Patent ID: 7441001
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: enabling a first user to log in using at least one of a plurality of communication devices using corresponding collaboration initiation software; identifying at least one port to be used for at least one collaboration service supported by the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in; sending first information indicating an address of the first user to a first server associated with the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in and with a first communication network connected to one or more wide area networks (WANs); enabling a second user to log in using at least one of a plurality of communication devices using corresponding collaboration software; identifying at least one port to be used for at least one collaboration service supported by the at least one communication device used by the second user to log in; sending second information indicating an address of the second user to a second server associated with the at least one communication device used by the second user to log in, the second server being separate front the first server by at least one of the wide area networks and being associated with the at least one communication device used by the second user to log in and with a second communication network; causing display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in, the graphical rolodex having a scrollable listing of user identifiers of potential participants; causing display of a quick-dial panel on the display of the at least one communication device used by the first user to log in, the quick-dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potentioal participants for selection by the first user, the quick-dial panel having been previously created by the first user by selecting user identifiers of potential participants from the graphical rolodex; enabling the first user to initiate real-time communication by selecting an identifier for the second user from at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick-dial panel; causing the first server an the second server to exchange the first and second information; sending, from the first user, a request for communication with the second user to the first server; in response to the request from the first user for communication with the second user, causing retrieval of at least part of the second information associated with the second communication device from at least one of the first and second servers; causing at least one of the first and second servers to enable set up of wide area communication between the identified ports; using the retrieved information and the identified ports to cause automatically real-time communication between the first and second users over at least one of the wide area network, wherein the real-time communication is of a selected type or is of a default communication type if no real-time communication type is selected; maintaining at least one directory of potential participants; and maintaining an association between the potential participants and correspondents address information of respective communication devices used by the potential participants for logging in, wherein the association is dynamically changeable based on tracking of location of client programs at the respective communication devices so that a logged in potential participant can be located no matter where the potential participant is located.