Method and Apparatus for the Transmission of Changed Host Display Information

Abstract

Updates may be transmitted over a remote viewing session using a transmission protocol configured to allow sessions to be established, terminated, and used by participants. The transmission protocol provides a message structure that may be used to exchange administrative information associated with the session, as well as host display information to be transmitted from the host to the viewers over the session. A bounding rectangle construct may be used to convey positional information associated with the update or content of an update message. The messages may be passed directly between the host and viewers or via an intermediate service. The messages also may be used to allow viewers to highlight information on the display for a limited period of time so that the highlighting appears to the host and optionally to the other viewers on the session.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of highlighting a portion of host display information being transmitted over a remote viewing session between a host and one or more viewers, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving an input from one of the viewers identifying an area of the host display information to be highlighted;   highlighting the identified area to the host and the one or more viewers for a period of time; and   causing the highlighting to be deleted from the session.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the period of time is predetermined and wherein the highlighting is deleted automatically after expiration of the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of receiving input from the one of the viewers is implemented without granting control over the host to the one of the viewers. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the input comprises an indication of a mouse click by the one of the viewers and an indication of a mouse movement by the one of the viewers. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein coordinates of locations of the mouse are transmitted in connection with the mouse click and mouse movement, the coordinates of the mouse being determined relative to a viewer window showing the host display information. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the host uses the coordinates and interpolation procedures to synthesize a gesture tracing the movement of the mouse. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the gesture's shape and energy are reproduced to convey the way the viewer made the gesture. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein energy comprises velocity of the mouse movement. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of causing the highlighting to be deleted from the session causes the highlighting to automatically fade without requiring another participant to manually erase the highlighting. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of recording the session for archival purposes. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the highlighting is included within the recordation of the session. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the highlighting is not included within the recordation session to allow a subsequent viewing of the session to not include the highlighting by previous viewers of the original session.