Mobile-Plan-It LLC v. Facebook Inc.

Filing 1

COMPLAINT FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT - filed with Jury Demand against Facebook Inc.. Magistrate Consent Notice to Pltf. ( Filing fee $ 400, receipt number 0311-1454554.) - filed by Mobile-Plan-It LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet)(mdb)

EXHIBIT A

US008312091B2

(12) Ulllted States Patent

(10) Patent N0.:

Horstmann et al.
(54)

US 8,312,091 B2

(45) Date of Patent:

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR

5,721,764 A

ORGANIZING MEETINGS

5,799,151 A
5,822,526 A

(75) Inventors: Jens Horstmann, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Matti Kataj amaki, Sunnyvale, CA
(US); Saeed Zarea, San Jose, CA (US);
Susan Potter, Redwood City, CA (U S);
Miroslav Charles Wiesner, San Jose,

5’944’787 A

Nov. 13, 2012

2/1998 Lubachevsky
8/1998 Hoffer
10/1998 WaskieWicZ

8/1999 _Z0ken
(Connnued)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
JP

CA (Us)

11046191 1

2/ 1999

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

(73)

Assignee: JGIIS HOI‘StIIl?IlIl, Santa Clara, CA (Us)

Maniatis, Petros et al. “The Mobile People Architecture.” To appear

(*)

Notice:

pages‘

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35

in Mobile Computing and Communications Review, Jul. 1999. 7

USC 154(b) by 0 days.
(21)

(Continued)

Appl. No.: 13/135,880

Primary Examiner * Joseph Avellino

_

(22)

Assistant Examiner * Marshall McLeod

Flled:

Jul‘ 15’ 2011
(Under 37 CFR 1.47)

(65)

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Silicon Edge LaW Group
LLP; Arthur I B ehi e1

Prior Publication Data
Us 2012/0072506 A1

(57)

Mar‘ 22’ 2012

Related U-s- Application Data
(63)

ABSTRACT

A conference organizer uses conference software to de?ne a

conference and to store conference information on the orga

mZer s computer system. The stored conference 1nformat1on

Continuation of application No. 11/818,082, ?led on

includes a list of attendees, and a personal proxy mailbox for

Jun. 12, 2007, noW Pat. No. 7,984,099, Which is a

each attendee. Each attendee has a Wireless device, such as a

continuation of application No. 09/864,479, ?led on

personal digital assistant (PDA). The organiZer’s computer

May 23, 2001, noW Pat. No. 7,231,423.

system includes a Wireless communication station that can
communicate in Wireless fashion With the Wireless devices of
the attendees at the conference. During the conference, an

(51)

Illt- Cl-

(52)
(58)

US. Cl. ...................................... .. 709/206; 709/204
Field of Classi?cation Search ................ .. 709/204,

information, select another attendee or a group of attendee
from the list of attendees, and send the selected attendee 0r

709/206, 213

attendees a message. The message can be conveyed to and

G06F 15/16

(2006-01)

attendee uses his/her Wireless device to access the conference

See application ?le for complete search history,

stored in the personal proxy mailbox or mailboxes of the

References Cited

selected attendee or attendees. The use of personal proxy
mailboxes alloWs attendees to send messages to one another
and to receive messages from one another Without divulging

(56)

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,682,525 A
5,717,863 A

10/1997 Bouve et al.
2/1998 Adamson et al.

their primary email addresses.
39 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

US 8,312,091 B2
Page 2
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS

Maniatis, Petros et al. “IdentiScape: Tackling the Personal Online

6,011,782
6,018,346
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A

1/2000
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DeSimone et al.
Moran et al.
Thurlow et al.
PiZano et al.
Achacoso et al.

tems Laboratory Departments of Electrical Engineering and Com
puter Science Stanford University. Jun. 2000. 22 pages.
Stanski, Peter et al. “Document Archiving, Replication, and Migra

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Weinreich et al.
Marcus
Prasad et al.
Pivowar et al.
Skarbo et al.
Bearden, III et al.

Lamming, Mik et al. “Satchel: Providing Access to Any Document,
Any Time, Anywhere” ACM Transcations on Computer-Human
Interaction (TOCHI). vol. 7, Isse 3. ACM Press. Sep. 2000. 31 pages.
Pham, Thai-Lai, et al., “A Situated Computing Framework for
Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia Access Using Small Screen and
Composite Devices” Proceedings of the Eight ACM in 2000. pp.

6,507,865
6,643,687
6,847,940
6,912,398

B1
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1/2001
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6,163,274 A

6,363,352 B1
6,401,085 B1

6,931,254
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7,139,722
7,231,423

B1
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2003/0191676 A1
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12/2000 Lindgren

Dailey et al.
Gershman et al.
Hanson et al.
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DomnitZ

Egner et al.
ZeltZer et al.
Vanska et al.
Perrella et al.
Horstrnann et al.

10/ 2003 Templeton
2/2005 Kjesbu et al.

2006/0045030 A1 *

3/2006

Bieselin ...................... .. 370/260

2006/0168529 A1*

7/2006

RokosZ et al. .............. .. 715/751

OTHER PUBLICATIONS
AppenZeller, Guido et al. “The Mobile People Architecture.”

Techical [sic] Report: CSL-TR-99-777 Computer Systems Labora
tory Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Stanford University. Jan. 1999. 12 pages.

