System and method for facilitating collaboration and communication in a visual mapping system by tracking user presence in individual topics
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating user collaboration and communication in a visual mapping system, the method comprising:
- tracking user presence in individual topics in the visual mapping system, wherein an individual topic is an individual hierarchical node within the visual mapping system that can be edited by a user and wherein user presence is only tracked for users that are online and that have selected a topic in the visual mapping system;
displaying to an online user a visual map and an indication of any other online users'"'"' presence in individual topics in the visual map, wherein an indication of another online user'"'"'s presence in an individual topic means that such other user has selected the topic and wherein the indication of user presence in the topic is displayed in connection with the topic; and
providing an interface in the visual map through which the online user can initiate communications with any of such other online users.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A visual mapping system and method facilitate communication and collaboration among users sharing visual maps or topics in visual maps. The visual mapping system tracks user presence in individual topics in the visual mapping system. User presence is tracked for users that are online. If an online user is present in a topic, the system displays an indication of such presence in the topic to other online users currently sharing the same topic. The visual mapping system also provides an interface in the visual map through which an online user can initiate communications with other online users that are present in a shared topic. Types of communications that can be initiated through the visual map include chat sessions, instant meetings, telephone calls, and email messages.
61 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating user collaboration and communication in a visual mapping system, the method comprising:
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tracking user presence in individual topics in the visual mapping system, wherein an individual topic is an individual hierarchical node within the visual mapping system that can be edited by a user and wherein user presence is only tracked for users that are online and that have selected a topic in the visual mapping system; displaying to an online user a visual map and an indication of any other online users'"'"' presence in individual topics in the visual map, wherein an indication of another online user'"'"'s presence in an individual topic means that such other user has selected the topic and wherein the indication of user presence in the topic is displayed in connection with the topic; and providing an interface in the visual map through which the online user can initiate communications with any of such other online users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising code, that when executed by a computer, enables the computer to perform the following method:
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tracking user presence in individual topics in a visual mapping system, wherein an individual topic is an individual hierarchical node within the visual mapping system that can be edited by a user and wherein user presence is only tracked for users that are online and that have selected a topic in the visual mapping system; displaying to an online user a visual map and an indication of any other online users'"'"' presence in individual topics in the visual map, wherein an indication of another online user'"'"'s presence in an individual topic means that such other user has selected the topic and wherein the indication of user presence in the topic is displayed in connection with the topic; and providing an interface in the visual map through which the online user can initiate communications with any of such other online users. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 24)
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23. The computer program of 20, wherein the interface enables the online user to initiate an instant meeting with any of such other online users having presence in a topic in the visual map.
Specification