communications network, said computer readable program code means comprising:
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a first computer program product for causing said first computer to send an invitation that proposes said real-time communication session, wherein said invitation is embedded in an email file, and wherein said invitation containing parameters to configure an invitation communicator application, said invitation adapted to contain at least one embedded invitation control, wherein said invitation includes comprises information regarding accessing and downloading said invitation control module through said communications link for access to said invitation if said invitation control module is not embedded in said email file; a second computer program product for causing said at least one second computer to accept said invitation and for causing said first computer to determine a context to be shared by said first computer and said at least one second computer; and a third computer program product for causing said second computer to invoke said invitation communicator application in response to a user selection of said invitation control; wherein determining a context comprises selecting a random number as a channel name, and wherein the email file embeds the invitation control module at the second computer if the at least one second computer does not have a current version of the invitation control module, and wherein the invitation control module comprises a visual display of the invitation, wherein said at least one second computer determines whether said invitation is able to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said at least one second computer converts receives a URL that said second computer may display when said at least one second computer determines that said invitation is unable to be displayed on said at least one second computer, wherein said received URL facilitates downloading said invitation control for accessing said invitation, said invitation comprising data for accessing and downloading said invitation communicator application for facilitating a peer-to-peer communication between said at least one second computer and said first computer, wherein said invitation automatically downloads said invitation communicator application upon selecting said invitation, and wherein said invitation communicator application provides a visual display of said communication.
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Specification