Network-based collaborative control of distributed multimedia content
First Claim
1. A collaboration server, in communication with a plurality of network-based appliances, the collaboration server comprising:
- a storage device for storing a table; and
a processor to perform operations, the operations including;
communicating with the storage device to store information in the table regarding each of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in an on-going collaboration session, the information including an internet protocol address, a participant identification and a participant password associated with each of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session and an indication of a control command access privilege associated with each of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session, the control command access privilege indicative of an override control, wherein if the table indicates that a particular network-based appliance of the plurality of appliances is provided with the override control, the particular network-based appliance is allowed to block control commands submitted by other network-based appliances, wherein the control commands control operations of a distributed video presentation;
receiving a first control command, to control a first operation of the distributed video presentation, from a first network-based appliance of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session, wherein the first network-based appliance is associated with access privilege to control access of the distributed video presentation provided to each of the plurality of network-based appliances and wherein the table stores information indicating that the first network-based appliance is provided with the override control to block control commands submitted by each other of the plurality of network-based appliances,determining to forward the first control command in response to recognizing the first control command as being submitted by the first network-based appliance;
transmitting the first control command to each of the other of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session, wherein the first control command simultaneously controls an operation of the distributed video presentation which is executing at each of the other of the plurality of network-based appliances according to the control command access privilege;
receiving a second control command, from a second network-based appliance of the plurality of network-based appliances, to control a second operation of the distributed video presentation; and
allowing the first network-based appliance to block the second control command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An architecture and system allows for collaborative control and viewing of like multimedia content that is loaded in a number of distributed network-based appliances. A collaboration server in the data network is used to store and retrieve information regarding each collaboration session and serves as a clearing house to forward control commands (“play”, “pause”, etc.) from one participant to the other participants during a session. The arrangement is particularly well-suited to a distance learning environment, where an instructor may be given “override” commands to control the various events in the collaboration session.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A collaboration server, in communication with a plurality of network-based appliances, the collaboration server comprising:
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a storage device for storing a table; and a processor to perform operations, the operations including; communicating with the storage device to store information in the table regarding each of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in an on-going collaboration session, the information including an internet protocol address, a participant identification and a participant password associated with each of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session and an indication of a control command access privilege associated with each of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session, the control command access privilege indicative of an override control, wherein if the table indicates that a particular network-based appliance of the plurality of appliances is provided with the override control, the particular network-based appliance is allowed to block control commands submitted by other network-based appliances, wherein the control commands control operations of a distributed video presentation; receiving a first control command, to control a first operation of the distributed video presentation, from a first network-based appliance of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session, wherein the first network-based appliance is associated with access privilege to control access of the distributed video presentation provided to each of the plurality of network-based appliances and wherein the table stores information indicating that the first network-based appliance is provided with the override control to block control commands submitted by each other of the plurality of network-based appliances, determining to forward the first control command in response to recognizing the first control command as being submitted by the first network-based appliance; transmitting the first control command to each of the other of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the on-going collaboration session, wherein the first control command simultaneously controls an operation of the distributed video presentation which is executing at each of the other of the plurality of network-based appliances according to the control command access privilege; receiving a second control command, from a second network-based appliance of the plurality of network-based appliances, to control a second operation of the distributed video presentation; and allowing the first network-based appliance to block the second control command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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8. A method of providing collaborative viewing and control of multimedia content on a plurality of network-based appliances comprising:
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receiving, at a collaboration server from each of the plurality of network-based appliances, a request for a web page to initiate a collaborative viewing and a control session; receiving, at the collaboration server from each of the plurality of network-based appliances, identification information including; an internet protocol address to initiate the collaborative viewing and the control session; a participant identification and a participant password; and an indication of a multimedia control command access privilege associated with a respective network-based appliance, the multimedia control command access privilege indicative of an override control; storing in a table at the collaboration server the identification information, wherein if the table indicates that a particular network-based appliance of the plurality of appliances is provided with the override control, the particular network-based appliance is allowed to block multimedia control commands submitted by other network-based appliances, wherein the multimedia control commands control operations of the distributed video presentation; initiating at the collaboration server the collaborative viewing and the control session; receiving at the collaboration server a first multimedia control command, to control a first operation of a distributed video presentation, from a first network-based appliance of the plurality of network-based appliances, wherein the first network-based appliance is associated with access privilege to control access of the distributed video presentation provided to each of the plurality of network-based appliances and wherein the table stores information indicating that particular the first network-based appliance is provided with the override control to block the multimedia control commands submitted by each other of the plurality of network-based appliances; determining at the collaboration server a second network-based appliance of the plurality of network-based appliances engaged in the collaborative viewing and the control session; determining, at the collaboration server, to forward the first multimedia control command in response to recognizing the first multimedia control command as being submitted by the first network-based appliance; transmitting at the collaboration server the first multimedia control command to the second network-based appliance according to the multimedia control command access privilege, wherein the first multimedia control command simultaneously controls an operation of the distributed video presentation which is executing at the second network-based appliance; receiving at the collaboration server a second multimedia control command, from a second of the plurality of network-based appliances, to control a second operation of the distributed video presentation; and allowing at the collaboration server the first network-based appliance to block the second multimedia control command. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 19, 20)
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Specification