System and methodology for collaboration utilizing combined display with evolving common shared underlying image

• US 8,990,677 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collaboration Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: David H Sitrick
• Inventors: Sitrick, David H., Fling, Russell T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughn, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US13/102,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/201, 715/203, 715/230, 715/231, 715/232, 715/233
• US Class Current: 715/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services

Abstract

A system and methodology for collaborating. The system as illustrated is comprised of at least two computing appliances, each of the computing appliances for use by a respective user. Each of the computing appliances is comprised of a processor, memory, communications interface, input apparatus, and display apparatus. Each said display apparatus provides a respective display presentation of a common shared underlying image. The respective input apparatus is responsive to input by the respective user to provide annotation data representative of a display image of annotations associated with the respective user. Thereafter, a respective user at each of the at least two of the computing appliances provides a combined display presentation comprised of a combination of the display image of the annotations associated with the respective user, shown as comprised of the display image of the annotations for the at least one of the respective users, which are aligned to and overlaid atop of the common shared underlying image in the combined display presentation. In one embodiment, the system is further comprised of communications apparatus providing voice (and/or video) communications between said respective users at least two of said respective computing appliances while also providing the display presentation at said at least two computing appliances. In an alternate embodiment, the display presentation starts as displaying only the base core image, and evolves at each subsequent finite point in time to provide a display presentation of an evolved combined image at each said subsequent finite point in time.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least two computing appliances, each of the computing appliances for use by a respective user;

wherein each of the computing appliances is comprised of a memory, a communications interface, an input apparatus, and a display apparatus;

wherein each said display apparatus provides a respective display presentation of a display image comprised of a common shared underlying image;

wherein the respective input apparatus is responsive to input by the respective user to provide annotation data representative of a display image of annotations associated with the respective user and made to appear relative to the display presentation of the common shared underlying image;

control logic coordinating the storage and retrieval of the annotation data in the memory responsive to the communications via the communications interface,

display logic providing and coordinating the display presentation provided on the display apparatus of each of a plurality of the computing appliances to, and upon which a plurality of the users are able to commonly collaborate by associating the annotations with the respective user providing the input, for each of a plurality of the annotations and a plurality of the users;

wherein the communications interface provides data communications between the computing appliances; and

wherein the display presentation on the display apparatus of the at least two of the computing appliances each provides a combined display presentation comprised of a display the common shared underlying image and selected ones of the annotations shown as made relative to and associated with the respective user for at least one of the respective users,

wherein within the combined display presentation, the display image of the annotations for the at least one of the respective users is shown in the combined display presentation as aligned to and overlaid atop of the common shared underlying image.

2. The system as in claim 1,

wherein said combined display presentation is provided for viewing simultaneously on the display apparatus of each of the at least two computing appliances.

3. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the annotations are input at a specified position relative to the display presentation of the common shared underlying image,

wherein the input by said respective user at the respective said computing appliance, displays to said respective user, a local combined display presentation showing placement of the annotations as made by said respective user at the specified position, wherein within the local combined displayed presentation the annotations as input by the respective user are shown at the specified position relative to the display presentation of the common shared underlying image.

4. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the local combined display of the respective user presentation is provided on the display apparatus of at least two of the computing applances comprising for each of the annotations, a display of the annotations at the specified position as made by the respective user relative to the common shared underlying image the common shared underlying image.

5. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the annotations for at least two of the users are shown, in the combined display presentation, each as aligned to and overlaid atop of the shared common underlying image in the combined display presentation.

6. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the annotations are input over time wherein the annotations are associated with a specific point in time when the input is provided;

wherein at a first point in time, the common shared underlying image is comprised of a base core image representative of a base core document upon which the plurality of users are able to collaborate providing concurrent input while viewing the common shared underlying image;

wherein the annotations are provided as a plurality of subsequent said points in time; and

wherein the display presentation provided at at least one said respective computing appliance starts at the first point in time as a display presentation of only the base core image, and thereafter at each subsequent said point in time, provides a then current modified display presentation for a then current said subsequent said point in time, each said the current modified display presentation comprising a display image of a then current evolved base core image comprising the base core image combined with respective display images for all the annotations associated with the at least one said respective user at said respective computing appliances, as made from the first point in time until said then current said subsequent said point in lime.

