Networked audio communication over two networks

• US 7,398,296 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pragmatus AV LLC (Pragmatus, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avistar Communications Corporation (Avistar)
• Inventors: Lantz, Keith A., Lauwers, J. Chris, Burns, Emmett R., Burnett, Gerald J., Ludwig, Lester F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess; Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US11/623,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-207, 709223-224, 709227-228, 715751-759
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Two or more users can log in using at least one device each. Addresses for the users are sent to servers associated with the users, these servers being separated by a wide area network. From a quick dial list of user identifiers, a user selects an identifier for another user to make a request for communication with the second user. At least one port associated with a collaboration service is specified.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling a first user to log in using at least one of a plurality of communication devices;

enabling a second user to log in using at least one of a plurality of communication devices;

sending information indicating an address of the first user to a first server associated with the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in;

specifying at least one network port associated with a collaboration service supported by the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in;

enabling the second user to listen for a real-time communication request for the collaboration service;

sending information indicating an address of the second user to a second sever associated with the at least one communication device used by the second user to log in, the second server being separated from the first server by at least one wide area network;

causing display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the communication device used by the first user to log in, the graphical rolodex having a scrollable listing of user identifiers of potential participants;

causing display of a quick-dial panel on the display of the communication device used by the first user to log in, the quick-dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potential participants for selection by the first user, the quick-dial panel having been previously created by the first user by selecting user identifiers of potential participants from the graphical rolodex;

enabling the first user to initiate real-time communication with the second user by selecting an identifier for the second user from at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick-dial panel;

notifying the second user of the request for real-time communication and the identity of the first user; and

if the second user accepts the request, enabling automatic establishing of a selected real-time communication type or a default communication type if no real-time communication type is selected, wherein the real-time communication is established over the at least one wide area network, between the first and second users using the specified network port.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating the second user with at least one port to which the at least one communication device used by the second user to log in is connected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

enabling the first user to specify a third user by selecting a user identifier associated with the third user in the quick-dial panel to request real-time communication with the third user;

and

if the third user has not logged in, causing the first server to automatically notify the first user that the third user has not logged in.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the communication devices to register at least one collaborative service that the respective communication device provides.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing display of representations of a plurality of real-time communication types on the display associated with the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the real-time communication types comprises at least one of the group consisting of audio, video, and real-time text.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the real-time communication is of the selected type if a real-time communication type is selected by the first user from the plurality of displayed real-time communication types, and the real-time communication is of a default communication type if a real-time communication type is not selected by the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time communication is enabled based on capabilities of at least the communication device used by the second user to log in.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the communication device used by the first user to log in is a wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless device uses at least cellular phone links for the real-time communication.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing communication between the first and second servers to receive the address information associated with the second user from the second server at the first server.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising exchanging address information associated with the first user and the second user respectively between the first and second servers to receive the address information associated with the second user from the second server at the first server.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time communication between the first and second users is established using a wide area network gateway over the at least one wide area network to the second communication device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one user identifier in the graphical rolodex comprises at least one icon representing a corresponding potential participant.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving, at the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in, identifier information from the first server, wherein the identifier information comprises a corresponding icon.

16. A machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, which when executed by at least one computer, cause the computer to:

enable a first user to log in using at least one of a plurality of communication devices;

enable a second user to log in using at least one of a plurality of communication devices;

send information indicating an address of the first user to a first server associated with the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in;

specify at least one network port associated with a collaboration service supported by the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in;

enable the second user to listen for a real-time communication request for the collaboration service;

send information indicating an address of the second user to a second server associated with the at least one communication device used by the second user to log in, the second server being separated from the first server by at least one wide area network;

cause display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the communication device used by the first user to log in, the graphical rolodex having a scrollable listing of user identifiers of potential participants;

cause display of a quick-dial panel on the display of the communication device used by the first user to log in, the quick-dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potential participants for selection by the first user, the quick-dial panel having been previously created by the first user by selecting user identifiers of potential participants from the graphical rolodex;

enable the first user to initiate real-time communication with the second user by selecting an identifier for the second user from at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick-dial panel;

notify the second user of the request for real-time communication and displaying the respective user identifier of the first user; and

if the second user accepts the request, enable automatic establishing of a selected real-time communication type or a default communication type if no real-time communication type is selected, wherein the real-time communication is established over the at least one wide area network, between the first and second users using the specified network port.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to establish communication between the first and second servers to receive the address information associated with the second user from the second server at the first server.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the computer cause display of representations of a plurality of real-time communication types on the display associated with the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in, wherein the real-time communication types comprises at least one of the group consisting of audio, video, and real-time text.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the real-time communication between the first and second users is established using a wide area network gateway over the at least one wide area network to the second communication device.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to retrieve, at the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in, identifier information from the first server, wherein the identifier information comprises a corresponding icon.