Patents by Inventor Erik P. Mesterton

Erik P. Mesterton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6219044
    Abstract: A method and system for managing top-level windows controlled by a conference enabler is disclosed. The system operates in a conferencing network system having a conference enabler for distributing applications to a plurality of servers. Each server has its own display. The method and system identifies a top-level window sent by the conferenced application. Next, it identifies whether a top-level window is among the requests sent by the conferenced application is a root window. The system then enters a window ID associated with the top-level window into a list of top-level windows. Then, the system provides a slot associated with the top-level window within the list for storing the window configuration of the top-level window as configured by each of the participant servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine Malia Ansberry, Todd W. Fuqua, Erik P. Mesterton
  • Patent number: 5557725
    Abstract: A method of selecting which user has the input focus, and conditions by which a different user will get the input focus in the future. A user is said to have the `floor` if that user is enabled to become the input focus, or in other words, to provide input to the shared application. Zero or more users may have the floor at a particular time. (This is in contrast to a human conference or meeting where generally one person has the floor at a time). A method of selecting the set of users who have the floor is called a floor control policy. The floor control policy determines the set of participants who have the floor now, who will get the floor next, and how and when the floor assignments are made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine M. Ansberry, Jay D. Freer, Todd W. Fuqua, Erik P. Mesterton, Catherine A. Stillwagon, Ching-Yun Yang