7. The system as in claim 6,

wherein, at a second point in time, the common shared underlying image is comprised of the then current modified display presentation associated with the second point in time comprising a then current evolved base core image;

and

wherein the then current modified display presentation associated with the second point in time is provided on the display apparatus of at least two of said respective computing appliances and a subsequent said point in time display image of the then current evolved base core image is combined with respective display images for all the annotations associated with the at least one said respective user, made from the second point in time until said subsequent said point in time.

8. The system as in claim 7,

wherein the display presentation provided at the at least one said respective said computing appliance is comprised of a display image of additional annotations as input by said respective user that were input by the respective user, subsequent to the point in time associated with the then current evolved base core image;

wherein said additional annotations are shown within a new combined display presentation comprised of a display image of the additional annotations displayed as input aligned to and overlaid atop of the then current evolved base core image in the new combined display presentation.

9. The system as in claim 7,

wherein the display presentation of the then current evolved base core image is comprised of the base core image combined with the images for all the annotations of at least two users as made up to the associated said subsequent said point in time.

10. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the combined display presentation changes over time, wherein at each said subsequent said point in time, a then current display presentation is provided comprising new ones of the annotations that are not already within the then current evolved shared underlying image;

and

wherein thereafter, a next evolved base core image forming a next common shared underlying image shown within an updated combined display presentation comprising an image of the annotations that are not already within, shown aligned to and overlaid atop of the then current evolved base core image in the updated combined display presentation.

11. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the common shared underlying image is provided responsive to and has an image representative of at least one of a word processing document, a text document, a drawing document, a spreadsheet document, a photo document, an image document, a JPEG file, an MPEG file, a musical score, an audiovisual movie, diagnostic film, a contract document, a proposal document, an x-ray film file, an MRI image file, and a CAT-scan file.

12. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the annotations are provided as a plurality of subsequent said points in time and each said annotation is associated with a respective one of said points in time;

wherein the combined display presentation changes over time starting as a display of the common underlying image associated with a first point in time and progressing at subsequent said points in time to correspondingly progressively utilize and progressively combine a selected set of annotations as input by at least one of the users subsequent to the first said point in time up until a then current said point in time;

wherein at each subsequent said point in time, there is provided a then current said display presentation comprised of selected ones of said annotations as input until the then current point in time, combined with the common underlying image associated with the then current said point in time, to provide a common underlying image associated with the current certain point in time,

wherein the common underlying image associated with the current certain point in time, is thereafter shown within and as apart of an update to said combined display presentation comprising the display image of said annotations as input until the then current point in time, aligned to an overlaid atop of the current underlying image for the then current set point in time;

wherein the common underlying image associated with the current certain point in time, is displayed to said respective users at at least two of said computing appliances, and is displayed simultaneously to said at least two of the computing appliances.

13. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the annotations are provided as a plurality of subsequent said points in time and each said annotation is associated with a respective one of said points in time;

wherein the combined display presentation changes over time starting as a display of the common underlying image associated with a first point in time and progressing at subsequent said points in time to utilize and combine a selected set of annotations as input by at least one of the users subsequent to the first said point in time up until a then current said point in time;

wherein the common shared underlying image associated with the first point in time is comprised of a base core image representative of a base core document; and

wherein the display presentation of the common shared underlying image is provided at each of at least two said respective computing appliances, and starts at the first point in time as a display presentation of only the base core image, and evolves at each subsequent finite point in time to provide a display presentation comprising at each said subsequent said point in time a then current evolved base core image associated with a then current point in time, comprised of the base core image combined with respective display images for all the annotations associated with each said respective user at each of said at least two said respective computing appliances, for said annotations as made by each said user from the first point in time up to the then current said point in time.

14. The system as in claim 1,

wherein the combined display presentation is comprised of the display image of the annotations for all the users shown, wherein the annotations for each of the users appears atop of and aligned relative to the annotations for other of the users, and also appears atop of and aligned relative to the display presentation of the common shared underlying image.

