Rich media collaboration system

• US 8,826,375 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Display Social Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lookwithus Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Mark, Anderson, Kevin, Harvey, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US12/102,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/3, 713/156, 713/168, 713/201, 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/206, 709/222, 709/226
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

A user annotates a shared document with text, sound, images, video, an e-mail message, graphics, screen snapshots, web site snapshots to share with others. The document and its annotations are stored in a digital object repository to which other users have access. Within the closed collaboration system, only users who are authenticated may upload digital objects, annotate digital objects and view objects and their annotations. The user sends a message to other users to invite them to view the object and its annotations and to add their own annotations. An annotated object generates an alert for all of the invited users. A remote authentication gateway authenticates users and has a repository for user metadata. Digital object repositories are separate from the authentication gateway, thus providing for disintermediation of the user metadata from the digital object data. The collaboration system may be hosted by a third party on a server computer available over the Internet that displays a web site. A user is not required to have collaboration system software on his or her computer and may annotate any image on the web site for later viewing by other users of the web site.

Claims

1. A method of collaborating upon a web site feature, said method comprising:

a first user accessing a web site over the Internet using a web browser of a first computer, said Web site being displayed on said first computer;

said first user identifying a web site feature displayed on said web site for collaboration;

utilizing a software feature of said web site, attaching a digital object having a first type in association with said web site feature;

uploading said digital object from said first computer over the Internet to a server computer associated with said web site;

displaying a symbol on said web site in association with said web site feature indicating that said digital object has been attached to said web site feature;

said second user accessing said Web site over the Internet using a Web browser of a second computer, wherein said second computer is not required to have a client application for said collaborating and wherein said second user not being required to receive an e-mail message concerning said symbol;

selecting said symbol on said Web site;

rendering said digital object on said second computer;

said second user composing a response to said digital object on said second computer using a user interface window of said Web site, said user interface window being a floating window over said Web site and being in close proximity to said Web site feature; and

sending said response back to said first user using said user interface window.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said web browser of said first computer is a standard web browser without extra functionality for attaching said digital object.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first type of said digital object is one of an audio file, a video file, an image file or a text file.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

attaching said digital object to said Web site feature by opening a user interface window separate from a Web site interface window and generating said digital object in said user interface window.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first computer is not required to have a client application for said collaborating.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said software feature is a window opened in response to said first user identifying said web site feature, said method further comprising:

sending said message via said window.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

performing said sending and said displaying by said server computer associated with said web site.

8. A method of facilitating collaboration on a Web site, said method comprising:

implementing a Web site on a server computer having at least one item for display;

receiving, at said server computer, a selection identifying said item from a first user viewing said Web site;

receiving, at said server computer, a selection from said first user identifying a collaboration tool of said Web site;

opening a collaboration window for said first user;

receiving, at said server computer, a digital object that has been attached to said item by said first user using said collaboration window;

displaying a symbol on said Web site in association with said item indicating that said digital object has been attached to said item on said Web site;

receiving, at said server computer, a selection from a second user identifying said symbol;

rendering said digital object on a computer of said second user;

receiving, at said server computer, a request from said second user to respond to said first user;

opening a response window for said second user on said Web site in conjunction with said item, said response window being a floating window over said Web site and being in close proximity to said item displayed on said Web site;

receiving a response from said second user at said server computer; and

sending said response back to said first user via said server computer.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at said server computer, a selection from a second user identifying said symbol; and

rendering said digital object on a computer of said second user.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at said server computer, a request from said first user via said collaboration window to send a message to a second user regarding said item on said Web site; and

sending said message from said server computer to said second user.

11. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein a computer of said first user is not required to have a client application for said collaborating.

12. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said computer of said second user is not required to have a client application for said collaborating.