Identity Crisis” Technical Report: CSL-TR-00-804 Computer Sys

tion Container for Mobile Web Users” Proceedings of the 1998 ACM
Symposium on Applied Computing, ACM Press 1998. pp. 400-404.

323 -331 .

Baker, et al. “Supporting Mobility in Mosquito Net” Proceedings of
the 1996 USENIX Technical Conference, San Diego, California. Jan.
1996. pp. 1-13.

U.S. Appl. No. 11/818,082, ?led Jun. 12, 2007 and entitled, “Inter
active wireless device communication system for meetings and con
ferences” First named inventor: Jens Horstrnann.

Lamming, Mik et al., “Satchel: Providing Access to Any Document,
Any Time, Anywhere ” ACM Transaction on Computer-Human
Interaction (TOCHI), vol. 7, issue 3, ACM Press, Sep. 2000.
Pham, Thai-Lai, et al., “A Situated Computing Framework for
Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia Access Using Small Screen and
Composite Devices” Proceedings of the Eight ACM In. 2000.
Baker, et al., “Supporting Mobility in Mosquito Net” Proceedings of
the 1996 USENIX Technical Conference, San Diego, CA. Jan. 1996.

Pages 1-13.
Bedell, Doug, “MeetingYour New Best Friends Six Degrees Widens
Your Contacts in Exchange for Sampling Web Sites” The Dallas
Morning News, Personal Technology. 4 pages. Oct. 27, 1998.

* cited by examiner

US. Patent

Nov. 13, 2012

Sheet 2 012

US 8,312,091 B2

START
ORGANIZER USES CONFERENCE SOFTWARE TO DEFINE N200

A CONFERENCE, CONFERENCE INFORMATION THAT
INCLUDES A LIST OF ATTENDEES IS STORED USING THE
CONFERENCE SOFTWARE
I

ATI'ENDEE'S WIRELESS DEVICE SYNCS UP

~201

V

ATTENDEE REGISTERS WITH THE CONFERENCE

N202

SOFTWARE, IF THE ATTENDEE IS ON THE LIST OF
ATI'ENDEES THEN REGISTRATION MAY BE AUTOMATIC
Y

UPON REGISTRATION ATTENDEE AUTOMATICALLY
RECEIVES CONFERENCE INFORMATION INCLUDING LIST ~2° 3
OF ATTENDEES, THE CONFERENCE INFORMATION IS
STORED INTO THE ATTENDEE'S PERSONAL PRoxY,
ATTENDEE HAS OPTION TO HAVE CONFERENCE
INFORMATION AUTOMATICALLY FORWARDED TO
ATTENDEE'S REAL IDENTITY
ATTENDEE DURING CONFERENCE UPDATES
N204
CONFERENCE INFORMATION FOR EXAMPLE BY PLACING
LINKS IN THE CONFERENCE INFORMATION TO SELECTED
ITEMS IN THE ATTENDEE‘S REAL IDENTITY
OTHER ATTENDEES USE THEIR WIRELESS DEVICES TO N205
RECEIVE THE UPDATED CONFERENCE INFORMATION
INTO THEIR PERSONAL PROXIES

AFTER THE CONFERENCE EACH ATTENDEE LOOKS
THROUGH THE CONFERENCE INFORMATION STORED IN ~206, 207
HIS/HER PERSONAL PROXY AND MOVES A SELECTED
PART OF THAT CONFERENCE INFORMATION FROM THE
ATTENDEE'S PERSONAL PROXY TO THE ATTENDEE‘S
REAL IDENTITY, ATTENDEE MAY MOVE INFORMATION
POINTED TO BY LINKS IN THE CONFERENCE
INFORMATION INTO THE ATTENDEE'S REAL IDENTITY

END

FIG. 2

US 8,312,091 B2
1

2

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR
ORGANIZING MEETINGS

speakers at the conference, and others attending the confer
ence Who are not exhibitors, sponsors, speakers or organiZers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATIONS

his/her personal proxy at the conference, an attendee can use
his/her Wireless device and the conference softWare to move

This application is a continuation of US. application Ser.
No. 11/818,082, entitled “Interactive Wireless Device Com

personal proxy to another location (for example, into the

After collecting messages and/or other information into
selected parts of the collected information from the attendee’ s

attendee’s primary email inbox and/or onto the attendee’s

personal computer). Some period of time after conclusion of

munication System for Meetings and Conferences,” Which

the conference, attendee access to their personal proxies on

Was ?led Jun. 12, 2007, and issued on Jul. 19, 2011, as US.

the organizer’ s computer system is suspended and the storage

Pat. No. 7,984,099. Application Ser. No. 11/818,082 is a
continuation of US. application Ser. No. 09/864,479, also
entitled “Interactive Wireless Device Communication Sys
tem for Meetings and Conferences,” Which Was ?led May 23,
2001, and issued on Jun. 12, 2007, as US. Pat. No. 7,231,423.
The foregoing documents are incorporated herein by refer

space on the organiZer’s computer system used to store the
personal proxy information is made available for other uses.
Other embodiments and novel aspects are set forth in the

detailed description beloW. Accordingly, this summary does
not purport to de?ne the invention. The invention is instead

de?ned by the claims.

ence.

REFERENCE TO COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
20

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an interactive Wireless device com

The Compact Disc, Which is a part of the present disclo
sure, includes a recordable Compact Disc (CD-R) containing
?les and information from Which a speci?c embodiment of an
interactive Wireless device communication system for meet

munication system for meetings and conferences in accor
dance With one embodiment.
25

ings and conferences can be built. A portion of the disclosure
of this patent document contains material that is subject to
copyright protection. All the material on the Compact Disc is

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS

hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present
application. The copyright oWner of that material has no

FIG. 2 is a ?owchart of a method carried out by the system
of FIG. 1.