15. A method for collaboration among a plurality of computing appliances, at least two of the computing appliances having a memory, an input apparatus and a display apparatus and provided for use by a respective user, of a plurality of users, the method comprising:

providing a common shared underlying image initially comprised of a base document image;

providing a display presentation on each of the display apparatus, the display presentation comprising a display image of the common shared underlying image;

associating each of the computing appliances with a respective user;

generating respective annotation data representative of annotations made at a user-specified location relative to the display image of the common shared underlying image, wherein the annotation data is representative of a display image of annotations made relative to viewing of the display presentation, responsive to a respective input by of a respective said input apparatus at each respective one of at least two of said computing appliances;

storing the annotation data in the memory associated with the respective computing appliance providing the respective input;

providing a combined display presentation for viewing at the respective display apparatus at at least one of the at least two computing appliances, responsive to the memory;

wherein the combined display presentation is comprised of a display of the annotations as made by the at least two of the users, aligned to and overlaid atop of the common shared underlying image.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

providing at a first point in time, the common shared underlying image as comprised of a base core image representative of a base core document;

providing concurrent input by a plurality of the users while said users are viewing the common shared underlying image;

associating the annotations with a specific point in time when the input is provided;

providing the annotations at a plurality of subsequent said points in time; and

providing the display presentation at at least one said respective computing appliance starting, at the first point in time, as a display presentation of only the base core image;

providing a modified display presentation, thereafter at a subsequently occurring second point in time, comprising a display image of a then current evolved base core image comprising the base core image combined with respective display images for all the annotations associated with the at least one said respective user at said respective computing appliances, as made from the first point in time up until said second point in time; and

simultaneously providing the display presentation for said modified display presentation at at least one of the at least two computing appliances.

17. The method as in claim 16,

wherein at least one said user selects at least one of:

which of the annotations for which of the users of the at least two computing appliances are selected annotations that are utilized to provide the combined display presentation, wherein a display of the selected annotations are combined for viewing atop of, and aligned relative to, the display image of the common shared underlying image.

18. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

associating selected ones of the plurality of computing appliances as members of and are logically grouped into teams of users;

associating selected ones of the plurality of computing appliances for at least one of the teams as members of at least one sub-team;

enabling the members of the teams and the sub-teams to collaborate independently of each other and to collaborative with changes made relative to the commonly viewed, common shared underlying image to evolve to create a modified document;

displaying a first said common shared underlying image to the members of at least one of the teams, wherein the members of the at least one of the teams collaborate with other members of the at least one of the teams, relative to displaying the first said common shared underlying image of a common underlying work project;

displaying a second said common shared underlying image to the members of at least one of the sub-teams, wherein the members of the at least one of the sub-teams collaborate with other members of the at least one of the sub-teams, relative to displaying the second said common shared underlying image of a common underlying work project;

wherein a grouping of the members combines the at least one of the teams and the at least one of the sub-teams, to mutually collaborate relative to the common shared underlying image to provide annotations used to mutually solve a problem;

the method further comprising;

providing the display of the common shared underlying image to the respective users of the at least two computing appliances while each of the respective said users are making respective said annotations.

19. The method as in claim 15,

wherein the combined display presentation is comprised of selected ones of the annotations for at least two of the users, wherein the image of the annotations is aligned to and overlaid atop of the common shared underlying image, responsive to the annotation data for the selected ones of the annotations that are stored in the memory;

and

wherein within the display presentation, the annotations associated with each respective said user are displayed as uniquely identifiable as compared to the display of the annotations associated with other said users, within the combined display presentation.

20. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

providing an initial display presentation of a first version of the common shared underlying image at first time, to the respective user at each of the at least two of the computing appliances, wherein the first version of the common shared underlying image is representative of a base core image;

storing the annotations made by at least one of the users in the memory during a first time interval occurring subsequent to the first time and until a second time;

generating a second version of the common shared underlying image at a second time, for display to the users at each of the at least two of the computing appliances wherein the second version of the common shared underlying image is comprised of a display of the first version of the common shared underlying image combined with a display of respective display images for the respective annotations as made from the first time up to said second time, and as made by at least one said respective user of at least one said computing appliance of the at least two computing appliances; and

,

providing the second version of the common shared underlying image as at least a part of a display for viewing at the at least two of the plurality of computing appliances.

