Method and system for group content collaboration
US006507865B1
(12)
United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.: (45) Date of Patent:
Hanson et al.
(54)
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GROUP CONTENT COLLABORATION
(75)
Inventors: Michael Hanson, Menlo Park, CA
*Jan. 14, 2003
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS EP EP
0 739 115 A2 1 085 444 A2
10/1996 3/2001
(US); Graham Miller, San Francisco, CA (US); Brian Axe, San Francisco,
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
CA (US); Steven Richard Evans, Los Altos Hills, CA (US)
“Lotus Notes 5 Releasestep by Step, A Beginner’s Guide to Lotus Notes,” 1995—1999, PP. 1—228. “Quick Courses in Microsoft Outlook 2000,” Microsoft Press, Online Press Inc., 1999, PP. 1—148.
(73) Assignee: Zaplet, Inc., Redwood Shores, CA (US) ( * ) Notice:
US 6,507,865 B1
Goldberg et al.,Active Mail—A Framework for Implementing
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
Groupware CS WC Proceedings Nov. 1992: 75—83. Brothers et al., Supporting Informal Communication Via Ephemeral Interest Groups CSWC Proceedings Nov. 1992:
This patent is subject to a terminal dis clairner.
84—90.
Borenstein, Nathaniel S., Computational Mail as Network
Infrastructure for Computer—Supportea' Cooperative Work
(21) Appl. N0.: 09/483,221 Jan. 14, 2000 (22) Filed:
CSWC Proceedings Nov. 1992: 67—74.
(List continued on next page.)
Related US. Application Data Primary Examiner—Saleh Najj ar
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Hickman Palermo Truong & Becker LLP; Christopher J. Palermo
(63)
Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/427,152, ?led on Oct. 25, 1999, and a continuation-in-part of application No.
(60)
part of application No. 09/426,648, ?led on Oct. 25, 1999. Provisional application No. 60/151,650, ?led on Aug. 31, 1999, and provisional application No. 60/151,476, ?led on
A method and system are described that can be used to
Aug. 30, 1999.
support content collaboration among a group of participants
Int. Cl.7 .............................................. .. G06F 15/16
form specifying the content and a list of netWork addresses
US. Cl. ..................... .. 709/206; 709/201; 709/204;
corresponding to other participants in the content collabo
09/427,378, ?led on Oct. 25, 1999, and a continuation-in
(57)
ABSTRACT
connected to a network. A participant creates an electronic
(51) (52)
ration. Aserver receives the form and includes resources for delivering an electronic mail message associated With an electronic medium associated With the content collaboration.
709/205; 709/231; 709/329; 705/36; 705/37
(58)
Field of Search ............................... .. 709/201, 204,
709/205, 206, 231, 329; 705/36, 37 References Cited
When the participant opens the message, the electronic medium is produced by the server that includes static and
(56)
dynamic regions. The participant can modify or change the content. The dynamic regions are asynchronously updated in
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,503,499 A 4,567,600 A 4,645,873 A
the server and indicate the current content of the electronic
3/1985 Mason et al.
medium that can be accessed by other participants. The
1/1986 Massey et al. 2/1987 Chomet
content may be binary or textual.
30 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
(List continued on next page.)
Web/Email Client
WeIJ/Emai/ Client Message Database
Network(s) 5
Message as W!
Web/Email Client
Dynamic Image Manager
US 6,507,865 B1 Page 2
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,948,057 A
9/1999 Berger et al.
5,948,070 A
9/1999 Fujita
510431876 A
8/1991 Terry
5,951,652 A
51089954 A
2/1992 Rag‘)
5,956,693 A
*
9/1999 1ng166616,J1. 6161. .... .. 709/248
51093901 A 5,093,918 A
3/1992 Cree 6‘ al3/1992 Heyen et al. ............. .. 395/725
5,960,404 A 5 963 947 A
9/1999 (:11661 6161. ................. .. 705/8 1O/1999 Ford et aL
9/1999 G66111ng6
511291057 A 5,161,214 A 51245532 A
7/1992 Sm)?‘3 6‘ al11/1992 Addrnk 6161. 9/1993 Mouner
5,966,512 A 5,970,479 A 5,974,430 A
10/1999 B6166 6161. “V1999 Shepherd 10/1999 M1116611161, 1116161.
51299305 A 53251310 A 5,363,507 A
3/1994 Oomae 6‘ al6/1994 JOhnSOn 6‘ a1~ 11/1994 Nakayama et al.
5,987,376 A 5,995,096 A 5,995,097 A
11/1999 0166n 6161. 11/1999 K11611616 6161. 11/1999 Tokumine et a1‘
A
Scannell Ct 8.1.
6
A
53921400 A
2/1995 Berkowltz 6‘ al-
6,009,410 A
5,408,470 A A
4/1995 Rothrock et al. Tondevold Ct 8.1.
6 012 083 A A
5,418,908 A
5/1995 Keller 61 al. .............. .. 395/200
6:014:5O2 A
5,428,784 A 5,535,332 A
6/1995 (:611111, Jr. 7/1996 IShlda
6,014,644 A 6,023,686 A
55371142 A
7/1996 Fenoull
6,025,841 A
A
JOhIlSOIl Ct 8.1.
5,557,723 A A
Keyworth,
5,592,626 A
10000 Savitzky et a1‘ Chung et 81' >1
(12)
United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.: (45) Date of Patent:
Hanson et al.
