Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Ellen Isaacs

John C Tang

Trevor Morris

Alan T Ruberg

Thomas K Rodriguez

Rick Levenson

Chris J Ryan

Animated indicators monitor the state of a software container and reflect the state of the container, potentially including information such as amount, type, and activity of the container. As the state of the container changes, an animation routine accordingly changes. Users are presented with up-to-date and detailed information about a container represented by a small graphic pictorial. Thus, the user receives a continuous supply of useful information about the container without having to specifically select and view the container as a full screen representation.

Animated indicators that reflect function activity or state of objects data or processes

A computer system and method provide networked computer users with information about which other users are task proximate to the user, thereby facilitating spontaneous communications regarding task-related, or other, issues. The information about other users is displayed in a user interface window on each computer that presents a visual representation of each user who is task proximate to the user operating the computer. Task proximity to other users may change as the user context switches between applications, and the user interface window is updated accordingly. Task proximity is determined individually by different applications. One exemplary system architecture for providing the information includes a person object representing each user, and storing the visual representation of the user. An encounter window on each computer displays the visual representations. A number of encounter-aware applications may execute on each computer. An encounter server on each computer provides communication between the encounter-aware applications of the positions of each user, position being determined, for example, by the function the user is using, the data, and the time. At least one encounter-aware application includes a match object that accepts information from the encounter servers about user positions and determines the task proximity of the users. The match object informs the encounter server of the task proximity of the user. The encounter server then updates the appropriate encounter window. The encounter windows further provide a number of communication mechanisms so that users can efficiently contact those other users who are task proximate.

System and method enabling awareness of others working on similar tasks in a computer work environment

A computer system and method provide networked computer users with information about which other users are task proximate to the user, thereby facilitating spontaneous communications regarding task-related, or other, issues. The information about other users is displayed in a user interface window on each computer that presents a visual representation of each user who is task proximate to the user operating the computer. Task proximity to other users may change as the user context switches between applications, and the user interface window is updated accordingly. Task proximity is determined individually by different applications. One exemplary system architecture for providing the information includes a person object representing each user, and storing the visual representation of the user. An encounter window on each computer displays the visual representations. A number of encounter-aware applications may execute on each computer. An encounter server on each computer provides communication between the encounter-aware applications of the positions of each user, position being determined, for example, by the function the user is using, the data, and the time.

System and method enabling awareness of others working on similar tasks

A system and method provides each networked computer user with a user interface displaying visual representations of selected other computer users, generally of those workers in the user's workgroup, and further provides communication mechanisms for efficiently and easily contacting any of the displayed workers. The visual representations of the other users are frequently updated to indicate the activity level of these users. These activity level cues help users predict if the other users are likely to be available for an interaction. The user interface also includes a display portion and mechanism for storing data files and the like so that all workgroup members may accumulate a set data files commonly used by the workgroup, and may transfer files in this manner to other workgroup members. The data files may be stored in association with specific interactive discussion windows, known as chat rooms, or directly in the user interface.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Ellen Isaacs