Method and apparatus for modeling business card exchanges in a point-to-point or a multi-point personal computer conference

• US 5,852,807 A
• Filed: 08/08/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Elliott, John D., Salvador, Anthony C., Skarbo, Rune A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bainbridge, Barton L.
• Application Number:
  US08/908,751
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/9, 705/10
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• 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: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65

Abstract

The conference manager and address service of a general purpose personal conference application are enhanced with a plurality of functions for setting up, exchanging, saving, retrieving and re-sending "business cards" electronically. The external manifestation of an electronic "business card" is a visual presentation of information commonly found on physical business cards in a format that resembles a physical business card. Preferably, the visual presentation also includes a picture of the person named. Internally, the information including the data necessary to render the picture are maintained in data structures.

Claims

1. A personal computer (PC) conference system comprising a general purpose personal conference (GPPC) application having a conference manager that includes a first function for automatically transmitting a business card data structure having information commonly found in business cards for rendering on another PC conference system in a format that resembles a business card to model business card exchanges between conference participants of a face-to-face conference, whenever the PC conference system joins a PC conference.

2. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitted business card data structure includes data necessary to render a picture of the person named by the business card information.

3. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conference manager further includes a second function for receiving, rendering, and saving a similar business card data structure from its counterpart, whenever the PC conference system joins a point-to-point PC conference, and for receiving, rendering, and saving one or more similar business card data structures whenever the PC conference system joins a multi-point PC conference having at least one other previously joined conference participant.

4. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second function automatically renders each business card data structure upon receipt if a preference indicator of the conference manager is set to denote a user preference for automatic rendering.

5. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second function only renders a business card data structure responsive to a user request if a preference indicator of the conference manager is set to denote a user preference for no automatic rendering.

6. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second function is also used for receiving, rendering, and saving a similar business card data structure from a new PC conference system when the new PC conference system joins the multi-point PC conference in progress, and for replying to the new PC conference system with the business card data structure previously transmitted by the first function at the time the PC conference system joins the multi-point PC conference.

7. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the GPPC application further includes an address service having a third function for retrieving the saved business card data structures for rendering.

8. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the third function is also used for selectively re-sending the retrieved business card data structures to conference participant(s) of a personal conference in progress.

9. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conference manager also has a second function for setting up the business card data structure for a user.

10. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the second function is invoked automatically during installation of the GPPC application.

11. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the second function includes logic for including a graphical representation of a snapshot of the user as part of the business card data structure.

12. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the second function further includes logic for taking a snapshot of the user.

13. The PC conference system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the second function is also invokable post-installation for editing the previously set up business card data structure.

14. A point-to-point personal conferencing system comprising a first and a second PC conference system, the first and second PC conference systems having a first and a second general purpose personal conference (GPPC) application including a first and a second conference manager having a first and a second function respectively for automatically exchanging a first and a second business card data structure having information commonly found in business cards with each other, whenever the first and the second PC conference systems join each other in a point-to-point PC conference, the exchanged information are to be rendered in a format that resembles a business card on the respective systems, thereby modeling business card exchange between conference participant of a face-to-face conference.

15. The point-to-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first and second conference managers further include a third and a fourth function respectively for receiving, rendering, and saving the first and second business card data structures on the respective systems.

16. The point-to-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the third and fourth function automatically and independently render the first and second business card data structures upon receipt on the respective systems if a first and a second preference indicator of the first and second conference managers are set to denote a first and a second independent user preference for automatic rendering respectively.

17. The point-to-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first and second conference managers further include a third and a fourth function for setting up the first and second business card data structures on the respective systems.

18. The point-to-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the third and fourth functions include logic for including a first and a second graphical representation of a first and a second snapshot of a first and a second user on the respective systems as part of the first and second business card data structures.

19. The point-to-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first and second business card data structures are saved upon receipt, and the first and second GPPC applications further include a first and a second address service having a third and a fourth function respectively for selectively retrieving the saved first and second business card data structures, and rendering the retrieved first and second business card data structures on the respective systems.

20. The point-to-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the third and fourth functions include logic for selectively re-sending the retrieved first and second business card data structures respectively.

21. A multi-point personal conferencing system comprising:

a first, a second and a third PC conference system, the first, second and third PC conference systems having a first, a second and a third general purpose personal conference (GPPC) application including a first, a second and a third conference manager having a first, a second and a third function respectively for automatically exchanging a first, a second and a third business card data structures having information commonly found in business cards to each other, whenever the first, the second and the third PC conference systems join each other in a multi-point PC conference, the exchanged information are to be rendered in a format that resembles a business card on the respective systems.

22. The multi-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the first, second and third conference managers further include a fourth, a fifth and a sixth function for setting up the first, second and third business card data structures on the respective systems.

23. The multi-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the fourth, fifth and sixth functions include logic for including a first, a second and a third graphical representation of a first, a second and a third snapshot of a first, a second and a third user on the respective systems as part of the first, second and third business card data structures.

24. The multi-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the first, second and third business card data structures are saved upon receipt, and the first, second and third GPPC applications further include a first, a second and a third address service having a fourth, a fifth and a sixth function respectively for selectively retrieving the saved second or third, third or first, and first or second business card data structures, and rendering the retrieved business card data structures on the respective systems.

25. The multi-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 24, wherein the fourth, the fifth and the sixth functions include logic for selectively re-sending the retrieved business card data structures respectively.

26. The multi-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the first, second and third conference managers further include a fourth, a fifth and a sixth function respectively for receiving, rendering, and saving the second and third, the third and first, and the first and second business card data structures on the respective systems.

27. The multi-point personal conference system as set forth in claim 26, wherein the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth function are also used for receiving, rendering, and saving a fourth business card data structure on the respective systems from a fourth personal computer conference system when the fourth personal computer conference system joins the multi-point PC conference in progress, and for replying to the fourth personal computer conference system with the first, second, and third business card data structures respectively.

28. The multi-point personal conferencing system as set forth in claim 26, wherein the fourth, fifth and sixth functions automatically and independently render the second and third, the third and first, and the first and second business card data structures upon receipt on the respective systems if a first, a second and a third preference indicator of the first, second and third conference managers are set to denote a first, a second and a third independent user preference for automatic rendering respectively.