Application sharing
First Claim
1. A method, comprising, by a sharer network node:
- on a local display of the sharer network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a user who is present in the virtual area and operating the sharer network node, and a respective representation of each of one or more other communicants who are present in the virtual area and respectively operating one or more other network nodes;
in a screen layout of windows on the local display, selecting multiple windows that are associated with a first software process based on user input in connection with the first viewscreen object, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout;
generating a first sequence of composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout;
transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to a particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the first viewscreen object; and
contemporaneously with the transmitting, communicating a second sequence of composite images of windows associated with a second software process between the sharer network node and the particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the second viewscreen object.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Ones of the windows associated with a software process are identified in a screen layout on a local display of a sharer network node. On the sharer network node, an image of the identified windows as they are arranged in the screen layout and free of obscuration by any other windows in the screen layout is generated. The image is transmitted from the sharer network node to a viewer network node. Also, commands derived from input device events on sharer and viewer network nodes are received. The received commands are processed into a command sequence, which is passed to a shared process executing on the sharer network node. Windows associated with the shared process are presented on the sharer network node in accordance with the received command sequence. An image of the presented windows is generated and transmitted from the sharer network node to the viewer network node.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method, comprising, by a sharer network node:
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on a local display of the sharer network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a user who is present in the virtual area and operating the sharer network node, and a respective representation of each of one or more other communicants who are present in the virtual area and respectively operating one or more other network nodes; in a screen layout of windows on the local display, selecting multiple windows that are associated with a first software process based on user input in connection with the first viewscreen object, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; generating a first sequence of composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to a particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the first viewscreen object; and contemporaneously with the transmitting, communicating a second sequence of composite images of windows associated with a second software process between the sharer network node and the particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the second viewscreen object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method, comprising:
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in a screen layout of windows on a local display of a sharer network node, selecting ones of the windows that are associated with a software process, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; on the sharer network node, generating a composite image of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout, wherein the generating comprises generating the composite image of the selected windows that includes any contents of the selected windows that are located outside a visible desktop window that contains the screen layout; and transmitting the composite image from the sharer network node to a viewer network node.
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35. A method, comprising:
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on a local display of a sharer network node, displaying a visualization of a virtual area comprising a plurality of zones, wherein the visualization comprises a spatial layout of the plurality of zones, each zone of the plurality of zones supports establishment of communication sessions between network nodes associated with the zone, a sharer at the sharer network node and a viewer at the viewer network node both have presence in a particular one of the zones of the plurality that comprises viewscreen objects, and the displaying comprises displaying respective representations of the viewer, the sharer, and the viewscreen objects in the virtual area; on the local display, presenting navigation controls and interaction controls, wherein the navigation controls enable the sharer to specify where to establish a presence in the virtual area and the interaction controls enable the sharer to manage interactions with the viewer in the virtual area; in response to input received via the navigation controls, establishing a presence of the sharer in the particular zone of the virtual area; in a screen layout of windows on the local display, selecting ones of the windows that are associated with a software process, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; on the sharer network node, generating a composite image of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; transmitting the composite image from the sharer network node to a viewer network node; performing the selecting, the generating, and the transmitting with respect to one or more other software processes executing on one or more other network nodes; and on the local display, presenting the respective composite images transmitted from the one or more other network nodes in connection with different respective ones of the viewscreen objects in the particular zone of the virtual area at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method, comprising:
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in a screen layout of windows on a local display of a sharer network node, selecting ones of the windows that are associated with a software process, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; on the sharer network node, generating a composite image of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; transmitting the composite image from the sharer network node to a viewer network node; sending a request to share screen data associated with the a software process executing on the viewer network node; and at the sharer network node, receiving a composite image of shared screen data from the viewer network node, wherein the receiving and the transmitting are performed contemporaneously.
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38. At least one non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed by a computer to perform operations comprising:
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on a local display of the sharer network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a user who is present in the virtual area and operating the sharer network node, and a respective representation of each of one or more other communicants who are present in the virtual area and respectively operating one or more other network nodes; in a screen layout of windows on the local display, selecting multiple windows that are associated with a first software process based on user input in connection with the first viewscreen object, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; generating a first sequence of composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to a particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the first viewscreen object; and contemporaneously with the transmitting, communicating a second sequence of composite images of windows associated with a second software process between the sharer network node and the particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the second viewscreen object.
