Virtual lobby for data conferencing

• US 20040267938A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shoroff, Srikanth, Haveson, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1475 Passive attacks, e.g. eavesdropping or listening without modification of the traffic monitored
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

Allowing external computing systems to access a data conference with low risk of eavesdropping. An external computing system accesses a virtual lobby before joining the data conference. The virtual lobby is an object that may include a list of computing systems admitted to the lobby. An external computing system joins the lobby when it is included in a waiting list associated with the lobby. Being joined to the lobby does not allow full access to the live data exchanges in the data conference, but does facilitate functions that are less sensitive such as notifying a conference organizer that the joined party in the lobby would like to join the data conference. Upon receiving notice that an external computing system has joined the lobby, the conference organizer then provides further authorization for the external computing system to enter the data conference using any number of in-band or out-of-band mechanisms.

Claims

1. In a network environment that includes a trusted network, an intranet and an external network, and a lobby server that intercedes to allow external computing systems to be scrutinized before being admitted to a data conference with one or more intranet computing systems, a method for the lobby server establishing a data conference between one or more intranet computing systems and one or more external computing systems, the method comprising the following:

an act of a lobby server receiving a request to establish a data conference from a conference organizing computing system in the intranet;

an act of determining that the conference organizing computing system is authorized to establish the data conference;

an act of establishing a lobby that may be joined by potential participating computing systems in the external network, the lobby being an object or group of objects that permits authorization of potential participating computing systems in the external without directly allowing access to the subject data of the data conference;

an act of receiving a request to join the lobby or data conference from at least one of the potential participating computing systems in the external network;

an act of joining the at least one of the potential participating computing systems to the lobby;

an act of notifying the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system has requested access to the data conference;

an act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference; and

an act of joining the at least one potential participating computing system to the data conference.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following prior to the act of joining the at least one potential participating computing system to the lobby:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby comprises the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system has properly provided a conference identifier corresponding to the data conference.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby further comprises the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

5. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby comprises the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference comprises the following:

an act of receiving an indication from the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the following:

an act of facilitating communication between the conference organizing computing system and the at least one potential computing system in order to determine whether the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference comprises the following:

an act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system other than the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising the following:

an act of facilitating communication between the intranet computing system and the at least one potential computing system in order to determine whether the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

10. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes a trusted network, an intranet and an external network, and a lobby server that intercedes to allow external computing systems to be scrutinized before being admitted to a data conference with one or more intranet computing systems, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors at the lobby server, cause the lobby server to perform a method for the lobby server establishing a data conference between one or more intranet computing systems and one or more external computing systems, the method comprising the following:

an act of a lobby server receiving a request to establish a data conference from a conference organizing computing system in the intranet;

an act of determining that the conference organizing computing system is authorized to establish the data conference;

an act of establishing a lobby that may be joined by potential participating computing systems in the external network, the lobby being an object or group of objects that permits authorization of potential participating computing systems in the external network without directly allowing access to the subject data of the data conference;

an act of receiving a request to join the lobby or data conference from at least one of the potential participating computing systems in the external network;

an act of joining the at least one of the potential participating computing systems to the lobby;

an act of notifying the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system has requested access to the data conference;

an act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference; and

an act of joining the at least one potential participating computing system to the data conference.

11. A computer program product in accordance with claim 10, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical media.

12. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are system memory.

13. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are persistent memory.

14. A computer program product in accordance with claim 10, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby prior to the act of joining the at least one potential participating computing system to the lobby.

15. A computer program product in accordance with claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions for performing the act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system has properly provided a conference identifier corresponding to the data conference.

16. A computer program product in accordance with claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby further comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

17. A computer program product in accordance with claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the lobby comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

18. A computer program product in accordance with claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions for receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of receiving an indication from the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

19. A computer program product in accordance with claim 18, wherein the computer-readable media further has thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of facilitating communication between the conference organizing computing system and the at least one potential computing system in order to determine whether the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

20. A computer program product in accordance with claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions for receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lobby server to perform the following:

an act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system other than the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

21. In a network environment that includes a trusted network, an intranet and an external network, and a lobby server that intercedes to allow external computing systems to be scrutinized before being admitted to a data conference with one or more intranet computing systems, a method for the lobby server establishing a data conference between one or more intranet computing systems and one or more external computing systems, the method comprising the following:

an act of a lobby server receiving a request to establish a data conference from a conference organizing computing system in the intranet;

an act of determining that the conference organizing computing system is authorized to establish the data conference; and

a step for allowing access to one or more potential participating computing systems in the external network to the data conference in a secure manner.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the step for allowing access to one or more potential participating computing systems in the external network to the data conference in a secure manner comprises the following:

an act of establishing a lobby that may be joined by potential participating computing systems in the external network, the lobby being an object or group of objects that permits authorization of potential participating computing systems in the external network without directly allowing access to the subject data of the data conference;

an act of receiving a request to join the lobby or data conference from at least one of the potential participating computing systems in the external network;

an act of joining the at least one of the potential participating computing systems to the lobby;

an act of notifying the conference organizing computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system has requested access to the data conference;

an act of receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference; and

an act of joining the at least one potential participating computing system to the data conference.

23. In a network environment that includes a trusted network, an intranet and an external network, and a lobby server that intercedes to allow external computing systems to be scrutinized before being admitted to a data conference with one or more intranet computing systems, a method for a conference organizing computing system in the intranet organizing a data conference to which one or more external computing systems may join, the method comprising the following:

an act of the conference organizing computing system generating a request to establish a data conference;

an act of transmitting the request such that at least a derivative of the request is received by the lobby server;

an act of receiving a notification from the lobby server that at least one potential participating computing system in the external network has joined a lobby associated with the data conference, the lobby being an object or group of objects that permits authorization of potential participating computing systems in the external network without directly allowing access to the subject data of the data conference; and

an act of transmitting an authorization such that at least a derivative of the authorization is received by the lobby server, the authorization indicating that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising the following:

an act of receiving a notification that the at least one potential participating computing system has joined the data conference.

25. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising the following:

an act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to attend the data conference prior to the act of transmitting the authorization.

26. A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein the act of determining that the at least one potential participating computing system is authorized to attend the data conference comprises the following:

an act of challenging the at least one participating computing system such that the at least one participating computing system may successfully achieve the challenge if they are on an invitation list.

27. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors at the conference organizing computing system, cause the conference organizing computing system to perform the method recited in claim 23.

28. In a network environment that includes a trusted network, an intranet and an external network, and a lobby server that intercedes to allow external computing systems to be scrutinized before being admitted to a data conference with one or more intranet computing systems, a method for an external computing system to gain access to a data conference established by a conference organizing computing system in the intranet, the method comprising the following:

an act of an external computing system receiving an invitation to join a lobby hosted by the lobby server, the lobby being an object or group of objects that permits authorization of potential participating computing systems in the external network without directly allowing access to the subject data of the data conference;

an act of generating a request to join the lobby;

an act of transmitting the request to join the lobby to the lobby server; and

an act of receiving an indication that the external computing system has successfully joined the data conference.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the request to join the lobby also represents a request to join the data conference.

30. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the following:

an act of generating a request to joint the data conference; and

an act of transmitting the request to join the data conference to the data conference.

31. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the following:

an act of the external computing system participating in the data conference.

32. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the following:

an act of transmitting credentials necessary to join the lobby to the lobby server.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32, further comprising the following:

an act of transmitting credentials necessary to join the data conference to the lobby server.

34. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the following:

an act of transmitting credentials necessary to join the data conference to the lobby server.

35. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors at the conference organizing computing system, cause the conference organizing computing system to perform the method recited in claim 28.