Abstract: In one embodiment, an invited participant accesses a customized web page using an electronic device. Content is displayed on the customized web page to the invited participant. A determination is made whether the invited participant has viewed the content on the customize web page by tracking usage of the customize web page. In response to determining that the invited participant has not viewed the content, a determination is made whether the invited participant has invited a previously-uninvited participant to access the customized web page and view the content. In response to determination that the invited participant has invited a previously-uninvited participant, a determination is made whether the previously-uninvited participant is approved to access the customized web page and view the content. In response to the previously-uninvited participant having been approved, an invitation is issued to the previously-uninvited participant to access the customized web page and view the content.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the systems and methods attend a collaboration session; detect content shared during the collaboration session; automatically record the content and a time stamp corresponding to the content; and play at least a portion of the content during the collaboration session.

Abstract: In one embodiment, methods and apparatuses are provided for allowing an invited participant to access a customized web page; programming a first content for the invited participant; displaying the first content on the customized web page to the invited participant; and automatically displaying a second content to the invited participant based on displaying the first content to the invited participant.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an original search input entered by a user is detected. An excluded term is deleted from the original search input to create a modified search input. The modified search input is matched against a plurality of stored terms. In response to there being a match between the modified search input and one or more of the plurality of stored terms, a suggestion of a search term to replace the original search input is displayed, based on the match between the modified search input and one or more stored terms. In response to there not being a match between the modified search input and one or more of the plurality of stored terms, a suggestion of a search term to replace the original search input is displayed, based on a match between the original search input and one or more of the plurality of stored terms.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses receive a telephone number from an originating device; match the telephone number to an IM identifier; associate the IM identifier to a receiving device; and establish a telephone call between the originating device and the receiving device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a distributed environment for supporting on-line collaborative meetings among a plurality of users includes a plurality of applications executing on different client machines. A sequence of messages is transmitted from a first application of the distributed environment to a second application of the distributed environment, using a multicast form of delivery. A request for re-transmission is received from the second application specifying at least one message of the sequence that was not received by the second application. In response to the request, the specified at least one message of the sequence is retransmitted from the first application to the second application using a reliable unicast form of delivery.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods that allow one or more quasi-persistent HTTP connections to be established between a client computer and server computer. The quasi-persistent HTTP connection(s) allow(s) data to be transferred between the client computer and the server computer without having to repeatedly set up and then terminate a HTTP connection between the client computer and the server computer each time the client computer and the server computer have data to send to one another. Two or more quasi-persistent HTTP connections can be established between a client computer and a server computer to form a bi-directional connection between the client computer and the server computer. The bi-directional connection significantly improves the speed and the efficiency of data transfer between the client computer and the server computer.

Abstract: The system, method, and article of manufacture of the present invention allow for recording an on-line meeting (also referred to as an “on-line conference”) and saving the recording as a meeting recording file. Additionally, the saved meeting recording file may be played back and/or edited. Moreover, a user may open a meeting recording file during an on-line meeting, and all attendees of the on-line meting can see, as well as hear, the recording content.

Abstract: A distributed collaborative computer system is provided that comprises a plurality of server computers interconnected via a high-speed link. Client computers can connect to any available server computer and start or join a conference hosted on either the server computer to which the client computer is connected or any other server in the system. As a result, the system and method of the present invention is easily scalable to support an arbitrary number of participants to a conference by merely adding the appropriate number of server computers to the system. In addition, by replicating the conference information on more than one server computer, the single point of failure limitation is eliminated. In fact, if a server hosting or participating in a conference malfunctions, the failure is detected by other server computers and the client computer is able to reconnect to the conference through a new server computer.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant distributed collaborative computer system is provided that comprises a plurality of server computers interconnected via a high-speed link. By replicating the conference information on more than one server computer, the single point of failure limitation is eliminated. In fact, if a server hosting or participating in a conference malfunctions, the failure is detected by other server computers and the client computer is able to reconnect to the conference through a new server computer. In addition, the state of processes executed by the server computers is periodically replicated, so that when failure of a process is detected a new processes can be spawned and the replicated state information loaded onto the new process, allowing the on-line conference to continue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting errors and improving quality in real-time data transmissions is provided. In one embodiment, the packet header checksum field is turned off to allow uninterrupted transmission of data packet payloads. A checksum added to each independent data segment in the datagram payload permits each data packet to be examined separately, resulting in improved transmission quality.