21. The method as in claim 20, further comprising:

providing a second combined display presentation, comprised of a display of the second version of the common shared underlying combined with a display of the annotations of at least two of the plurality of users as made up to the second point.

22. The method as in claim 15,

wherein the generation of the display presentation of the common shared underlying image initially provides a display presentation of only a base core image;

wherein the generation of the display presentation of the common shared underlying image thereafter is changed at subsequent times to provide a display presentation of a then current evolved base core image, comprising a display of the base core image combined with a display of the annotations for at least two said users of the plurality of users, as made up to a then current subsequent time; and

wherein the display presentation for the evolved core base image is thereafter, until changed again at a next subsequent time, comprised of a combination of a display of the annotations for the at least two of the users, aligned in the combined display presentation for viewing atop of and relative to the display presentation of the then current evolved base image.

23. The method as in claim 15,

wherein the common shared underlying image is representative of and provided responsive to at least one of a word processing document, a text document, a drawing document, a spreadsheet document, a photo document, an image document, a JPEG an MPEG file, a musical score, an audiovisual movie, diagnostic film, a contract document, a proposal document, an x-ray film file, an MRI image file, and a CAT-scan file.

24. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

mapping the annotations for storage in a respective addressable data layer part of the memory that is associated with the respective user;

wherein each said data layer is associated and mapped with one of;

a respective main team,

a respective sub-team, and

wherein the respective said data layers that are associated with the members of the main team are communicated only to other of the members of the main team,

wherein the respective said data layers that are associated with the members of the sub-team are communicated only to other of the members of the sub-team.

25. A method of collaborating, comprising:

associating each of a plurality of computing appliances with a respective separate user of a plurality of said users,

wherein each of the computing appliances is comprised of a memory, a communications interface, an input apparatus, and a display apparatus;

providing a display presentation on each of the display apparatus of at least two of the computing appliances of a display image of a common shared underlying image;

providing annotation data representative of a display image of annotations responsive to input by a respect of said user, made via a respective said input apparatus while the display presentation of the image of the common shared underlying image is provided on the display apparatus of the respective said computing appliance,

wherein the annotation data is associated with the user providing the input via said input apparatus;

selectively storing the annotation data in an associated part of the memory that is associated with the respective user providing the input of the annotation data;

selecting the annotations made by at least one selected one of the users, as selected annotations;

providing a combined display presentation, of the display image of the selected annotations displayed relative to the display of the common shared underlying image in the combined display presentation;

providing the combined display presentation for viewing on the display apparatus of at least one of the computing appliances; and

wherein the display image of the annotations are combined with the common shared underlying image in the combined display presentation.

26. The method as in claim 25,

wherein the input of additional annotations is provided from the respective user while the combined display presentation is provided to the respective user showing the common shared underlying image;

and

wherein the display image of the additional annotations are shown in the combined display presentation to appear aligned relative to and atop of the display image of the common shared underlying image.

27. The method as in claim 25, further comprising:

providing simultaneous viewing on each of the respective display apparatus of the at least two computing appliances, of said combined display presentation.

28. The method as in claim 25, further comprising:

providing an initial display image of the common shared underlying image as the display presentation to the respective user;

wherein the initial display image is of a base core image;

modifying the common shared underlying image, at subsequent points in time, to create a plurality of separate respective subsequent evolved common shared images for each of a plurality of subsequent respective points in time; and

wherein at each respective said point in time, each of the subsequent evolved common shared images is associated with a specific subsequent said point in time and is comprised of the base core image combined with the images for all the annotations of at least one user as made up to said specific subsequent said point in time.

29. The method as in claim 28, further comprising:

providing a subsequent display image associated with each said specific subsequent said point in time, the subsequent display image comprised of an image of selected ones of the annotations that are not currently already included in the initial display image; and

providing an updated combined display presentation comprising the display image of the selected ones of the annotations shown aligned to and overlaid atop of the evolved common shared underlying image associated with said specific subsequent said point in time.

30. The method as in claim 25,

providing a different said combined display presentation for viewing on each said display apparatus at each of the at least two computing appliances.

31. The system as in claim 25,

providing voice communications between at least two of the of users, while also providing the display presentation for viewing to the at least two of the users.