30

objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a ?rst example of a conference
system 100. Conference system 100 involves softWare
executing on a computer system of a conference organiZer

patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark O?ice patent ?les or records, but oth

erWise reserves all copyright rights.
35

TECHNICAL FIELD

101 as Well as softWare executing on computer systems of
attendees 102 and 103. The conference softWare executing on

the organiZer’s computer system in this embodiment is the
very same softWare as the softWare executing on the computer

This invention relates to Wireless devices and methods
therefor.

system of each attendee. In each system, there is softWare
40

(sometimes called “client side” softWare) that executes on a

Wireless device and there is other softWare (sometimes called

SUMMARY

“server side” softWare) that executes on a computer such as a

A conference organiZer uses conference softWare to de?ne
a conference and to store conference information on the orga

niZer’s computer system. The stored conference information,

45

desktop computer or netWork of computers. In the illustrated
example of FIG. 1, the organiZer 101 has a Wireless device
104 and a desktop personal computer 105.

in one embodiment, includes the conference name, start date,
end date, and the location Where the conference Will take

Client side conference software 106 executes on Wireless
device 104 Whereas server side softWare 107 executes on

place. The conference information additionally includes a list
of conference attendees, and a personal proxy mailbox for

desktop personal computer 105. Attendee #1 102 also has a
Wireless device 108 and a desktop personal computer 109.

each conference attendee. Each conference attendee has a

50

Wireless device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA).
The organiZer’s computer system includes a Wireless com

munication station (for example, disposed at the location of
the conference such as in the conference hall) that can com

municate in Wireless fashion With the Wireless devices of the
conference attendees at the conference. During the confer

55

ence, an attendee can use his/her Wireless device to access the

conference information, select another conference attendee
from the list of attendees, and send the selected attendee a
message such that the message is stored in the personal proxy
mailbox of the selected attendee. The use of personal proxy

60

Wireless device 108 executes client side conference softWare
110 Whereas desktop personal computer 109 executes server
side softWare identical to the softWare executing on personal
computer 105.Attendee #2 103 also has a Wireless device 111

and a desktop personal computer 112. Wireless device 111
executes client side conference softWare 113 Whereas desktop
personal computer 112 executes server side softWare identi
cal to the softWare executing on personal computer 105.All of
computers 105, 109 and 112 are coupled to a netWork (most
likely the Internet) such that they can send information to one
another via the netWork if instructed to do so.

mailboxes alloWs attendees to send messages to one another

Wireless devices 104 and 108 are personal digital assistant
(PDA) devices Whereas Wireless device 111 is a Wireless

and to receive messages from one another Without divulging

application-protocol (WAP) telephone. Client side softWare

their primary email addresses. The primary email address of
an attendee may, for example, be the primary business email
address of the attendee. Examples of attendees include the
conference organizer, exhibitors at the conference, sponsors,

106 and 110 may therefore be different from client side soft
65

Ware 113 in that it executes on a different hardWare platform.

It is substantially the same, hoWever, in the Way that it com
municates With the server side softWare.

US 8,312,091 B2
3

4

FIG. 2 is a ?owchart in accordance with the embodiment of
FIG. 1. Organizer 101 uses an organizer user interface 114 of
server side software 107 executing on the organizer’s com

The agenda may, for example, be a schedule or time table
of a conference, where some of the attendees are speakers and
where links associated with each speaker can be selected to
?nd more detailed information on the topic to be presented by
the speaker. In another example, the conference may be a

puter system to de?ne a conference (step 200). This setting up
of the conference may be done either via the wireless device
104 or the desktop computer 105. Arrow 115 in FIG. 1 rep

convention or trade show where some of the attendees are

resents the organizer’s de?ning the conference using the
screen and keyboard of desktop computer 105.

exhibitors and where links associated with each exhibitor can
be selected to ?nd more detailed information on products

In one embodiment, the organizer de?nes the conference
by specifying a list of conference attendees 116, and the time,
date, and location 117 of the conference. Organizer 101 may

may be a business meeting where some of the attendees are

offered by the exhibitor. In another example, the conference
reporting their progress on certain action items and where
links associated with each reporting attendee can be selected
to ?nd a detailed report prepared by the attendee on the action
item.
In the example of FIG. 1, each attendee has a “real identity”
as well as a “personal proxy.” The personal proxy is main

also enter other conference information including a confer
ence agenda 118. An attendee may wish to share certain
information with the others at the conference. This informa
tion may include background information on the attendee, a

digital business card, a picture of the attendee, biographical

tained on the organizer’s computer system. The personal

information on the attendee, emails or other communications,
information on products or services offered by the attendee,

proxy 119 for attendee #1 in the example of FIG. 1 is a
mailbox
and
storage
space
identi?ed
as

advertising material, technical speci?cations, and/or written
work product of the attendee. Information to be shared may

20

include written textual information, video information, digi
stored in digital form.

others at the conference without divulging the real identity

In one embodiment, the organizer de?nes the conference
25

conference will take place (e.g., city, state, country). The

is the primary business email address of attendee #1 . Attendee
#1 does not want others at the conference to be able to send
attendee #1 unwanted advertisements and solicitations to the

organizer also associates the conference with a list of confer
ence attendees 116. Organizer 101 may also enter other con
30

