Data network collaboration systems having a shared file
First Claim
1. A video conference system comprising:
- a data network having at least one network computer for communicating audio and video data between a plurality of user computers;
a plurality of user sites connected to the data network, each of the plurality of user sites having at least one camera for transmitting streaming video data to all others of the user sites over the data network, having at least one microphone for communicating audio data to all others of the user sites over the data network, and having at least one of the user computers for receiving streaming video and audio data from others of the plurality of user sites over the data network;
a user presence application running on the at least one user computer at each of the plurality of user sites for identifying others of the plurality of user sites participating in the video conference;
a shared file stored on the data network and including a list of the plurality of user sites that are participating in the video conference, the shared file having a current property;
wherein the at least one user computer at each of the user sites is configured to communicate a file modification status request to the at least one network computer, the file modification status request including at least a file identifier identifying the shared file and a property; and
,wherein the at least one network computer is configured to receive the file modification status request from each of the user computers and to perform steps comprising;
use the file identifier from the file modification status request to identify the at least one shared file;
identify a current property of the at least one shared file; and
,compare the shared file current property to the property from the file modification status request and communicate a response to the at least one user computer when the file current property does not match the property from the file modification status request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An example of the invention includes a collaboration system having a shared file modification engine useful to notify collaboration users connected to a data network when a shared file is updated, the modification engine comprising a plurality of client computers that communicate a file modification status request including a file identifier and a file property, each of the plurality of client computers having a plurality of shared file applications running thereon. At least one server computer connected to the data network and to the plurality of client computers. At least one shared file useful with the plurality of shared file applications and containing data to be shared with the plurality of client computers, the at least one shared file modifiable by any of the plurality of users and having a file name and a current property associated with it. The server computer is configured to perform steps of receiving the file modification status requests from the plurality of client computers and use the file identifier in the status request to identify the at least one shared file; compare the current version property to the file property from the status request; and communicate a confirmation in response to the file modification status request when the current file property does not match the file property from the status request, the confirmation confirming that the shared file has been modified and including modifications made to the shared file. The file modification status request can be used with each of the plurality of shared file applications running on the client computers.
79 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A video conference system comprising:
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a data network having at least one network computer for communicating audio and video data between a plurality of user computers; a plurality of user sites connected to the data network, each of the plurality of user sites having at least one camera for transmitting streaming video data to all others of the user sites over the data network, having at least one microphone for communicating audio data to all others of the user sites over the data network, and having at least one of the user computers for receiving streaming video and audio data from others of the plurality of user sites over the data network; a user presence application running on the at least one user computer at each of the plurality of user sites for identifying others of the plurality of user sites participating in the video conference; a shared file stored on the data network and including a list of the plurality of user sites that are participating in the video conference, the shared file having a current property; wherein the at least one user computer at each of the user sites is configured to communicate a file modification status request to the at least one network computer, the file modification status request including at least a file identifier identifying the shared file and a property; and
,wherein the at least one network computer is configured to receive the file modification status request from each of the user computers and to perform steps comprising; use the file identifier from the file modification status request to identify the at least one shared file; identify a current property of the at least one shared file; and
,compare the shared file current property to the property from the file modification status request and communicate a response to the at least one user computer when the file current property does not match the property from the file modification status request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A collaboration system having a shared file modification engine useful to notify collaboration users connected to a data network when a shared file is updated, the modification engine comprising:
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a plurality of client computers that communicate a file modification status request including a file identifier and a file property, each of the plurality of client computers having a plurality of shared file applications running thereon; at least one server computer connected to the data network and to the plurality of client computers; at least one shared file useful with the plurality of shared file applications and containing data to be shared with the plurality of client computers, the at least one shared file modifiable by any of the plurality of users and having a file name and a current property associated with it; the server computer performing steps of; receiving the file modification status requests from the plurality of client computers and use the file identifier in the file modification status request to identify the at least one shared file; compare the current version property to the file property from the file modification status request; and communicate a confirmation in response to the file modification status request when the current file property does not match the file property from the file modification status request, the confirmation confirming that the shared file has been modified and including modifications made to the shared file; and
,wherein the file modification status request can be used with each of the plurality of shared file applications running on the client computers. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A collaboration system having a shared file modification engine useful to notify collaboration users connected to a data network when a shared file is updated, the modification engine comprising:
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at least five client computers that each communicate a file modification status request including a file identifier and a version identifier, each of the plurality of client computers having a plurality of shared file applications running thereon, the plurality of shared file applications including at least a shared document application and a shared drawing board application; at least one server computer connected to the data network and to the at least five client computers; at least one shared file useful with the plurality of shared file applications and containing data to be shared with the plurality of client computers, the at least one shared file modifiable by any of the plurality of users and having a file name and a current version number associated with it; the server computer performing steps of; receive the file modification status requests from a first of the client computers and use the file identifier in the file modification status request to identify the at least one shared file; compare the current version number to the version number from the file modification status request and determining it to be the same; receiving instructions from a second of the client computers to modify the shared file, modifying the shared file and assigning it a new version number; communicate a confirmation in response to the file modification status request from the first client computer, the confirmation including the modification made to the shared file and the new version number; communicate a confirmation to the second client computer including the new version number; and
,wherein each of the file modification status request, the shared file and the confirmation are formatted using a markup language.
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Specification