System and method enabling awareness of others working on similar tasks in a computer work environment
US5960173A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 1995 |
| Grant date | Sep 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/1827
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.