Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A personal computer (PC) conferencing system comprising a conferencing application having a connect function for connecting the PC conferencing system to another PC conferencing system, the connect function having a multi-mode common connect dialog interface and associated logic for facilitating formulation of a connection address by a user, the connection address being used to connect the PC conferencing system to the other PC conferencing system, wherein the multi-mode common connect dialog interface and associated logic provides at least an enter and a select mode for the user to formulate the connection address, and under either mode, a list of one or more validated transport types supported by the PC conferencing system is made available to the user to aid the user in formulating the connection address.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A personal computer (PC) conferencing system comprising a conferencing application having a connect function for connecting the PC conferencing system to another PC conferencing system, the connect function having a multi-mode common connect dialog interface and associated logic for facilitating formulation of a connection address by a user, the connection address being used to connect the PC conferencing system to the other PC conferencing system, wherein the multi-mode common connect dialog interface and associated logic provides at least an enter and a select mode for the user to formulate the connection address, and under either mode, a list of one or more validated transport types supported by the PC conferencing system is made available to the user to aid the user in formulating the connection address.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the associated logic includes logic for ascertaining the list of one or more validated transport types supported by the PC conferencing system by interrogating transport hardware of the PC conferencing system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the associated logic includes logic for allowing a connection number to be entered, and a transport type to be selected from the list of one or more validated transport types, under the enter mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the associated logic further includes logic for validating whether the entered connection number and the selected transport type are compatible before attempting a connection, while operating under the enter mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the associated logic further includes logic for allowing a callee name to be entered, under the select mode, and logic for conditionally providing a list of connection numbers to be used in conjunction with the list of transport types for formulating the connection address, in response to the entered callee name.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
114 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the associated logic includes logic for matching the entered callee name against addressee names of addressee records of a selected address book, while operating under the select mode; logic for conditionally determining from a connection history log whether a last connection address exists for a matched addressee if a matched addressee is found, while operating under the select mode, and logic for conditionally selecting a connection number from the list of connection numbers and a transport type from the list of validated transport types in accordance with the last connection made if the last connection address exists, while operating under the select mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
150 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the associated logic includes logic for matching the entered callee name against addressee names of addressee records of a selected address book, while operating under the select mode; logic for conditionally determining from a connection history log whether a last connection address exists for a matched addressee if the matched addressee is found, while operating under the select mode; logic for conditionally determining from the matched addressee's address record whether the matched addressee's preferred connection type is supported if the last connection address does not exist, while operating under the select mode; and logic for conditionally selecting a connection number from the list of connection numbers and a transport type from the list of validated transport types in accordance with the matched addressee's preference if the matched addressee's preferred connection type is supported, while operating under the select mode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
186 words
The PC conferencing system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the associated logic includes logic for matching the entered callee name against addressee names of addressee records of a selected address book, while operating under the select mode; logic for conditionally determining from a connection history log whether a last connection address exists for a matched addressee if the matched addressee is found, while operating under the select mode; logic for conditionally determining from the matched addressee's address record whether the matched addressee's preferred connection type is supported if the last connection address does not exist, while operating under the select mode; and logic for conditionally determining from the matched addressee's address record whether at least one of the matched addressee's other connection types is supported if the preferred connection type is not supported, while operating under the select mode; and logic for conditionally selecting a connection number from the list of connection numbers and a transport type from the list of validated transport types arbitrarily if at least one of the matched addressee's other connection types is supported, while operating under the select mode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a personal computer (PC) conferencing system, a method for formulating a connection address to be used to connect the PC conferencing system to another PC conferencing system, the method comprising the steps of: a) interrogating transport hardware of the PC conferencing system and ascertaining transport types supported by the PC conferencing system; b) displaying the supported transport types in either one of at least an enter and a select mode of a multi-mode user interface for selection by a user; c) allowing a connection number to be entered in the enter mode by the user; and d) allowing a displayed transport type to be selected in the enter mode by the user, which in conjunction with the entered connection number forms the connection address.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a personal computer (PC) conferencing system, a method for formulating a connection address to be used to connect the PC conferencing system to another PC conferencing system, the method comprising the steps of: a) interrogating transport hardware of the PC conferencing system and ascertaining transport types supported by the PC conferencing system; b) displaying the supported transport types in either one of at least an enter and a select mode of a multi-mode user interface for selection by a user; c) allowing a connection number to be entered in the enter mode by the user; and d) allowing a displayed transport type to be selected in the enter mode by the user, which in conjunction with the entered connection number forms the connection address.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the step of (e) validating the entered connection number and the selected transport type for compatibility, while operating in the enter mode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a personal computer (PC) conferencing system, a method for formulating a connection address to be used to connect the PC conferencing system to another PC conferencing system, the method comprising the steps of: a) interrogating transport hardware of the PC conferencing system and ascertaining transport types supported by the PC conferencing system; b) returning the supported transport types in either one of an enter and a select mode of a multi-mode user interface; c) allowing a name of a desired callee to be entered in the select mode by a user; d) matching the entered name against addressee names of address records of a selected address book, while operating in the select mode; e) if a matched addressee is found, returning a list of connection numbers of the matched addressee, while operating in the select mode; and f) automatically selecting a connection number from the returned list of connection numbers and a transport type from the returned transport types if at least one transport type supported by the matched addressee is among the returned transport types of the PC conferencing system, while operating in the select mode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a personal computer (PC) conferencing system, a method for formulating a connection address to be used to connect the PC conferencing system to another PC conferencing system, the method comprising the steps of: a) interrogating transport hardware of the PC conferencing system and ascertaining transport types supported by the PC conferencing system; b) returning the supported transport types in either one of an enter and a select mode of a multi-mode user interface; c) allowing a name of a desired callee to be entered in the select mode by a user; d) matching the entered name against addressee names of address records of a selected address book, while operating in the select mode; e) if a matched addressee is found, returning a list of connection numbers of the matched addressee, while operating in the select mode; and f) automatically selecting a connection number from the returned list of connection numbers and a transport type from the returned transport types if at least one transport type supported by the matched addressee is among the returned transport types of the PC conferencing system, while operating in the select mode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein step (f) comprises determining if at least one previous connection was made to the matched addressee, and if at least one previous connection was made to the matched addressee, automatically selecting the connection number in the returned connection numbers and the transport type in the returned transport types that were used in the last connection made to the matched addressee, while operating in the select mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method as forth in claim 12, wherein if no prior connection was found for the matched addressee, step (f) further comprises determining if a corresponding transport type of a preferred one of the returned connection number is among the returned transport types, and if the corresponding transport type is among the returned transport types, automatically selecting the preferred one of the returned connection number and the corresponding one among the returned transport type, while operating in the select mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
120 words
The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein if no prior connection was found for the matched addressee and the corresponding transport type of the matched addressee's preferred connection number is not among the returned transport types, step (f) further comprises determining if there is at least one of the returned connection numbers having a corresponding transport type that is among the returned transport types, and if there is at least one of the returned connection numbers having a corresponding transport type that is among the returned transport types, automatically selecting one of these at least one returned connection number and the selected connection number's corresponding transport type among the returned transport types, while operating in the select mode.