Mechanism for increasing awareness and sense of proximity among multiple users in a network system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising executing a data-sharing application to share data between each of the plurality of network end points, the data-sharing application responsive to user proximity to the plurality of network end points.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 further comprising executing a group link application to provide increased awareness and sense of the user proximity to the plurality of network end points.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a visual representation of the user proximity to the plurality of network end points by using a personal conferencing system, wherein the personal conferencing system having each of the plurality of network end points coupled to a video camera for capturing the proximity information.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 further comprising a step for executing a data-sharing application to share data between each of the plurality of network end points, the data-sharing application responsive to user proximity to the plurality of network end points.

Claim 9

The method of claim 5 further comprising a step for executing a group link application to provide increased awareness and sense of the user proximity to the plurality of network end points.

Claim 10

The method of claim 5 further comprising a step for providing a visual representation of the user proximity to the plurality of network end points by using a personal conferencing system, wherein the personal conferencing system having each of the plurality of network end points coupled to a video camera for capturing the proximity information.

Claim 11

A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: maintain a watch list for each of a plurality of network end points, each of the plurality of network end points associated with a particular user of a plurality of users, the watch lists each identifying network end points corresponding to those of the other users of the plurality of users, if any, whose proximity to their respective network end points is being monitored by the network end point associated with the watch list; maintain an access list for each of the plurality of network end points, the access lists each identifying those of the other network end points, if any, that are authorized to receive proximity information associated with the user of the particular network end point; each of the plurality of network end points operate as (1) an observer, (2) an observee, or (3) both an observer and an observee; those of the plurality of network end points operating as observers periodically request user proximity information associated with those of the plurality of network end points included on their respective watch lists; and those of the plurality of network end points operating as observees periodically determine local proximity information regarding the proximity of their respective users and respond to requests received from the observers by providing the local proximity information only to those of the observers that are included in the access list of the observee.

Claim 12

A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: maintain a watch list for each of a plurality of network end points, each of the plurality of network end points associated with a particular user of a plurality of users, the watch lists each identifying network end points corresponding to those of the other users of the plurality of users, if any, whose proximity to their respective network end points is being monitored by the network end point associated with the watch list; maintain an access list for each of the plurality of network end points, the access lists each identifying those of the other network end points, if any, that are authorized to receive proximity information associated with the user of the particular network end point; each of the plurality of network end points operate as (1) an observer, (2) an observee, or (3) both an observer and an observee; those of the plurality of network end points operating as observers periodically request user proximity information associated with those of the plurality of network end points included on their respective watch lists; and those of the plurality of network end points operating as observees periodically determine local proximity information regarding the proximity of their respective users and respond to requests received from the observers by providing the local proximity information only to those of the observers that are included in the access list of the observee.

Claim 13

The machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the sequence instructions which, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute a data-sharing application to share data between each of the plurality of network end points, the data-sharing application responsive to user proximity to the plurality of network end points.

Claim 14

The machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the sequence instructions which, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute a group link application to provide increased awareness and sense of the user proximity to the plurality of network end points.

Claim 15

The machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the sequence instructions which, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to provide a visual representation of the user proximity to the plurality of network end points by using a personal conferencing system, wherein the personal conferencing system having each of the plurality of network end points coupled to a video camera for capturing the proximity information.