Sessions are presentations to groups of conference attendees,

conference ?oor. The organizer speci?es sessions and exhib
its by name and location, and additionally speci?es sessions

Attendee #2 also has a personal proxy 121 and a real identity
122.
35

Organizer 101 may also specify personalized conference

the organizer’s computer system. The wireless communica

agendas 118 for individual attendees. Attendees can set their

agendas by eg signing up for sessions or accepting invita

tion stations are, in one embodiment, relatively low power RF
40

45

by the attendee, advertising material, technical speci?cations,

tions (for example, Clarinet EtherIR Star 1000 devices that
have wired Ethernet connections to the organizer’ s computer

system).

and/ or written work product of the attendee. Information to be
shared may include written textual information, video infor

mation, digital pictures, audio information or other types of
information stored in digital form.

transmitters/receivers that are adequately powerful to provide
communication with the wireless devices within the confer
ence location, but are not so powerful that they transmit much
beyond the conference location. In some embodiments, the
wireless communication stations are infrared beaming sta

attendee, a digital business card, a picture of the attendee,
biographical information on the attendee, emails or other
communications, information on products or services offered

One or more wireless communication stations 123 and 124

are disposed at the physical location of the conference. These
wireless communication stations 123 and 124 are coupled to

end time.

tions from other attendees. An attendee may wish to share
certain information with the others at the conference. This
information may include background information on the

attendee’s primary email address because such voluminous
solicitations would obscure more important communications

attendee #1 might receive via [e-mail].

and exhibits are company displays, such as a booth on the

using an abstract of the session content, a start time, and an

120 of attendee #1 (“[e-mail]”) to others at

the conference. In this example, [e-mail]

ence name, start date, end date, and the location where the

ference information, including lists of sessions and exhibits.

This

“[e-mail]” mailbox and storage area is a
“proxy” in the sense that it, at least to some degree, allows
attendee #1 to receive information and communicate with

tal pictures, audio information or other types of information

by specifying conference information 117, eg the confer

“[e-mail]”.

An attendee on the list of attendees 116 travels to the

conference place with his/her wireless device. Alternatively,
50

attendees can rent, purchase, or borrow a suitable wireless

In the example of FIG. 1, organizer 101 uses user interface
114 to compile such information from attendees #1 and #2 in
such a manner that the agenda 1 18 includes, for each attendee,

device at the conference place. In any case, when the wireless

detailed information on each attendee and a summary of what
each attendee will contribute or share or present at the con

ference. The agenda 118 in one embodiment is a plurality of

wireless communication is established (step 201) with server
side software 107 of the organizer’s computer system. If an
attendee #1 is on the list of attendees 116, then attendee #1 is

interlinked web pages. A top-level web page of the agenda

registered (step 202) with the conference software executing

may, for example, for each attendee include a link or links to
the information that that attendee wishes to share. A viewer of
select an attendee of interest, and then click on a link to access

on the organizer’s computer system. In some embodiments,
attendee #1 must be manually registered by personnel at a
greeting desk at the conference such that the personnel reg
isters the attendee via desktop computer 105. In other

additional web-pages for that attendee, where the additional

embodiments, the organizer computer system sends the wire

web pages include the more detailed information to be shared.
The server side software 107 provides, through user interface

less device of the attendee a request to register. The attendee

the web-based agenda 118 can access web-based agenda 118,

114, assistance in making such a web-based agenda that
incorporates information to be shared from the various
attendees into the web-based agenda.

device of the attendee comes within a communication range

of a wireless communication station at the conference place,
55

60

so alerted may then use his/her wireless device to send a
65

communication back to the organizer’s computer system that
causes the attendee to be registered. In other embodiments,

the attendee is automatically registered by the organizer’s

US 8,312,091 B2
5

6

computer system When communication is established With
the attendee’s Wireless device.

proxy name ([e-mail] is a personal proxy
name in this example) of the attendee such that other attend

Upon registration, the organizer computer system sends

ees can select that personal proxy name as a destination

updated conference information (step 203) to the attendee’s

address for a message.

Wireless device. The updated conference information may,
for example, include an up-to-date version of agenda 118 and
an up-to-date version of the list of attendees 116. A copy of
this updated conference information may be moved into the
personal proxy of the attendee.
In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, attendee #2 103 is also
present and registered at the conference, the Wireless device
111 of the attendee #2 being in Wireless communication With

In the example of FIG. 2, once the information from
attendee #1 is present in personal proxy 121 of attendee #2,
attendee #2 moves at least some of that information from

personal proxy 121 to the real identity 122 (step 206) of
attendee #2. Attendee #2 can use Wireless device 111 or

Wireless communication station 124. Attendee #1 102 has
provided information to be shared 125. Attendee #2 103 has
provided information to be shared 126.

