Systems and methods for collaboration

• US 7,707,249 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open Text Corporation
• Inventors: Spataro, Jared M, Schneider, Ronald E, West, Cornelia A, Glazer, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/989,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 715751-758
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

In some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods provide a client-server infrastructure capable of supporting a variety of asynchronous and synchronous collaboration activities in a so-called collaboration place. Some of these activities include chatting, viewing and/or editing one or more data files, and sharing one or more applications, data files, and/or displays. The client-server infrastructure supports seamless navigation between the supported asynchronous and synchronous activities in the collaboration place. Additionally, the client-server architecture supports data persistence, so that data files associated with the collaboration place can be stored for subsequent access.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for collaboration, the method comprising:

providing a database for storing data associated with two or more independent collaboration places;

providing a collaboration place interface to a first client that is configured to (a) connect the first client to each of the two or more independent collaboration places to locate the first client in the collaboration place to which the first client is connected, and (b) generate a portion of the data based on at least one or more events in the collaboration place, wherein the portion of the data is persistent and available for access by a second client after the first client has disconnected from the collaboration place and is no longer located in the collaboration place;

administering collaboration activities among participating clients in each of the two or more independent collaboration places;

based on administering the collaboration activities, generating activity data about events in each of the two or more independent collaboration places;

implementing peripheral vision schemes corresponding to different forms of place-based awareness for the two or more independent collaboration places, wherein the peripheral vision schemes comprise a plurality of individual collaboration objects that;

(a) define different event categories representing a state of change in the two or more collaboration places, and (b) track the state of change represented by the defined event categories at least in one or more unconnected places of the two or more collaboration places other than that which the first client is currently located;

applying the one or more peripheral vision schemes to the activity data to detect one or more events contemporaneous to their occurrence; and

in response to applying the one or more peripheral visions schemes, providing one or more indicia communicating a form of place-based awareness in a collaboration interface to inform the first client of a recent state of change in the two or more collaboration places in the different event categories including information sufficient to inform the first client of a category of at least one of the events and the related activity data about at least one of the events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity data includes data based on group activities in the place.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the activity data includes data identifying the type of group activities occurring in the place.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the activity data includes data identifying the numbers of clients participating in each of the group activities.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the activity data includes identifiers of the clients participating in each of the group activities.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the activity data relates to the existence of a currently-running meeting object.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the activity data relates to an instance of screen sharing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a request for the indicia is automatically generated by the first client based on a subset of the places of which the first client is a member.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the subset is selected by the first client.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the subset is selected automatically based on criteria established by the first client.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the subset is selected automatically based on system-wide criteria.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity data includes data based on the clients participating in the collaboration place.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the activity data includes identifiers of the clients currently participating in the collaboration place.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the identifiers of the clients are provided based on a selection of a display of the number of clients.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the activity data includes the number of clients currently participating in the collaboration place.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity data includes data based on the activity of one or more of the clients participating in the collaboration place.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the activity data includes one or more miniature screen shots of one or more portions of an interface of one or more of the clients participating in the place.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the interface includes a collaboration place interface.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the one or more indicia includes:

determining whether the first client has permission to view the activity data, and

based on determining that the first client has permission to view the activity data, providing the one or more indicia for presentation to the first client in a collaboration place interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining includes:

determining whether the first client is a member of the one or more of the two or more collaboration places, and

based on determining that the first client is a member, determining that the first client has permission to view the activity data.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the activity data includes data based on changes to the place.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the changes include at least one of:

a number of client leaving the place, a number of clients entering the place, identities of one or more clients leaving the place, and identities of one or more clients entering the place.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the participating clients do not include another client that receives the one or more indicia.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein a request for the indicia is automatically generated by the first client based on a list of the places of which the first client is a member.