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39. An apparatus, comprising:
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a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and a data processing unit coupled to the memory, operable to execute the instructions, and based at least in part on the execution of the instructions operable to perform operations comprising on a local display of the sharer network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area, a representation of a user who is present in the virtual area and operating the sharer network node, and a respective representation of each of one or more other communicants who are present in the virtual area and respectively operating one or more other network nodes; in a screen layout of windows on the local display selecting multiple windows that are associated with a first software process based on user input in connection with the first viewscreen object, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; generating a first sequence of composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to a particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the first viewscreen object; and contemporaneously with the transmitting, communicating a second sequence of composite images of windows associated with a second software process between the sharer network node and the particular one of the one or more other network nodes in connection with the second viewscreen object.
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40. A method, comprising:
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on a local display of a sharer network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, and a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area; in a screen layout of windows on the local display of the sharer network node, selecting ones of the windows that are associated with a software process, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; based on user input, associating the software process with the first viewscreen object; on the sharer network node, generating a first sequence of successive composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration by any other windows in the screen layout; transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to a first viewer network node based on a subscription of the first viewer network node to content associated with the first viewscreen object; selecting a second set of one or more of the windows in the screen layout; generating a second sequence of successive composite images of the selected windows in the second set as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the windows in the screen layout outside the second set; and based on a subscription of a second viewer network node to content associated with the second viewscreen object, transmitting the second sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to the second viewer network node, wherein the first sequence of composite images and the second sequence of composite images are respectively transmitted to the first and second viewer network nodes contemporaneously.
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41. A method, comprising:
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on a local display of a sharer network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, and a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area; in a screen layout of windows on the local display of the sharer network node, selecting ones of the windows that are associated with a first software process, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; based on user input, associating the first software process with the first viewscreen object; on the sharer network node, generating a first sequence of successive composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration by any other windows in the screen layout; transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to a first viewer network node based on a subscription of the first viewer network node to content associated with the first viewscreen object; based on user input, associating a second software process with the second viewscreen object; selecting a second set of one or more of the windows that associated with the second software process; generating a second sequence of successive composite images of the selected windows in the second set as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration in any area obscured by any of the windows in the screen layout outside the second set; and based on a subscription of a second viewer network node to content associated with the second viewscreen object, transmitting the second sequence of composite images from the sharer network node to the second viewer network node, wherein the first sequence of composite images and the second sequence of composite images are respectively transmitted to the first and second viewer network nodes contemporaneously.
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42. A method, comprising:
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on a local display of a first network node, displaying a representation of a virtual area, a representation of a first viewscreen object in the virtual area, and a representation of a second viewscreen object in the virtual area, wherein a first communicant is operating the first network node and a second communicant is operating a second network node, the first and second communicants are present in a particular zone of the virtual area comprising the first viewscreen object and the second viewscreen object, and the displaying comprises displaying in the virtual area a representation of the first communicant and a representation of the second communicant; in a screen layout of windows on the local display of the first network node, selecting ones of the windows that are associated with a software process, wherein at least one of the selected windows is at least partially obscured by one or more unselected ones of the windows in the screen layout; based on input from the first communicant, the first network node associating the software process with the first viewscreen object; the first network node generating a first sequence of successive composite images of the selected windows as they are arranged in the screen layout at different respective times but free of obscuration by any other windows in the screen layout; transmitting the first sequence of composite images from the first network node to the second network node based on a subscription of the second network node to content associated with the first viewscreen object; based on input from the first communicant, the first network node subscribing to content associated with the second viewscreen object; the first network node receiving from the second network node a second sequence of composite images of one or more windows associated with a software process executing on the second network node, wherein the transmitting of the first sequence of composite images from the first network node to the second network node is contemporaneous with the receiving of the second sequence of composite images by the first network node from the second network node; and presenting the received second sequence of composite images on the local display in association with the second viewscreen object.
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Specification