Patent ID: 7487210
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of real-time communication comprising: enabling a first user to log in using any one of a plurality of communication devices each at an associated location and each for IP based communication; associating, with the first user, location information for the communication device the first user used to log in, no matter which of the communication devices the first user used to log in; storing the location information for the communication device the first user used to log in at a first server; enabling a second user to log in using any one of a plurality of communication devices each at an associated location and each for IP based communication; associating, with the second user, location information for the communication device the second user used to log in, no matter which of the communication devices the second user used to log in; storing the location information for the communication device the second user used to log in at a second server, the second server and the communication device the second user used to log in being geographically separated from the first server and the communication device the first user used to log in by a wide area network; causing display of a graphical rolodex on a display of the 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 communication device used by the first user to log in, the quick dial panel listing identifiers in the form of icons for potential participants including identifiers for at least the second and a third user and being 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, wherein at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick dial panel further includes user identifier information for the second and third users retrieved over at least one network after the first user has initiated a collaboration module on the communication device used by the first user to log in; indicating to the first user that the third user is not logged in if the third user is not logged in to a communication device for IP based communication; presenting the first user with representations for at least two real-time communication types from a group consisting of video communication, audio communication and interactive sharing of data in the form of text; allowing the first user to initiate communication by selecting at least an identifier for the second user from at least one of the graphical rolodex and the quick dial panel; causing automatic establishing of one of the real-time communication types upon a communication type being selected or by default when the second user's identifier is selected, wherein the real-time communication is established over the wide area network using the location information for the second user, detecting an incoming communication, from at least one communicating participant, at the communication device used by the first user to log in during an active communication with the second user; notifying the first user of the identity of the at least one communicating participant; and providing the first user with an option of accepting the incoming communication, wherein, if the selected communication is interactive sharing of data in the form of text instead of video communication, the text communication from both the first and second users is displayed in respective windows on displays of the devices that the first and second users used to log in.