Persistent network resource and virtual area associations for realtime collaboration
AssigneeKnapp Investment Company Limited
InventorsJosh Moyers, Matthew Leacock, Paul J. Brody, David Van Wie, Robert J. Butler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods relating to persistent network resource and virtual area associations for realtime collaboration include managing and displaying an object associated with a virtual area that supports establishment of respective presences of communicants operating respective client network nodes. Examples of the object include an object that has one or more user-modifiable property fields and an object that is associated with screen sharing functionality of the client network node.
Claims20
A method in a network communication environment comprising a network service implemented by at least one server network node and supporting realtime communications between communicants who are present in a virtual area, including a user operating a first client network node and a communicant operating a second client network node, the method comprising:
- displaying, by the first client network node, a graphical user interface comprising graphical representations of the virtual area, the communicants who are present in the virtual area, and an object associated with the virtual area;
- displaying, by the first client network node, on a section separate from the virtual area, graphical representations of communicants in a current zone of the virtual area, including the user, the communicant operating the second client network node, and at least another communicant not in the virtual area;
- based on user input received in connection with the graphical representation of the object, retrieving, by the first client network node, data from a network resource identified by a uniform resource identifier (URI) currently associated with the object;
- rendering, by the first client network node, the retrieved data in the graphical user interface as a first view of the data sourced from the network resource identified by the URI and screen sharing the first view between the communicants;
- based on receipt of a change of control indication from the second client network, stopping the controlling by the first client network node,
- controlling, by the second client network node, views of the data retrieved from the network resource identified by the URI;
- and
- in the graphical user interface, presenting a different view of data sourced from the network resource identified by the URI currently associated with the object and screen sharing the different view between the communicants, wherein the different view is controlled by the second client network node,
- wherein
- the change of the control indication is further used by the second client network node to unsubscribe from the data retrieved by the first client network node.
A method in a network communication environment comprising a network service implemented by at least one server network node and supporting realtime communications between communicants who are present in a virtual area, including a user operating a first client network node and a communicant operating a second client network node, the method comprising
- by the first client network node:
- displaying a graphical user interface comprising graphical representations of the virtual area, the communicants who are present in the virtual area, and an object associated with the virtual area;
- displaying on a section separate from the virtual area, graphical representations of communicants in a current zone of the virtual area, including the user, the communicant operating the second client network node, and at least another communicant not in the virtual area;
- based on user input received in connection with the graphical representation of the object, presenting in the graphical user interface a view of data retrieved by the second client network node and sourced from a network resource identified by a uniform resource identifier (URI) currently associated with the object, wherein the view is controlled by the second client network node;
- and
- based on receipt of a change of control indication, stopping the presenting, further unsubscribing from the data retrieved by the second client network node, and retrieving data from a network resource identified by a URI currently associated with the object,
- rendering the retrieved data in the graphical user interface, and
- controlling views of the retrieved data presented on the second client network node,
- wherein the graphical user interface comprises a first section and a second section different from the first section, and the presenting comprises presenting by the first client network node the views controlled by the second client network node in the first section of the graphical user interface and, in the second section of the graphical user interface, displaying image data being transmitted between the first and second network nodes.
A method in a network communication environment comprising a network service implemented by at least one server network node and supporting realtime communications between communicants who are present in a virtual area, including a user operating a first client network node and a communicant operating a second client network node, the method comprising
- by the first client network node:
- displaying a graphical user interface comprising graphical representations of the virtual area, the communicants who are present in the virtual area, and an object associated with the virtual area, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a first section and a second section different from the first section;
- displaying on a section separate from the virtual area, graphical representations of communicants in a current zone of the virtual area, including the user, the communicant operating the second client network node, and at least another communicant not in the virtual area;
- based on receipt of a data subscription indication, presenting in the first section of the graphical user interface a view of data sourced from a network resource identified by a uniform resource identifier (URI) currently associated with the object, wherein the view is controlled by the second client network node;
- in the second section of the graphical user interface, showing image data being transmitted between the first and second network nodes;
- and
- concurrently with the presenting the view of the data from the network resource identified by the URI currently associated with the object, opening a separate view of the data in another graphical user interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.