25. A computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions thereon for performing steps for collaboration, the steps comprising:

providing a database for storing data associated with two or more independent collaboration places;

providing a collaboration place interface to a first client that is configured to (a) connect the first client to each of the two or more independent collaboration places to locate the first client in the collaboration place to which the first client is connected, and (b) generate a portion of the data based on at least one or more events in the collaboration place, wherein the portion of the data is persistent and available for access by a second client after the first client has disconnected from the collaboration place and is no longer located in the collaboration place;

administering collaboration activities among participating clients in each of the two or more independent collaboration places;

based on administering the collaboration activities, generating activity data about events in each of the two or more independent collaboration places;

implementing peripheral vision schemes corresponding to different forms of place-based awareness for the two or more independent collaboration places, wherein the peripheral vision schemes comprise a plurality of individual collaboration objects that;

(a) define different event categories representing a state of change in the two or more collaboration places, and (b) track the state of change represented by the defined event categories at least in one or more unconnected places of the two or more collaboration places other than that which the first client is currently located;

applying the one or more peripheral vision schemes to the activity data to detect one or more events contemporaneous to their occurrence; and

in response to applying the one or more peripheral visions schemes, providing one or more indicia communicating a form of place-based awareness in a collaboration interface to inform the first client of a recent state of change in the two or more collaboration places in the different event categories including information sufficient to inform the first client of a category of at least one of the events and the related activity data about at least one of the events.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the activity data includes data based on group activities in the place.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the activity data includes data identifying the type of group activities occurring in the place.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the activity data includes data identifying the numbers of clients participating in each of the group activities.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the activity data includes identifiers of the clients participating in each of the group activities.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 26 wherein the activity data relates to the existence of a currently-running meeting object.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 26 wherein the activity data relates to an instance of screen sharing.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein a request for the indicia is automatically generated by the first client based on a subset of the places of which the first client is a member.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the subset is selected by the first client.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the subset is selected automatically based on criteria established by the first client.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the subset is selected automatically based on system-wide criteria.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the activity data includes data based on the clients participating in the collaboration place.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the activity data includes identifiers of the clients currently participating in the collaboration place.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37 wherein the identifiers of the clients are provided based on a selection of a display of the number of clients.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the activity data includes the number of clients currently participating in the collaboration place.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the activity data includes data based on the activity of one or more of the clients participating in the collaboration place.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the activity data includes one or more miniature screen shots of one or more portions of an interface of one or more of the clients participating in the place.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41 wherein the interface includes a collaboration place interface.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein providing the one or more indicia includes:

determining whether the first client has permission to view the activity data, and

based on determining that the first client has permission to view the activity data, providing the one or more indicia for presentation to the first client in a collaboration place interface.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein determining includes:

determining whether the first client is a member of the one or more of the two or more collaboration places, and

based on determining that the first client is a member, determining that the first client has permission to view the activity data.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the activity data includes data based on changes to the place.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45 wherein the changes include at least one of:

a number of clients leaving the place, a number of clients entering the place, identities of one or more clients leaving the place, and identities of one or more clients entering the place.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the participating clients do not include another client that receives the one or more indicia.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein a request for the indicia is automatically generated by the first client based on a list of the places of which the first client is a member.

49. A system for collaboration comprising:

a computer that is configured to contain a database for storing data associated with two or more independent collaboration places, and is configured to provide a collaboration place interface to a first client that is configured to (a) connect the first client to each of the two or more independent collaboration places to locate the first client in the collaboration place to which the first client is connected, and (b) generate a portion of the data based on at least one or more events in the collaboration place, wherein the portion of the data is persistent and available for access by a second client after the first client has disconnected from the collaboration place and is no longer located in the collaboration place, and is configured to administer collaboration activities among participating clients in each of the two or more independent collaboration places, based on administering the collaboration activities, generate activity data about events in each of the two or more independent collaboration places, implement peripheral vision schemes corresponding to different forms of place-based awareness for the two or more independent collaboration places, wherein the peripheral vision schemes comprise a plurality of individual collaboration objects that;

(a) define different event categories representing a state of change in the two or more collaboration places, and (b) track the state of change represented by the defined event categories at least in one or more unconnected places of the two or more collaboration places other than that which the first client is currently located, apply the one or more peripheral vision schemes to the activity data to detect one or more events contemporaneous to their occurrence, and in response to applying the one or more peripheral visions schemes, provide one or more indicia communicating a form of place-based awareness in a collaboration interface to inform the first client of a recent state of change in the two or more collaboration places in the different event categories including information sufficient to inform the first client of a category of at least one of the events and the related activity data about at least one of the events.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the activity data includes data based on group activities in the place.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the activity data includes data identifying the type of group activities occurring in the place.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the activity data includes data identifying the numbers of clients participating in each of the group activities.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein the activity data includes identifiers of the clients participating in each of the group activities.