In the method of FIG. 2, attendee #1 during the conference
updates (step 204) his/her information to be shared 125.
Attendee #1 may do this at the conference using Wireless
device 108. In the case Where attendee #1 is a participant in a

business meeting, attendee #1 may learn that another partici

20

pant Would like access to certain information that resides on

the computer system 109 of the ?rst attendee. First attendee

moves (step 207) selected parts of that information from
personal proxy 119 on the organiZer’s computer system to a

#1 may therefore use Wireless device 108 at the business

meeting to provide a link (the link is present in the informa
tion to be shared 125) to that information such that another

25

participant at the business meeting can use the link to access

the information. Alternatively, attendee #1 may use Wireless
device 108 to instruct softWare executing on desktop com
puter 109 to move selected information from desktop com
puter 109 to the organiZer’s computer system so that the other

softWare 107 executing on the organiZer’s computer system

30

change his/her digital exhibit information for certain products
35

Each business meeting taking place in the conference room is
de?ned in the conference softWare by a conference date and
time and a list of attendees. In one embodiment, the confer
ence softWare is part of an of?ce softWare suite. The confer
ence softWare may, for example, Work in conjunction With or
be incorporated into a program such as Microsoft’s Outlook

45

program. Rather than just syncing conference information

ence organiZer.

conference information (step 205) as updated by attendee #1.

into a regular folder in Outlook, the conference softWare
provides a virtual folder accessible through Outlook that con
tains, on a per-conference basis, conference information

Where attendee #1 is a participant in a business meeting and
provides a link to information on computer 109, attendee #2
can use the link to access the information on computer 109.
50

(conference information includes, among other things, con
tacts, a calendar, notes, and messages). Such integration With
Outlook alloWs the attendee to create an overlay With another
regular Outlook folder such that the attendee can move (e. g.,

shared” 125. Attendee #2 then accesses the information in

“attendee #1 information to be shared” 125. Alternatively,
attendee #1 may have moved information from computer 109
directly into the personal proxy 121 of attendee #2. This may
be accomplished, for example, by sending an email-like mes
sage containing the information from computer 109 to
[e-mail], Where attendee #1 causes this
email-like message to be sent using Wireless device 108.
In this Way, the conference softWare and the Wireless
devices provide a mechanism for attendees at the conference
to exchange information. An attendee carrying only a Wire
less device can Walk around a convention and exchange infor
mation With another attendee carrying only a Wireless device.
Similarly, tWo attendees at a business meeting can exchange
information using only Wireless devices. The entry for an
attendee in the list of attendees may include the personal

tion, or sends attendees an alert prior to deletion.
In some embodiments, the organiZer 101 is one of the
attendees and Wireless communication station 123 is dis
posed in a conference room Within the organiZer’s of?ce.

40

agenda rapidly Without requiring intervention of the confer

Alternatively, attendee #1 may have moved information from
computer 109 to be part of “attendee #1 information to be

and 121. Attendees that Wish to retain information in their
personal proxies therefore must move that information to
another suitable storage location before the organiZer com

puter system deletes the information in the personal proxies.
In other embodiments, the organiZer computer system sends
attendees potentially interesting information prior to dele

convention, attendee #1 may use desktop computer 109 to

In the example of FIG. 2, attendee #2 accesses the updated

suitable storage location on computer 109.
After a certain amount of time, the server side conference

deletes all personal proxies including personal proxies 119

participant can access it there.
In the case Where attendee #1 is an exhibitor at a trade shoW

or services. The exhibitor (attendee #1) may use the Web
based interface of the softWare executing on the organiZer’s
computer system to change this exhibit information. In the
situation Where the information to be shared by attendee #1 is
incorporated into the part of the agenda reserved for attendee
#1, the ability to change the information to be shared once the
conference is in progress alloWs attendee #1 (in this case
attendee #1 is an exhibitor) to update his/her portion of the

desktop computer 112 to initiate this move of information.
In one example, attendee #2 collects a great deal of infor
mation at a trade shoW conference. The information is col
lected into personal proxy 121 in the form of stored ?les.
Attendee #2 leaves the conference and returns to his/her
o?ice. Desktop computer 112 is located at the o?ice. Attendee
#2 uses desktop computer 112 to revieW the information in
personal proxy 121. Attendee #2 uses the conference softWare
executing on desktop computer 112 to move selected parts of
that information from personal proxy 121 on the organiZer’s
computer system to a storage location of computer 112.
Attendee #1 does the same. Attendee #1 looks through infor
mation stored in the personal proxy 119 of attendee #1 and

55

drag and drop) selected items from the virtual folder to the
other regular folder, Where both the virtual folder and the
regular folder are accessible from Outlook.

Although the collection of information using personal

60

proxies is explained here as being collected on the organiZer’ s
computer system, the information may also be collected else
Where. For example, the conference softWare provides an
option to each attendee to have information ?oWing into the
attendee’ s personal proxy forWarded straight through the per
sonal proxy and directly to another destination. The attendee,

for example, enters the real identity (for example, another
email address) into the conference softWare such that infor

65

mation ?oWing into the personal proxy is automatically for
Warded to the real identity. When this forWarding option is
selected, the conference softWare still serves to alloW others at

US 8,312,091 B2
7

8

the conference to send information to the attendee Without the
others ever knowing the ultimate destination for the informa

associated With a given interest-based group can send mes

tion. The information, hoWever, rather than being stored on

membership may be derived from attendee sign-up informa

the organiZer’s computer system, is stored elseWhere (for
example, on the computer system of the attendee).

tion or can be based upon enrollment. In one embodiment

sages to other group members to set up meetings. Group

conference softWare 107 supports the folloWing types of
attendee groupings: conference, session (a presentation to a

Example 2

group of attendees), exhibit (e.g., a booth on the conference

?oor), company, buddies, and “birds of a feather” (like bud
dies, but sponsored by a company). Group members can then

