Virtual lobby for data conferencing

• US 7,398,295 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Haveson, Ryan, Shoroff, Srikanth
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesfin; Yemane
• Application Number:
  US10/611,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709/229, 715/753
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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. A method for establishing a data conference between one or more intranet computing systems and one or more external computing systems, the method comprising:

receiving a request at a lobby server to establish a data conference from a conference organizing computing system in an intranet, wherein the lobby server is logically in a demiltarized zone between the intranet and an external network;

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

establishing a lobby in the demilitarized zone to which potential participating computing systems in the external network are admitted awaiting authorization to join the data conference; and

subsequent to establishing the lobby,

receiving a request to join the data conference from a potential participating computing system in the external network;

admitting the requesting potential participating computing system to the lobby;

notifying the conference organizing computing system that the requesting potential participating computing system has requested to join the data conference;

receiving an indication from an intranet computing system that the requesting potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference; and

subsequent to receiving the indication, joining the requesting potential participating computing system to the data conference;

wherein the potential participating computing system in the external network requesting to join the data conference is placed in a lobby until the conference organizing computing system indicates that the potential participating computer system is authorized to join the data conference.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining that the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby comprises:

determining that the potential participating computing system has properly provided a conference identifier corresponding to the data conference.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining that the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby further comprises:

determining that the potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein determining that the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby comprises:

determining that the potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication that the potential participating computer system is authorized to join the data conference is received from the conference organizing computing system.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising facilitating communication between the conference organizing computing system and the potential computing system in order to determine whether the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication that the potential participating computer system is authorized to join the data conference is received from an intranet computing system other than the conference organizing computing system.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising facilitating communication between the intranet computing system and the potential computing system in order to determine whether the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

24. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the lobby server to perform the method recited in claim 1.

10. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a lobby server that is logically located within a buffer zone between an intranet and an external network, cause the lobby server to:

receive a request to establish a data conference from a conference organizing computing system in the intranet;

determine whether the conference organizing computing system is authorized to establish the data conference;

establish a lobby within the buffer zone to which potential participating computing systems in the external network are admitted to await authorization to join the data conference;

intercede a request to join the data conference from a potential participating computing system in the external network;

admit the potential participating computing system to the lobby;

notify the conference organizing computing system that the potential participating computing system has requested to join the data conference;

receive an indication from an intranet computing system that the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference; and

subsequent to receiving the indication, join the potential participating computing system to the data conference.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the computer readable storage medium is system memory.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the computer readable storage medium is persistent memory.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprising instructions that, when executed by the lobby server, cause the lobby server to:

prior to admiting the potential participating computer system to the lobby, determine whether the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions that cause the lobby server to determine whether the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby comprise instructions that, when executed by the lobby server, cause the lobby server to:

determine whether the potential participating computing system has properly provided a conference identifier corresponding to the data conference.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the instructions that cause the lobby server to determine whether the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby further comprise instructions that, when executed by the lobby server, cause the lobby server to:

determine whether the potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions that cause the lobby server to determine whether the potential participating computing system is allowed to be admitted to the lobby comprise instructions that, when executed by the lobby server, cause the lobby server to:

determine whether the potential participating computing system has properly provided a password corresponding to the data conference.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the indication that the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference is received from the conference organizing computing system.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the lobby server, cause the lobby server to facilitate communication between the conference organizing computing system and the potential computing system in order to determine whether the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the indication that the potential participating computing system is authorized to join the data conference is received from an intranet computing system other than the conference organizing computing system.

20. A system comprising:

an intranet;

a lobby server that establishes a data conference in response to receiving a request from a conference organizing computing system to establish a data conference for an intranet computing system and a computing system in an external network, wherein the lobby server is located within a demilitarized zone between the intranet and the external network;

wherein, in response to receiving a request to join the data conference from the computing system in the external network, the lobby server performs a method comprising;

notifying the conference organizing computing system that the computing system in the external network has requested to join the data conference;

admitting the computing system in the external network to a lobby located within the demilitarized zone to which potential participating computing systems in external network are admitted awaiting authorization to join the data conference;

in response to receiving an indication that the computing system is authorized to join the data conference, joining the computing system to the data conference.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the method performed by the lobby server further comprises subsequent to joining the computing system to the data conference, transmitting by the lobby server a notification to the conference organizing system that the computing system in the external network has joined the data conference.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the method performed by the lobby server further comprises determining that the computing system in the external network is authorized to join the data conference before joining the at the one computing system to the data conference.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the lobby server determines that the computing system is authorized by challenging the computing system such that the potential participating computing system may successfully achieve the challenge if they are on an invitation list.