Abstract: A wireless digital picture display frame is disclosed. The display frame includes a wireless receiver that operates to receive a digital picture, a flat-panel display that operates to render the digital picture, and a processor that operates to control the receiving and rendering of the digital picture. The display frame further includes a frame with constructs that encircle the flat panel display, and form a housing to house the enumerated components. The digital picture may be a digital painting/graphics rendition or a digital photograph.

Abstract: A wireless digital picture display frame is disclosed. The display frame includes a wireless receiver that operates to receive a digital picture, a flat-panel display that operates to render the digital picture, and a processor that operates to control the receiving and rendering of the digital picture. The display frame further includes a frame with constructs that encircle the flat panel display, and form a housing to house the enumerated components. The digital picture may be a digital painting/graphics rendition or a digital photograph.

Abstract: A wireless digital picture display frame is disclosed. The display frame includes a wireless receiver that operates to receive a digital picture, a flat-panel display that operates to render the digital picture, and a processor that operates to control the receiving and rendering of the digital picture. The display frame further includes a frame with constructs that encircle the flat panel display, and form a housing to house the enumerated components. The digital picture may be a digital painting/graphics rendition or a digital photograph.

Abstract: A mechanism for increasing awareness and sense of proximity among multiple users in a network system senses whether a first user is in close proximity to a first end point. The mechanism then transmits first proximity information indicating whether the first user is in close proximity to the first end point from the first end point to a second end point.

Abstract: A document-collaboration videoconferencing system between a first and a second conference attendee. In one embodiment, the system comprises a document server, a local presenter computing system, and a conferencing computing system. In this embodiment, the local presenter computing system transfers a document to the document server over a network, and the first conferencing system copies such document over the network from the document server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that allows an enrolling computer to automatically log-in to a network or enroll into a conference. The enrolling computer includes participant agent code that is executed which automatically communicates with a central computer executing enroller agent code to allow the enrolling computer to enroll in a conference without user action. For example, if a conference is set up with a radio frequency remote link, a laptop computer having a radio frequency remote link can automatically enroll into the conference through the execution of the participant agent code and the communication between a central computer and the enrolling computer via the radio frequency remote links.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling participant input in a conferencing environment supporting at least first and second end points which can operate in at least two different modes. While in the first operating mode, the end points can make changes to the conference data at will. The conference remains in the first operating mode until a request is received from a participant to change the conference to a second operating mode. Once this request is received, the conference switches to the second operating mode. While in the second operating mode, only one of the first and second end points can make changes at any particular time.

Abstract: Activation and deactivation of a screen saver in a video conferencing system is based on detected presence of a person in the room wherein the video conferencing system is sited and the current status of a videoconferencing session. The video conferencing system processes a screen save message received from an operating system and informs the operating system not to launch the screen saver if the video conferencing system detects that there is an active video conferencing session or if a presence detection technique has detected a presence in the room or area wherein the video conferencing system is sited within a predetermined time period. When a videoconferencing call is connected or a presence is detected and the screen saver is active, the screen saver is terminated. The presence may be detected by motion, sound, or other techniques.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for video conferencing provides for automatically managing user views to provide ready, video only, full screen video, video with document not shared, and video with shared document views. Several different automatically managed user-interfaces for a dual monitor system provide, among other things, that the second monitor can be used for local video image only, used for all functions except shared applications, or to display shared applications.

Abstract: A graphical user interface control element. A computer system for interfacing with a user has a display device and a user input peripheral device for controlling a positioning element on the display device. The positioning element has a location and an active status corresponding to whether the positioning element is activated or not activated by the user. A control button is displayed on the display means, the control button having a three-dimensional appearance and at least first and second regions. The active status and location of the positioning element are monitored to determine whether a region of the control button is being pushed by the positioning device. The appearance of the control button on the display means is altered in accordance with the region being pushed by the positioning device so that the control button appears to be tilted toward the pushed region by the positioning device to provide graphical feedback to the user.

Abstract: A method for assisting window selection in a graphical user interface determines one or more current top-level windows to be displayed to a user for selection by the user. The user is then able to select a particular window of the one or more windows being displayed. In some embodiments, the one or more current top-level windows are displayed as translucent windows. Additionally, in some embodiments, a user is able to cycle through multiple sets of one or more windows in order to locate a particular window.

Abstract: A method of detecting whether a user is in close proximity to an end point. A base video frame of the end point is captured when the user is not in close proximity to the end point. A current video frame of the end point is captured and compared to the base video frame of the end point to determine whether the user is in close proximity to the end point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for associating user information with conference participants in a conferencing environment generates one or more attendee bars corresponding to the conferencing environment. Each attendee bar includes a plurality of panels corresponding to the conferencing participants, and each of the panels includes information regarding a conferencing participant. The attendee bar is then updated whenever the information regarding one of the plurality of conferencing participants changes.

Abstract: The conference manager and address service of a general purpose personal conference application are enhanced with a plurality of functions for setting up, exchanging, saving, retrieving and re-sending "business cards" electronically. The external manifestation of an electronic "business card" is a visual presentation of information commonly found on physical business cards in a format that resembles a physical business card. Preferably, the visual presentation also includes a picture of the person named. Internally, the information including the data necessary to render the picture are maintained in data structures.

Abstract: A graphical user interface control element. A computer system for interfacing with a user has a display device and a user input peripheral device for controlling a positioning element on the display device. The positioning element has a location and an active status corresponding to whether the positioning element is activated or not activated by the user. A control button is displayed on the display means, the control button having a three-dimensional appearance and at least first and second regions. The active status and location of the positioning element are monitored to determine whether a region of the control button is being pushed by the positioning device. The appearance of the control button on the display means is altered in accordance with the region being pushed by the positioning device so that the control button appears to be fitted toward the pushed region by the positioning device to provide graphical feedback to the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically arranging windows on a display device where each of a first set of the plurality of windows includes a class designation, and the class designation for each window of this first set of windows can be different. The method identifies the class designation for each window of this first set of windows and arranges the first set of windows on the display according to the class designation of each window of the first set.

Abstract: An application programmers interface for shared address book services in a computer system that provides a register function call that enables a set of client communication application programs executing on the computer system to each register a callback function. The application programmers interface also provides a notify function call that enables an address book application program executing on the computer system to notify the appropriate client communication application program via the appropriate callback function that a user has selected a destination identifier for the corresponding communication type.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simplifying active window selection and shared command execution in a computer system generates a menu corresponding to a first application of a plurality of applications which can be executed concurrently in the computer system. The menu identifies a subset of the plurality of applications whose corresponding windows can be made currently active. Additionally, one or more of the subset of applications is installed but is not executing at the computer system. A selection identifying one of the subset of applications is then received, and a window corresponding to the identified one of the subset of applications is made the currently active window. In one embodiment, the menu also includes a set of shared commands which can be executed in the computer system. These shared commands perform the same function for each application of the subset of applications. In this embodiment, upon selection of one of the shared commands from the menu, the selected command is executed.

Abstract: A method for notifying a client application program of an event in a shared application program in a computer system is disclosed. A client application program executing in the computer system registers a callback function during startup. The shared application program senses the event and maps the event to one of a set of registered client application programs. The callback function of the appropriate client application program is then invoked such that the callback function passes parameters for the event to the client application program.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and storage medium for receiving, with a callee of a data conferencing system, a data conferencing call from a caller of the data conferencing system. An answering machine answers the call if the callee does not answer the call. A pre-recorded callee greeting is displayed to the caller to notify the caller that the callee is not answering the call, and the caller is prompted to leave a message.