A second example of a conference system is noW
described. The server-side conference softWare is different
from the client-side conference softWare. In one speci?c

communicate With one another using various forms of mes
sages. For example, noti?cations, invitations, or announce

embodiment, the computer system upon Which the server

ments can be directed to individuals or groups for immediate

side softWare executes includes a DELL server coupled to the
internet, a Sun Solaris database server, a local computer sys

delivery or selective retrieval. The use of proxies alloWs

attendees to participate in groups Without divulging their
primary email address.
The Compact Disc Appendix (the entire contents of the
Compact Disc Appendix is part of this patent document and is

tem at the conference location that is coupled to the internet,
a 802.11 Wireless access point device, and an IR beaming
station. The server-side conference softWare executes on top
of Weblogic application server softWare that in turn runs on a
WindoWs 2000 operating system that in turn runs on the

DELL server. This server-side conference softWare provides
a Web-based interface. The conference organiZer uses the
local computer at the conference location to access the DELL
server via the Internet and the Web-based interface. The
server-side softWare running on the DELL server communi
cates With an Oracle database (another part of the server-side
softWare) running on the Sun Solaris database server. The

hereby expressly incorporated by reference into this patent
20

devices) as Well as server-side conference softWare in accor

dance With Example 2 (executes on the organizer’ s computer

system). The folloWing listing of directories and sub-directo

25

ries describes brie?y the contents of each directory and sub
directory of a CD appendix that includes the source code for
a speci?c Working embodiment of the invention. The source

conference information (for example, the list of attendees, the
list of exhibitors, product information, the conference

code is annotated With further descriptive language, and is

fully enabling.

agenda, agendas personaliZed by attendees, attendee buddy
lists, session data, attendee message inboxes and message

document) includes client-side conference softWare in accor
dance With Example 2 (executes on the attendee Wireless

30

Files Within the folloWing “palm” directory contain client

outboxes) is stored on the Sun Solaris database server. Both

softWare that resides on a portable digital assistant that runs

the 802.11 Wireless access point and the IR beaming station

the Palm Operating System, or Palm OS®.
./palm/app/common: These ?les are “common” in the

are located at the conference location and are coupled via

Ethernet connections to the local computer.
The attendee Wireless devices in one speci?c system of

sense that they are shared among the various softWare com
35

Example 2 include: 1) laptop computers, 2) Compaq iPaq

pocket PCs, and 3) Palm OS based PDA devices. The laptop
computers and iPaq pocket PCs communicate in Wireless

fashion With the 802.11 Wireless access point. The Wireless
access point may, for example, be a Wireless access point
available from IBM, CISCO or Linksys. The Palm OS based

PDA devices communicate With the IR beaming station using
the IrOBEX infrared communication protocol. The IR beam
ing station may, for example, be an IR beaming station avail
able from Clarinet Systems. The conference system of
Example 2 may include multiple such IR beaming stations
and multiple such 802.11 Wireless access points.

properties. Shared resources also include common function

alities, such as sending messages from one layer to another.

./palm/app/messaging: This softWare facilitates messag

40

ing. For example, this softWare forWards messaging requests
to an infrared communication engine for forWarding to a
server.

./palm/app/pro?le: This softWare alloWs client-side users

to log into the system.
45

./palm/app/ session: A session is a presentation to a group of
people at a conference. This softWare includes a session

engine that orders and retrieves speci?c sessions de?ned by a

conference organiZer.

Using a Wireless device at the conference, a ?rst attendee

./palm/app/util: This directory contains a utility that

can select a second attendee’s name from a list of attendees,

compose a message to the second attendee, and send the
message to a personal proxy mailbox of the second attendee

ponents running on the client Palm-enabled device. Shared,
or “common,” resources include global variables and global

50

decomposes strings.

./palm/comm: This directory contains a communication

Without knoWing the primary email address of the second

(or “comm”) layer. In general, the com layer returns the
appropriate classes to handle networking or data-layer opera

attendee. The second attendee can then respond to the ?rst
attendee using the second attendee’ s personal proxy mailbox

tions.

name as the source of the message such that the ?rst attendee 55

./palm/comm/db: This directory contains communication

does not learn the primary email address of the second

softWare that returns the appropriate classes to handle pro

attendee. Accordingly, a conference attendee can communi

?les, preferences, session data, messages, and user data.

cate by sending and receiving messages Without divulging the
attendee’s real identity (for example, Without divulging the

softWare that returns the appropriate classes to handle loWer

attendee’s primary email address). Although the personal

./palm/comm/net: This directory contains communication

60

level IR functionality (infra-red communication betWeen cli
ent and server).
./palm/structs: This directory contains data structures that
de?ne the physical layouts for related collections of data.

65

ent-side user interface.

proxy mailboxes may be usable by attendees for some period
of time before and after the conference, the personal proxy
mailboxes are only accessible for a time period that is roughly
coextensive With the duration of the conference.
Conference softWare 107 can group collections of attend
ees together based upon eg a common interest and facilitate

inter-group sharing of information. For example, attendees

./palm/ui: This directory contains objects de?ning the cli
./palm/ui/comp: This directory includes components that
alloW the client user to customiZe the palm user interface.

