International Business Machines Corporation

Kevin Solie

William M Quinn

James S Johnston

Raymond Hornback, Jr

Andrew M Ortwein

Amy D Travis

Mark Scott Kressin

Sandra Louise Kogan

James P Galvin

Duncan L Mewherter

Ronald E Pontrich, Jr

Michael William Quinn

Matthew A Levy

Anthony Eugene Payne

James Patrick Galvin, Jr

Brian L Pulito

Yoichi Yoshida

Malissa Sullivan

Subhashini Srinivasan

Malissa Galloway Sullivan

The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for flexible image sharing. In a system for flexibly distributing imagery in an image sharing session, an image cache can be disposed between an application sharing host and a plurality of application sharing viewers. Additionally, a multipoint communications server can be disposed between the image cache and the application sharing viewers and can be communicatively linked to the application sharing host. Importantly, a pull-based subscription model can be implemented in an image cache server hosting the image cache. In particular, the model can have a configuration for registering respective ones of the application sharing viewers to receive notifications of available updated imagery.

Pull-configured distribution of imagery

Screen sharing in which image pixel data operable to display one or more user interface windows associated with at least one shared application is retrieved from a memory. The retrieving excludes image pixel data operable to display at least one other display object currently contained in a user interface of said computer. The retrieved image pixel data is combined into a shared image.

Accessing window pixel data for application sharing

A method, system and apparatus for the selectable repainting of updatable network distributable imagery. A method for selectably repainting updatable network distributable content can include establishing a repainting selection selected from the group consisting of continuous repainting and delayed repainting. The method further can include rendering a complete view of the updatable network distributable content. The method yet further can include receiving portions of an image update to the complete view. Finally, the method can include repainting the complete view as the portions are received if the repainting selection indicates continuous repainting, and otherwise delaying a repainting of the complete view until a threshold portion of the portions have been received.

Selectable repainting of updatable network distributable imagery

A method and system for an awareness service is provided. One or more collaborative contexts can be set for a first user within a set of users using the awareness service. One or more subsets of users can be defined within the set of users corresponding to the one or more collaborative contexts, respectively. Furthermore, a level of availability can be defined for the first user with respect to each of the subset of users. Next, an online status can be published on the awareness service for the first user. The online status can display an availability message to a second user. And, the availability message can have the highest level of availability selected from a group consisting of every level of availability defined for the first user with respect to every subset of users that includes the second user.

Ability to scope awareness to your current task

Described are a system and method for managing online communications by a user who participates in an awareness service system. A first awareness state associated with the user is published to a first participant of the awareness service system, while a second different awareness state associated with the user is published to a second participant of the awareness service system. Each published awareness state is based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

System and method of managing real-time communications using context-based awareness states

The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for flexible image sharing. In a system for flexibly distributing imagery in an image sharing session, an image cache can be disposed between an image sharing host and a plurality of image sharing viewers. Additionally, a multipoint communications server can be disposed between the image cache and the image sharing viewers and can be communicatively linked to the image sharing host. Importantly, a pull-based subscription model can be implemented in an image cache server hosting the image cache. In particular, the model can have a configuration for registering respective ones of the image sharing viewers to receive notifications of available updated imagery. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the image sharing host can be an application sharing host hosting a shared application among the image sharing viewers.

Described is a method for adapting an application sharing system for a network of computers according to user specific requirements. The method includes dynamically configuring system components and manually implementing user specific preferences to achieve a better user experience than is possible in typical application sharing systems. Users can configure the application sharing system based on their individual needs, and may need to modify their settings based on changing operating environments or usage patterns. The application sharing system can be dynamically configured based on content, current tasks, and changes in network conditions. System administrators can configure the application sharing system according to their general needs without preempting the needs of an individual user.

Adaptive and configurable application sharing system using manual and automatic techniques

A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining text to be included within a first text message. One or more tags are assigned to the first text message. The one or more tags are chosen from a plurality of available tags. The first text message, including the text and the one or more tags, is transmitted to one or more recipients.

Messaging system and method

Described is a method for retracting an instant message from a receiver in an instant messaging session. A request is made to retract the instant message from the receiver. If the receiver is present in the session, the instant message is removed from the user interface of the receiver. Notification is sent to the requestor to indicate whether the instant message was successfully retracted and whether the instant message was saved by the receiver. Optionally, the method allows an entry made in an instant messaging log to be retracted when the corresponding instant message is retracted.

Method of retracting an instant message

A method, system and apparatus for application sharing smoothness when updating application screen imagery in an application sharing system. A shared application smoothness system can include an application sharing server configured for communicative coupling to multiple application sharing clients. The system further can include an application image update smoothness processor programmed to consolidate changes to adjacent image regions in an image of a shared application for transmission to the communicatively coupled application sharing clients in a single application image update interval. A shared application smoothness method can include the steps of detecting common shared image changes across multiple adjacent display regions of a shared application image and transmitting updates for the multiple adjacent display regions to communicatively coupled application sharing clients in a single image update interval.

Application sharing smoothness

A system for allowing call center agents to initiate text chat, audio and/or video communication, as well as collaborative browsing with potential customers visiting web pages includes a customer monitoring applet that monitors the behavior of the customer via the web browser and sends information to a router process, the information including information identifying the customer, the web page location, status of a transaction, etc. The router process uses the information supplied to it from the customer monitoring applet, as well as information on one or more available agent processes to determine which call agent would be appropriate to initiate contact with the potential customer. The router process transmits the information identifying the customer to the selected agent process for presentation to the agent. The agent can monitor the status of the customer, as well as other customers, and send a request to initiate communication, if appropriate. The router process uses a customer status database and an agent status database to determine which agent is appropriate for a particular customer.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Kevin Solie