Collaborative phone-based file exchange

• US 8,782,527 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robertson, George, Meyers, Brian, Smith, Gregory, Czerwinski, Mary, Karlson, Amy
• Primary Examiner(s): ITURRALDE, ENRIQUE W
• Application Number:
  US11/769,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,575 Days
• Field of Search: 715/737, 715/740, 715/748, 709/217
• US Class Current: 715/737
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user'"'"'s work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague'"'"'s computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented process for sharing and displaying files using one or more mobile phones and a computing device, comprising:

a first mobile phone locating a first computing device that is sending a meeting broadcast;

the first mobile phone acknowledging the meeting broadcast to the first computing device;

receiving at the first mobile phone meeting parameters from the first computing device; and

the first mobile phone participating in a meeting wherein the first computing device manages the meeting by allowing one or more mobile phone users to display at least one file during the conduct of a meeting on a shared meeting room display to share and collaboratively manipulate the file displayed on the shared meeting room display as the file is being manipulated using their mobile phones; and

automatically, without user action, synchronizing any files shared on the shared meeting room display that were downloaded to the first mobile phone to files on a second computing device.

2. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising:

a second mobile phone acknowledging the meeting broadcast to the first computing device; and

the second phone being added to the meeting to display and manipulate files on a shared meeting room display.

3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 further comprising the first computing device managing the meeting by allowing the one or more mobile phone users to display and manipulate files on the shared meeting room display until all mobile phones disconnect from the meeting.

4. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein a trusted wireless pairing relationship is maintained between the first mobile phone and the second computing device to synchronize the files downloaded to the first mobile phone.

5. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein a mobile phone that has been added to the meeting can upload a file to the first computing device to be shared on the shared meeting room display.

6. The computer-implemented process of claim 5 wherein only a mobile phone that can upload a file to the first computing device to be shared on the shared meeting room display can remove the file from the shared display.

7. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein a mobile phone that has been added to the meeting downloads a file that is being shared on the shared display.

8. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein each of the mobile phones that the one or more mobile phones users use to manipulate files on a shared display further comprise a graphical user interface displayed on a display of their mobile phone, comprising:

a window for displaying connection status between the mobile phone and the first computing device;

a window for displaying the status of attendees and shared files;

a window and controls for displaying and controlling a list of shared files;

a window and controls for allowing a user to share a file from their mobile phone;

a window and controls for allowing a user to download a shared file to their mobile phone; and

a window for displaying file information and window controls for manipulating shared files.

9. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein managing the meeting by allowing one or more mobile phone users to display and manipulate files using their mobile phones on a shared meeting room display, comprises:

allowing a mobile phone to display a file on a shared meeting room display;

allowing a mobile phone to remove a file on a shared meeting room display;

allowing a mobile phone to download a file from the shared meeting room display to the mobile phone;

obtaining information about a mobile phone user; and

allowing a mobile phone to control a window displayed on the shared meeting room display.