(54)
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GROUP CONTENT COLLABORATION
(75)
Inventors: Michael Hanson, Menlo Park, CA
*Jan. 14, 2003
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS EP EP
0 739 115 A2 1 085 444 A2
10/1996 3/2001
(US); Graham Miller, San Francisco, CA (US); Brian Axe, San Francisco,
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
CA (US); Steven Richard Evans, Los Altos Hills, CA (US)
“Lotus Notes 5 Releasestep by Step, A Beginner’s Guide to Lotus Notes,” 1995—1999, PP. 1—228. “Quick Courses in Microsoft Outlook 2000,” Microsoft Press, Online Press Inc., 1999, PP. 1—148.
(73) Assignee: Zaplet, Inc., Redwood Shores, CA (US) ( * ) Notice:
US 6,507,865 B1
Goldberg et al.,Active Mail—A Framework for Implementing
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
Groupware CS WC Proceedings Nov. 1992: 75—83. Brothers et al., Supporting Informal Communication Via Ephemeral Interest Groups CSWC Proceedings Nov. 1992:
This patent is subject to a terminal dis clairner.
84—90.
Borenstein, Nathaniel S., Computational Mail as Network
Infrastructure for Computer—Supportea' Cooperative Work
(21) Appl. N0.: 09/483,221 Jan. 14, 2000 (22) Filed:
CSWC Proceedings Nov. 1992: 67—74.
(List continued on next page.)
Related US. Application Data Primary Examiner—Saleh Najj ar
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Hickman Palermo Truong & Becker LLP; Christopher J. Palermo
(63)
Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/427,152, ?led on Oct. 25, 1999, and a continuation-in-part of application No.
(60)
part of application No. 09/426,648, ?led on Oct. 25, 1999. Provisional application No. 60/151,650, ?led on Aug. 31, 1999, and provisional application No. 60/151,476, ?led on
A method and system are described that can be used to
Aug. 30, 1999.
support content collaboration among a group of participants
Int. Cl.7 .............................................. .. G06F 15/16
form specifying the content and a list of netWork addresses
US. Cl. ..................... .. 709/206; 709/201; 709/204;
corresponding to other participants in the content collabo
09/427,378, ?led on Oct. 25, 1999, and a continuation-in
(57)
ABSTRACT
connected to a network. A participant creates an electronic
(51) (52)
ration. Aserver receives the form and includes resources for delivering an electronic mail message associated With an electronic medium associated With the content collaboration.
709/205; 709/231; 709/329; 705/36; 705/37
(58)
Field of Search ............................... .. 709/201, 204,
709/205, 206, 231, 329; 705/36, 37 References Cited
When the participant opens the message, the electronic medium is produced by the server that includes static and
(56)
dynamic regions. The participant can modify or change the content. The dynamic regions are asynchronously updated in
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,503,499 A 4,567,600 A 4,645,873 A
the server and indicate the current content of the electronic
3/1985 Mason et al.
medium that can be accessed by other participants. The
1/1986 Massey et al. 2/1987 Chomet
content may be binary or textual.
30 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
(List continued on next page.)
Web/Email Client
WeIJ/Emai/ Client Message Database
Network(s) 5
Message as W!
Web/Email Client
Dynamic Image Manager
US 6,507,865 B1 Page 2
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,948,057 A
9/1999 Berger et al.
5,948,070 A
9/1999 Fujita
510431876 A
8/1991 Terry
5,951,652 A
51089954 A
2/1992 Rag‘)
5,956,693 A
*
9/1999 1ng166616,J1. 6161. .... .. 709/248
51093901 A 5,093,918 A
3/1992 Cree 6‘ al3/1992 Heyen et al. ............. .. 395/725
5,960,404 A 5 963 947 A
9/1999 (:11661 6161. ................. .. 705/8 1O/1999 Ford et aL
9/1999 G66111ng6
511291057 A 5,161,214 A 51245532 A
7/1992 Sm)?‘3 6‘ al11/1992 Addrnk 6161. 9/1993 Mouner
5,966,512 A 5,970,479 A 5,974,430 A
10/1999 B6166 6161. “V1999 Shepherd 10/1999 M1116611161, 1116161.
51299305 A 53251310 A 5,363,507 A
3/1994 Oomae 6‘ al6/1994 JOhnSOn 6‘ a1~ 11/1994 Nakayama et al.
5,987,376 A 5,995,096 A 5,995,097 A
11/1999 0166n 6161. 11/1999 K11611616 6161. 11/1999 Tokumine et a1‘
A
Scannell Ct 8.1.
6
A
53921400 A
2/1995 Berkowltz 6‘ al-
6,009,410 A
5,408,470 A A
4/1995 Rothrock et al. Tondevold Ct 8.1.
6 012 083 A A
5,418,908 A
5/1995 Keller 61 al. .............. .. 395/200
6:014:5O2 A
5,428,784 A 5,535,332 A
6/1995 (:611111, Jr. 7/1996 IShlda
6,014,644 A 6,023,686 A
55371142 A
7/1996 Fenoull
6,025,841 A
A
JOhIlSOIl Ct 8.1.
5,557,723 A A
Keyworth,
5,592,626 A
10000 Savitzky et a1‘ Chung et 81' >1