Abstract: Data transmission over a network is disclosed. The data transmission includes aligning boundaries of application, transport, network, and data link layer packets. The transmission also includes receiving data transmission channel information, and determining a suitable number of data link layer packets per application/transport/network layer packet. The determination is based on the channel information. The suitable number of data link layer packets allows continuous alignment between the boundaries of the application, transport, network, and data link layer packets.

Abstract: A distributed collaborative computer system is provided that comprises a plurality of server computers interconnected via a high-speed link. Client computers can connect to any available server computer and start or join a conference hosted on either the server computer to which the client computer is connected or any other server in the system. As a result, the system and method of the present invention is easily scalable to support an arbitrary number of participants to a conference by merely adding the appropriate number of server computers to the system. In addition, by replicating the conference information on more than one server computer, the single point of failure limitation is eliminated. In fact, if a server hosting or participating in a conference malfunctions, the failure is detected by other server computers and the client computer is able to reconnect to the conference through a new server computer.

Abstract: A method of distributed collaborative computing is provided. The method includes: partitioning a collaboration function into sub-functions; assigning at least one said sub-function to each of a plurality of logical processes; associating a respective management process with each of said plurality of logical processes, said logical processes configured so that each said logical process is capable of communicating with every other said logical process through said respective management process; communicating between said logical processes using said respective management processes; and monitoring said respective management processes with a single supervisor process; wherein said communicating employs a secure protocol on a dedicated network.

Abstract: Headers of image frames are compressed. Header of a first frame is received, where the header includes a plurality of header parameters. Further, differences are determined between the header parameters and a plurality of default parameters, and non-default parameters are sent when there are differences. The header is then compressed to include only a first type of marker, and is sent through the transmission channel. In one embodiment, the non-default parameters are sent through a control channel, while the compressed header is sent through a data channel.

Abstract: A method for selectively retransmitting packets is disclosed. The method includes categorizing groups of packets in an order of importance. The order of importance is based on a scope of adverse impact that a loss of a particular group has on a quality of reconstructed original information. The method also includes selecting a subset of the groups of packets to be retransmitted. The selection is based on network condition parameters. The method further includes requesting retransmission of the subset of the groups of packets when a buffer occupancy condition is met.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for emulating a persistent connection using http. According to one embodiment, the method includes receiving an empty get from a first client; receiving a get from a second client, the get containing data to be sent to the first client; and sending a response to the first client, in response to the empty get, the response containing the data. According to another embodiment, the method includes receiving, from a client, a get containing first data to be sent to an application server; sending the first data to the application server; sending an ack response to the client in response to the get; receiving a response from the application server, the response containing second data to be sent to the client; waiting for an empty get from the client; receiving an empty get from the client; and sending the second data to the client in response to the empty get.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer program product for instant remote document serving. In one implementation, referred to as “remote document serving,” a remote file is converted to a “served document” which is distributed to a member of a data conference for review. In another implementation, referred to as “remote application serving,” the “owner” of a remote document views the screens created by a remote application associated with the document. The owner can view the screens and interact with the remote application.

Abstract: A method and a computer program product, implementing techniques for exchanging data in an unattended desktop sharing mode. The techniques include receiving a conferencing request, at a local unattended server, from a remote conferencing server; loading a desktop application on the local unattended server in response to the conferencing request to generate a loaded desktop; sending the loaded desktop to a virtual device to create a shared desktop; and sending the shared desktop to the remote conferencing server for distribution to one or more remote computers, whereby the shared desktop is displayed at each remote computer by a viewer application.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (“GUI”) is described comprising: a video region for displaying a video of a presenter giving a presentation; a primary slide region for displaying slides used by the presenter during the presentation; and a thumbnail region containing thumbnails representing slides in the presentation, the thumbnails selectable by a user via a cursor control device.