Network that provides applications collaboration

Details Network that provides applications collaboration Network that provides applications collaboration

1998-08-25

2001-03-20

Nguyen, Duc (Department: 2743)

Telephonic communications

Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...

Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...

C379S093210, C348S014160

Reexamination Certificate

active

06205209

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a communication network. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a communication network that provides application collaboration between a diverse group of endpoints.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Popular computer applications include word processors, spreadsheets and organizers. These applications typically involve a single user interacting with a computer. However, frequently there is a need for multiple users to interact or collaborate with an application at the same time over a communication network. For example, two or more remote users may wish to collaborate with a word processor in order to create a single document.
When two or more users wish to collaborate with an application, each user must usually have specialized software and/or specialized hardware to support that application. This can increase the costs to each user, and require each user to have advanced technical skills in order to setup and operate the specialized software and hardware. Further, most application collaboration occurs on one specific type of equipment (e.g., a personal computer). Therefore, even more specialized software must be implemented by the users if, for example, one user on a personal computer wishes to collaborate on an application with a user on a wireless personal data assistant (“PDA”) such as the PalmPilot from 3Com Corp.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a method and apparatus that facilitates application collaboration between users across a network using diverse types of devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention is a collaborative application system for initiating a communication session over a network. The collaborative application system receives an identity of a called party and an identity of a collaborative application from a calling party. The calling party participates in the communication session at a first endpoint and the called party participates in the communication session at a second endpoint. Further, the collaborative application system determines a first endpoint type and a second endpoint type and selects a first version of the collaborative application based on the first endpoint type and a second version of the collaborative application based on the second endpoint type. The collaborative application system then retrieves and makes available the first version of the application to the calling party and second version of the application to the called party.
The collaborative application system allows multiple participants during the communication session to collaborate with the application using diverse endpoints. The application and billing are managed by the collaborative application system. Therefore, each participant does not require specialized software and equipment, and the participants can be billed for the application usage based on one or more billing variables. Further, the collaborative application system automatically presents the application user interface that is appropriate for each participant's endpoint.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4796293 (1989-01-01), Blinken et al.
patent: 5481603 (1996-01-01), Gutierrez et al.
patent: 5689553 (1997-11-01), Ahuja et al.
patent: 5854893 (1998-12-01), Ludwig et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Network that provides applications collaboration does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Network that provides applications collaboration, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Network that provides applications collaboration will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2512400