Method for web based storage and retrieval of documents

• US 6,317,777 B1
• Filed: 04/26/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kukkal, Puneet, Hochman, Stephen D., Clitheroe, Cameron J., Skarbo, Rune A., Lawless, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/299,808
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/204, 709/203, 709/202, 345/330, 379/202, 379/205, 370/260, 370/484
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A document-collaboration videoconferencing system between a first and a second conference attendee. In one embodiment, the system comprises a document server, a local presenter computing system, and a conferencing computing system. In this embodiment, the local presenter computing system transfers a document to the document server over a network, and the first conferencing system copies such document over the network from the document server.

Claims

1. A document-collaboration videoconferencing system between a first and a second conference attendee, the system comprising:

a document server comprising a web server;

a presenter computing system; and

a first conferencing computing system;

wherein the presenter computing system transfers a document to the document server over a network, the document server sends a stored documents list to the presenter, and the first conferencing system copies the document over the network from the document server.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which the document server comprises:

a database to store the document;

wherein web pages are transmitted by the web server to cause transfer of the document from the document server to each conferencing system.

3. A system according to claim 2, in which each conferencing computing system comprises:

an HTTP access module in communication with the document server over the network.

4. In a videoconferencing system, a method for a presenter device to provide documents for collaborative sharing, the method comprising:

providing an at least one document server with at least one document to share during a document-collaborative videoconference, wherein the document server comprises a web server, and wherein the document server sends a stored documents list to the presenter device;

providing plural conferencing computing devices to obtain a local copy of the at least one document;

holding a document-collaborative videoconference with conference attendees; and

updating the document server with a revised copy of the at least one document.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein holding the document-collaborative videoconference comprises:

connecting each conference attendee;

opening an application program associated with the at least one document to share; and

sharing the application program with each conference attendee.

6. A computer readable medium having computer instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the steps of claim 5.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein sharing the application program for a shared document comprises:

opening a document viewer application;

locating a viewing filter for the shared document; and

displaying the shared document according to the viewing filter;

wherein the document viewer application removes need for an originating application for the shared document being installed on a conferencing computing device.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein providing the at least one document server comprises:

receiving a connection request from a presenter computing device;

receiving a login form from the presenter device, such completed form including presenter user data;

authorizing the presenter user data; and

accessing user storage.

9. A computer readable medium having computer instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the steps of claim 8.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a command request from the presenter computing device;

wherein such command is a selected one of select a file, add a file, move a file, copy a file, remove a file, download a selected file to the presenter device, add a folder, move a folder, copy a folder, remove a folder, create a folder, expand a folder, collapse a folder, and download a selected folder to the presenter device.

11. A method according to claim 4, wherein providing a conferencing computing device with a document server comprises:

receiving a URL request for a document stored on the document server;

redirecting the URL to a protected URL location; and

transmitting data at the protected URL location to the conferencing computing device so that such device is unaware of redirection.

12. A computer readable medium having computer instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the steps of claim 11.

13. A method according to claim 11, the method further comprising:

embedding a random alphanumeric sequence into the protected URL; and

periodically changing the embedded random alphanumeric sequence.

14. A videoconferencing system for providing documents for collaborative sharing, comprising:

means for a presenter device to initialize an at least one document server with at least one document to share during a document-collaborative videoconference, wherein the document server comprises a web server;

means for providing plural conferencing computing devices to obtain a local copy of the at least one document;

means for holding a document-collaborative videoconference with conference attendees;

means for updating the document server with a revised copy of the at least one document; and

means for sending a stored documents list to the presenter device.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein means for holding the document-collaborative videoconference comprises:

means for connecting conference each conference attendee;

means for opening an application program associated with the at least one document to share; and

means for sharing the application program with each conference attendee.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein means for sharing the application program comprises:

means for opening a document viewer application;

means for locating a viewing filter for the shared document; and

means for displaying the shared document according to the viewing filter.

17. A system according to claim 14, wherein means for providing the at least one document server comprises:

means for receiving a connection request from a presenter computing device;

means for receiving a login form from the presenter device, such completed form including presenter user data;

means for authorizing the presenter user data; and

means for accessing user storage.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein means for providing a conferencing computing device to obtain a local copy of the at least one document, comprises:

means for receiving a URL request for a document stored on the document server;

means for redirecting the URL to a protected URL location;

means for embedding a random alphanumeric sequence into the protected URL; and

means for periodically changing the embedded random alphanumeric sequence.