54. The system of claim 50 wherein the activity data relates to the existence of a currently-running meeting object.

55. The system of claim 50 wherein the activity data relates to an instance of screen sharing.

56. The system of claim 49 wherein a request for the indicia is automatically generated by the first client based on a subset of the places of which the first client is a member.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein the subset is selected by the first client.

58. The system of claim 56 wherein the subset is selected automatically based on criteria established by the first client.

59. The system of claim 56 wherein the subset is selected automatically based on system-wide criteria.

60. The system of claim 49, wherein the activity data includes data based on the clients participating in the collaboration place.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the activity data includes identifiers of the clients currently participating in the collaboration place.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the identifiers of the clients are provided based on a selection of a display of the number of clients.

63. The system of claim 60, wherein the activity data includes the number of clients currently participating in the collaboration place.

64. The system of claim 49, wherein the activity data includes data based on the activity of one or more of the clients participating in the collaboration place.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the activity data includes one or more miniature screen shots of one or more portions of an interface of one or more of the clients participating in the place.

66. The system of claim 65 wherein the interface includes a collaboration place interface.

67. The system of claim 49, wherein providing the one or more indicia includes:

determining whether the first client has permission to view the activity data, and

based on determining that the first client has permission to view the activity data, providing the for presentation to the first client in a collaboration place interface.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the computer is further configured to determine whether the first client is a member of the one or more of the two or more collaboration places, and based on determining that the first client is a member, determine that the first client has permission to view the activity data.

69. The system of claim 49 wherein the activity data includes data based on changes to the place.

70. The system of claim 69 wherein the changes include at least one of:

a number of client leaving the place, a number of clients entering the place, identities of one or more clients leaving the place, and identities of one or more clients entering the place.

71. The system of claim 49, wherein the participating clients do not include another client that receives the one or more indicia.

72. The system of claim 49 wherein a request for the indicia is automatically generated by the first client based on a list of the places of which the first client is a member.

73. A computer-implemented method for making collaboration clients aware of current activity in a plurality of collaboration places, comprising:

providing a database for storing data associated with two or more independent collaboration places;

connecting a plurality of clients to at least one of the collaboration places using collaboration places interfaces to locate the clients in the connected collaboration place to which the clients are connected;

administering collaboration activities among clients in each of the two or more independent collaboration places;

based on administering the collaboration, generating activity data about events in each of the two or more independent collaboration places;

identifying a set of different collaboration place aspects of interest to clients;

tracking certain activity types of activity data about the events in the collaboration places using a plurality of individual collaboration objects that;

(a) define different event categories representing a state of change in the two or more collaboration places, and

(b) track the state of change represented by the defined event categories at least in one or more unconnected places other than that which a first client is currently located;

detecting one or more of the different collaboration place aspects of interest based on the tracked types of activity data; and

displaying visual indicia corresponding to the detected collaboration aspect in association with a corresponding collaboration place to present to the first client not currently in that collaboration place of the existence of a certain collaboration place aspect when that corresponding collaboration aspect is detected, wherein the indicia communicate a form of place-based awareness to inform of a recent state of change in the two or more collaboration places in the different event categories including information sufficient to inform of the category of at least one of the tracked events and related activity information of the tracked events.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein one of the set of collaboration aspects is a combination collaboration aspect of a degree of collaboration and a type of collaboration, and wherein the displayed visual indicia corresponds to the combined collaboration aspect and is further displayed next to another visual indicia for the corresponding collaboration place.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein the one of the set of collaboration aspects is a further combination with an event-based aspect.

76. The method of claim 74 wherein the combined collaboration aspect is a further combination with an aspect that represents whether a user activity is inside or outside the corresponding collaboration place, and wherein the detecting provides for a binary output representing a period of activity or inactivity in the corresponding collaboration place and a non-binary output representing the combined collaboration aspect.

77. The method of claim 73 wherein one of the set of collaboration aspects is a type of collaboration.

78. The method of claim 73 wherein each interface is configured to generate at least one or more events by the first client in the connected collaboration place, wherein the generation causes a portion of the data to be persistent and available for access by a second client after the first client has disconnected from the collaboration place and is no longer located in the connected collaboration place.

79. The method of claim 73 further comprising:

displaying another visual indicia corresponding to a number of different users viewing the visual indicia corresponding to the detected collaboration aspect.

80. The method of claim 73 wherein identifying a set of different collaboration place aspects of interest to clients comprises:

providing options for configuring the aspects of interest to be identified.