US 8,312,091 B2
10
Files within the following “server” directory contain server

Compact Disc Appendix in the documents entitled: 1) “API

software that resides on a server that runs Win2000 Server

Document For Interactive Wireless Device Communication

System for Meetings and Conferences”; and 2) “Calypso
Client-Side Design (Palm)”. Paper copies of these documents

(also Solaris). The application servers are clustered to handle
server failover.

are also submitted herewith, and are also incorporated herein

./server/cachemgr: This directory includes a cache man

by reference. The API Document contains comments, de?ni
tions, and a pseudocode computer program listing.
Although the invention is described above in connection

ager that speeds requests for frequently accessed information,
such as lists of conference attendees.
./ server/ clarinet: Clarinet Systems, Inc.® is a company that

with speci?c exemplary embodiments, the present invention

provides IR connectivity to enable users of handheld appli

is not limited thereto. Any suitable type of wireless commu
nication station can be employed. The particular wireless
communication stations in the examples above are but
examples. Similarly, any suitable type of wireless device can

ances, such as those using the Palm OS® to communicate
over a network. The various “clarinet” directories include IR

connectivity software from or adapted from Clarinet Sys
tems, Inc.®

be employed. The particular wireless devices in the examples

./server/ejb: Enterprise JavaBeans (ejb) is a speci?cation
for creating server-side scalable, transactional, multi-user
secure enterprise-level applications. The objects in the ejb
directories encapsulate the data models and the business logic

of this software.
./server/i18n: This directory contains an internationaliza
tion object that simpli?es adapting this software to commu

nicate with users in different languages (e.g., Spanish and

above are but examples. The conference organiZer’s com
puter system may involve a single hardware server platform
and associated wireless communication device, or may

involve multiple computer systems that are coupled together

via a network or networks. Accordingly, various modi?ca
20

tions, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the
described embodiments can be practiced without departing

English).

from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
What is claimed is:

facilitates access to objects that de?ne a data model layer, a
25

1. A method for organiZing a meeting, occurring at a physi
cal meeting location, using software executing on a computer
system, the method comprising:

30

the meeting information including a database listing the
physical meeting location and attendees of the meeting,
the attendees registered to attend the meeting at the
physical meeting location and including a ?rst attendee

./server/interfaces: This directory includes software that

business logic layer, and an interface layer
./ server/ internal: This directory includes software that

changes string format.

./ server/j sp: J SP stands for JavaServer PagesTM. This direc
tory includes J SP administration interface pages and forms
that allow users or marketing people to add users or compo
nents.

./ server/ locale: This directory includes software related to

internationalization, including a unique set of properties for
./server/mailsetup: This directory contains an object that

ages the mail server, e.g. facilitating the creation, mainte

of the attendees, the ?rst personal proxy having a ?rst
personal proxy mailbox and ?rst personal storage space
and the second personal proxy having a second personal
proxy mailbox and second personal storage space;
wherein the ?rst and second personal proxy mailboxes

40

allow the ?rst and second ones of the attendees to send
messages to one another and to receive messages from

*/server/messaging: This directory includes an object that

allows users to send, receive, reply, or delete messages.

./server/objects: This directory includes data structures

one another without divulging their respective ?rst and

second primary electronic addresses;

45

base (pdb) format.
./server/request: This directory includes software that
parses types of user requests and calls functions to prepare
responses to the requests.

./server/servlets: This directory includes objects that
handle client requests by communicating with EJBs through
understood by clients.
./server/systmgr: Enables Enterprise JavaBeans and appli
share information in a clustering setup.

55

and the IR beaming station coupled to the local computer
despite the fact that part of the system may be operated by an
entity other than the conference organiZer. Additional details
on the conference system of Example 2 are found on the

second personal proxy mailbox; and

directing the message to the second attendee using the
second primary electronic address.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the
message to the second attendee at the second personal proxy
mailbox.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating

during the meeting, wherein the ?rst sharing information

application server.

devices.
The organiZer’s computer system in this case includes the
DELL server, the Sun Solaris server, the local computer, the
802.11 wireless access point coupled to the local computer,

attendee to convey updated meeting information, the
updated meeting information including an updated
attendee list;

the ?rst attendee with ?rst sharing information to be shared

./server/util: This directory includes objects used by the

./ui: The “ui” directories de?ne the server user interfaces.
There are several types to facilitate use with different types of

communicating with a ?rst wireless device of the ?rst
attendee and a second wireless device of the second

receiving, from the ?rst attendee, a message directed to the
50

the interfaces and composing reply messages in a format
cation server processes running on different hardware to

assigning a ?rst personal proxy to the ?rst one of the
attendees and a second personal proxy to the second one

35

nance, and deletion of mail accounts.

used by the entire server system.
./server/ogirproxy: This directory includes a software
proxy that facilitates communication between the application
server and the IR connectivity software.
./server/palmutils: This directory includes a number of
utilities that convert data and information into the Palm data

and a second attendee;
associating ?rst and second ones of the attendees with

respective ?rst and second primary electronic addresses;

each supported language.

provides communication with a mail server. The object man

storing meeting information associated with the meeting,

includes a picture of the ?rst attendee.
60

65

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, responsive to
a download request from the second attendee, sending the
picture of the ?rst attendee to the second wireless device.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising updating the
?rst sharing information to include video information.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the ?rst attendee sharing
information speci?es a second location.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second location is
within the meeting location.

US 8,312,091 B2
11

12

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ?rst and second
Wireless devices are telephones.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising communi
cating With the ?rst and second Wireless devices using a
Wireless communication station at the meeting location.
10. The method of claim 1, Wherein a meeting organiZer is

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a
second message from the ?rst Wireless device and posting the
second message to the attendees.

