Patent ID: 7162528

Claim:
Machine readable code stored on a tangible computer-readable medium for converting a general purpose computer system including at least first, second, and third computers operatively coupled to one another by a communications channel to instantiate a Collaborator common collaboration environment (CCE) facilitating collaboration between users co-located with the second and third computers, the machine readable code instantiating: a Collaborator CCE server on the first computer, the Collaborator CCE server providing a web page invoking selected portions of the machine readable code; and first and second Collaborator CCE clients on the second and third computers, respectively, in response to receiving the web page from the Collaborator CCE server, wherein: each of the first and second Collaborator CCE clients generates first and second message objects, respectively, each message object containing a group identifier and a privilege level; and the Collaborator CCE server receives the first and second message objects, stores the first and second message objects, and transmits the first and second message objects to the second and first Collaborator CCE clients, respectively, when the receiving one of the first and second Collaborator CCE clients belongs to a group corresponding to the group identifier and when the privilege level of the receiving one of the Collaborator CCE clients equals or exceeds the privilege level of the respective one of the first and second message objects, wherein: one of the first and second Collaborator CCE clients instantiates a Meteorological Aviation Report (METARS) Applet; and at least one of the first and second message objects conforms to the Global Information System (GIS) map standard.