System and method for realtime messaging having image sharing feature

• US 20050132288A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Marks, Gregory Alan, Kirn, Kevin Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,458,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A system and related methods permit a group of two or more users to initiate a realtime message session online, and invite participants to transmit and share digital images and other media to a common viewer tool seen by all. The messaging session may be conducted via a message server which mediates the exchange of typed, spoken or other messages back and forth amongst participants. One or more users may assume control of the commonly displayed images, for instance in a slideshow or other viewer tool. Users can discuss the displayed images or other media in realtime. The participants may each view, save, store, print or otherwise use or manipulate the copy of the image or images as presented to them. Session control of the set of displayed images may be passed from one user to another on a voluntary basis, using for example a control token or other mechanism. In embodiments shared control may be used. Out-of-order rendering and other optimizations may enhance the response time to participating viewers.

Claims

1. A messaging system, comprising:

a messaging client, the messaging presenting a dialog interface to at least two users; and

a media viewer, communicating with the messaging client, the media viewer selectively presenting a set of shared media objects under control of at least one of the users using the messaging client, the set of shared media objects being selectable for selective display to at least one other user by the user having control.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the messaging client comprises a network-enabled chat client.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the dialog interface comprises at least a mutually viewed chat window presenting typed messages.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the set of shared media objects comprises at least a set of graphical images.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the set of graphical images comprises a set of digital photographs.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the users maintains control of the set of shared media objects selectively presented on the media viewer via a transmissible control object.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a selector tool, communicating with the messaging client, the selector tool presenting a set of media objects to select for mutual viewing by the users.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the media viewer is integrated with the messaging client.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the media viewer is separate from the messaging client.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the set of shared media objects comprises at least one of an audio sample and a video clip.

11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one annotation object presented via the media viewer.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the users share control of presentation of the set of shared media objects.

14. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an option to independently select a set of shared media objects to view in the media viewer.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least any two of the users may select a set of shared media objects to synchronously view, independently of other users.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the media viewer comprises an optimized loader, the optimized loader selectively loading media objects in the set of shared media objects to increase response time.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the media viewer comprises a slideshow tool.

12. A system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one annotation object comprises at least one of a sticker object and a pointer, the at least one annotation object being controlled by the at least one user maintaining control.

18. A communications method, comprising:

presenting a dialog interface to at least two users via a messaging client; and

selectively presenting a set of shared media objects under control of at least one of the users using the messaging client, the set of shared media objects being selectable for selective display to at least one other user by the user having control.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the messaging client comprises a network-enabled chat client.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the dialog interface comprises at least a mutually viewed chat window presenting typed messages.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the set of shared media objects comprises at least a set of graphical images.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the set of graphical images comprises a set of digital photographs.

23. A method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the users maintains control of the set of shared media objects selectively presented on a media viewer via a transmissible control object.

24. A method according to claim 18, further comprising a step of presenting a set of media objects via a selector tool to select for mutual viewing by the users.

25. A method according to claim 18, wherein the set of media objects is presented via a media viewer integrated with the messaging client.

26. A method according to claim 18, wherein the set of media objects is presented via a media viewer is separate from the messaging client.

27. A method according to claim 18, further comprising a step of presenting at least one annotation object via the media viewer.

28. A method according to claim 18, wherein at least two of the users share control of presentation of the set of shared media objects.

29. A method according to claim 18, further comprising presentation of an option to independently select a set of shared media objects to view in the media viewer.

30. A method according to claim 18, wherein at least any two of the users may select a set of shared media objects to synchronously view, independently of other users.

31. A method according to claim 18, further comprising a step of executing an optimized loader, the optimized loader selectively loading media objects in the set of shared media objects to increase response time.

32. A set of shared media objects, the set of shared media objects being generated according to a method comprising:

presenting a dialog interface to at least two users via a messaging client; and

executing a selector tool, the selector tool selecting a set of media objects to share to the at least two users under control of at least one of the users using the messaging client, the set of shared media objects being selectable via the selector tool for display to at least one other user by the user having control.

33. A set of shared media objects according to claim 32, wherein the messaging client comprises a network-enabled chat client.

34. A set of shared media objects according to claim 32, wherein the dialog interface comprises at least a mutually viewed chat window presenting typed messages.

35. A set of shared media objects according to claim 32, wherein the set of shared media objects comprises at least a set of graphical images.

36. A set of shared media objects according to claim 35, wherein the set of graphical images comprises a set of digital photographs.

37. A set of shared media objects according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the users maintains control of the set of shared media objects selectively presented on a media viewer via a transmissible control object.

38. A set of shared media objects according to claim 32, wherein the selector tool is integrated with the messaging client.

39. A set of shared media objects according to claim 32, wherein the selector tool is separate from the messaging client.