27. The method of claim 26, Wherein posting the second
message comprises sending the message to ?rst and second
personal proxy mailboxes.
28. The method of claim 27, further comprising maintain
ing a message board, Wherein posting the message comprises

one of the attendees, the meeting organiZer attending the
meeting at the meeting location With the ?rst and second
attendees, and Wherein the meeting organiZer utiliZe a Wire

depicting the message on the message board.

29. The method of claim 27, Wherein posting the message
includes examining ?rst and second forWarding options asso
ciated With the ?rst and second attendees and sending the

less access point at the location to communicate With the ?rst
and second Wireless devices.

11. The method of claim 1, Wherein a meeting organiZer

message to at least one of the ?rst and second primary elec

de?nes the meeting by selecting the attendees, and by enter
ing the meeting location, a start date, and an end date.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing
digital pictures in the ?rst and secondpersonal storage spaces.
13. The method of claim 12, Wherein the digital pictures
include a picture of the ?rst attendee.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving
links from the ?rst attendee to selected information stored on

20

a computer other than the computer system and updating the
meeting information to include the links.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising de?ning an
attendee group from a sub set of the attendees of the meeting.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising directing a
noti?cation to the attendee group.

25

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending
requests to register for the meeting to the ?rst and second
Wireless devices.
21. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive
to a request from the ?rst Wireless device, sending informa
tion from the personal storage space of the ?rst attendee to the
?rst Wireless device.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive
to a request from the second Wireless device, sending infor
mation from the personal storage space of the ?rst attendee to
the second Wireless device.
23. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a

based on attendee sign-up information.
30

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying

a subset of that list of attendees as present at the meeting.

38. A computer system for communicating information
35

40

45

server-side storage storing an address specifying the meet
ing location and a list of attendees to attend the meeting
at the meeting location, the server-side storage correlat
ing ?rst and second ones of the Wireless devices With
respective ?rst and second ones of the attendees in the
list of attendees; and maintaining ?rst and second per

tive ?rst and second attendees on the list of attendees;
and
an interface to communicate With the ?rst and second Wire
less devices to alloW the ?rst and second attendees to

convey respective ?rst and second sharing information
50

from their respective ?rst and second Wireless devices to

their respective ?rst and second personal proxies;

Wherein the interface further alloWs the ?rst attendee, using
the ?rst Wireless device, to select the second attendee

?rst attending using the ?rst personal proxy mailbox, and

having a one part indicative of the respective attendee name
and another part common to the identi?ers.

plurality of Wireless devices, the computer system compris

sonal proxies, ?rst and second primary email addresses,
and ?rst and second forWarding options for the respec

from the second attendee, a second message directed to the

storing the second message in the ?rst personal proxy mail
box Without directing the second message to the ?rst primary
electronic address based on the forWarding option from the
?rst attendee.
25. The method of claim 1, Wherein the ?rst and second
attendees have respective ?rst and second attendee names, the
method further comprising generating ?rst and second
attendee identi?ers for the ?rst and second personal proxy
mailboxes, each of the ?rst and second attendee identi?ers

about a meeting, held at a physical meeting location, With a
mg:

ing the message to the second attendee is based on the for

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving
a forWarding option from the ?rst attendee; and receiving,

36. The method of claim 31, Wherein the organiZing is
based on enrollment in the meeting.

forWarding option from the second attendee, Wherein direct

Warding option.

the ?rst attendee in a buddy group that is a subset of the
attendees, receiving an invitation, noti?cation, or announce
ment from the ?rst attendee directed to the buddy group, and
directing the invitation, noti?cation, or announcement to the

attendees in the buddy group.
35. The method of claim 31, Wherein the organiZing is

receiving an announcement from a third of the attendees in
the attendee group; and

sending the announcement to others of the attendees in the
group Without sending the announcement to all the
attendees.
18. The method of claim 15, Wherein de?ning the attendee
group includes specifying a group location.
19. The method of claim 1, Wherein the meeting is a con
ference.

tronic addresses based on the forWarding options.
30. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a
map of the meeting location to the ?rst and second Wireless
devices.
31. The method of claim 1, further comprising organiZing
the attendees into attendee groupings.
32. The method of claim 31, Wherein the attendee group
ings include a company grouping.
33. The method of claim 31, Wherein the attendee group
ings include a buddies grouping.
34. The method of claim 31, further comprising including

55

from the list of attendees, compose a message to the
second attendee, and send the message to the second

personal proxy Without knoWing the primary email

address of the second attendee; and
Wherein the interface selectively forWards the message to
the second primary email address based on the second
60

forWarding option.

39. The computer system of claim 38, further comprising
?rst and second client softWare executing on the ?rst and
second Wireless devices to communicate With the interface.
*

*

*

*

*

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO.

: 8,312,091 B2

APPLICATION NO.

: 13/135880

DATED
INVENTOR(S)

Page 1 Ofl

: November 13, 2012
: Jens Horstmann et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identi?ed patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby corrected as shown below:

Title Page, item (57); Abstract, line 11, the last Word “attendee” should be changed to --attendees--.
Column 9, line 24, the sentence should end With a --.--.

Claim 1, Column 10, line 33, “associating ?rst” should read --associating the ?rst--.
Claim 24, Column 11, line 55, the Word “attending” should be changed to --attendee--.
Claim 25, Column 11, line 65, “a one” should read --one--.

Signed and Sealed this
Twelfth Day of February, 2013

Teresa Stanek Rea

Acting Director afthe United States Patent and Trademark O?ice