Patent ID: 7660852
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of establishing and participating in an on-line group at a peer-to-peer network endpoint comprising: requesting a creator record identified by a creator record global unique identifier (GUID), the creator record including a creator record version reference, a group GUID identifying the on-line group and an optional hash of a password; receiving the creator record responsive to the request and storing the creator record on a computer-readable storage medium; establishing a peer-to-peer network connection with the on-line group identified by the group GUID receiving a file sharing record identified by a file sharing record GUID to identify a file shared in the on-line group, the file sharing record comprising a file sharing record version reference corresponding to a version of the file sharing record; a file size identifier; an identifier of an entity that creates or deletes the file; sharing flags indicating if the file has been deleted, when the file creator is still a participant in the on-line meeting, and when the file has been re-added after being deleted; a distributed file sharing replication (DFSR) database GUID related to an available DFSR database, a DSFR version number indicating the version of a corresponding DFSR information record; a path to the file; and a length of the path; fetching the file from the location indicated at the path to the file; displaying the file; receiving a presentation record identified by a presentation record GUID to receive a presentation shared in the on-line group, the presentation record comprising a presentation version reference corresponding to a version of the presentation record, a presentation dimension, an invitation, and an invitation length; and requesting the presentation identified by the presentation record GUID; calculating an output setting based on the presentation dimension; receiving an invitation status record identified by a invitation status record GUID to track an invitation to join the on-line group, the invitation status record comprising an invitation status record version reference corresponding to a version of the invitation status record, a response field, a success field indicating successful receipt of the invitation status record, an optional field comprising at least one of a friendly-name, an email address, and a peer identifier, and, when the at least one element of the optional field is present, an offset indicator indicating a respective staffing point for the at least one of the friendly-name, the email address, and the peer identifier; displaying an icon representing the invitation; updating the response field when the invitation is accepted; receiving a friendly-name record identified by a friendly-name record GUID, to publish a friendly-name of a participant, the friendly-name record comprising a friendly-name record version reference corresponding to a version of the friendly-name record, a friendly-name string length, and the friendly-name of the participant; updating a display of on-line group attendees with the friendly-name; receiving a presence record identified by a presence-record GUID to identify invited peers and joined peers, the presence record comprising a presence record version reference corresponding to a version of the presence record, a status record, and a participant peer identifier; updating a display of invited peers and a joined peers corresponding to the status record and the participant peer identifier receiving a capabilities record identified by a capabilities-record GUID to identify a version of an application used in information sharing in a peer-to-peer on-line group, the capabilities record comprising a capabilities version reference corresponding to a version of the capabilities record and a capabilities record corresponding to the version of the application; and determining a local ability to support the information sharing in the peer-to-peer on-line group based on the capabilities record and a local application version.