Information sharing democratization for co-located group meetings

Abstract

Information sharing between meeting attendees during a co-located group meeting in a meeting space is democratized using a computer that is operating cooperatively with one or more object sensing devices in the meeting space to identify postures formed by the meeting attendees.

Wherefore, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented process for democratizing information sharing during a co-located group meeting in a meeting space, comprising:
 using a computer to perform the following process actions:   whenever a first condition occurs comprising a meeting attendee who is not within a prescribed distance of a public display device in the meeting space forming a remote location indicator posture and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with an audience-oriented object sensing device in the meeting space to identify the first condition, 
 enabling a remote location indicator mode for as long as the first condition continues, and 
 displaying a location indicator on the public display device in a position thereon corresponding to where said posture is currently being pointed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the meeting attendee forming a remote dragging posture and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a remote dragging mode for as long as the second condition continues, and 
 displaying a dragging cursor on the public display device in a position thereon corresponding to where said posture is currently being pointed; and 
   whenever the remote dragging mode is enabled and the meeting attendee points said posture at an information object that is displayed on the public display device and then changes where on the public display device said posture is being pointed, operating cooperatively with the object sensing device to track said changes and moving the information object on the public display device accordingly.   
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the meeting attendee is using a touch-enabled handheld computing device, further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the meeting attendee forming a device pointing posture with the handheld computing device and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a device pointing mode for as long as the second condition continues, and 
 displaying the location indicator on the public display device in a position thereon corresponding to where said posture is currently being pointed; and 
   whenever the device pointing mode is enabled and the meeting attendee performs an allowed touch gesture on a display screen of the handheld computing device, receiving a command from the handheld computing device that is associated with said touch gesture and executing the command.   
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the process action of whenever the device pointing mode is enabled and the meeting attendee performs an allowed touch gesture on a display screen of the handheld computing device, receiving a command from the handheld computing device that is associated with said touch gesture and executing the command comprises the actions of:
 whenever the meeting attendee remotely points the device pointing posture at an information object that is displayed on the public display device, and the meeting attendee then performs an information-pull touch gesture on said display screen,   receiving an information-pull command from the handheld computing device, said command requesting that a copy of the information object be transferred to the handheld computing device, and   transmitting a copy of the information object to the handheld computing device.   
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the process action of whenever the device pointing mode is enabled and the meeting attendee performs an allowed touch gesture on a display screen of the handheld computing device, receiving a command from the handheld computing device that is associated with said touch gesture and executing the command comprises the actions of:
 whenever the meeting attendee remotely points the device pointing posture at a desired location on the public display device, and the meeting attendee then performs an information-push touch gesture on an information object that is displayed on said display screen,   receiving a copy of said information object from the handheld computing device, and either,   displaying a scaled-down version of said information object at the desired location on the public display device, or   whenever a package metaphor mode is enabled, displaying an icon at the desired location on the public display device, wherein the icon serves as a surrogate for said information object.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 3 , further comprising the actions of:
 whenever the device pointing mode is enabled and a third condition occurs comprising the second condition continuing for a prescribed period of time,   operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the third condition, and   transmitting a command to the handheld computing device instructing it to display a touch gesture disclosure overlay on its display screen, said overlay comprising one or more different graphical icons each of which discloses a different rectilinear, mark-based touch gesture that is allowed to be performed by the meeting attendee on said display screen.   
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the meeting attendee is using a touch-enabled handheld computing device, further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the meeting attendee forming a device dragging posture with the handheld computing device and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a device dragging mode for as long as the second condition continues, and 
 displaying a dragging cursor on the public display device in a position thereon corresponding to where said posture is being pointed; and 
   whenever the device dragging mode is enabled and the meeting attendee points said posture at an information object that is displayed on the public display device and then changes where on the public display device said posture is being pointed, operating cooperatively with the object sensing device to track said changes and moving the information object on the public display device accordingly.   
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the meeting attendee is using a touch-enabled handheld computing device, further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the meeting attendee forming a device annotating posture with the handheld computing device and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, and 
 enabling a remote annotation mode for as long as the second condition continues; 
   whenever the remote annotation mode is enabled and the meeting attendee changes where on the public display device said posture is being pointed, operating cooperatively with the object sensing device to track said changes and drawing one or more annotation marks on the public display device according to said changes.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the meeting attendee is using a touch-enabled non-handheld computing device, further comprising the action of, whenever the remote location indicator mode is enabled and the meeting attendee performs an allowed touch gesture on a display screen of the non-handheld computing device, receiving a command from the non-handheld computing device that is associated with said touch gesture and executing the command. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the process action of whenever the remote location indicator mode is enabled and the meeting attendee performs an allowed touch gesture on a display screen of the non-handheld computing device, receiving a command from the non-handheld computing device that is associated with said touch gesture and executing the command comprises the actions of:
 whenever the meeting attendee remotely points the remote location indicator posture at a desired location on the public display device, and the meeting attendee then performs an information-push touch gesture on an information object that is displayed on said display screen,   receiving a copy of said information object from the non-handheld computing device, and either,   displaying a scaled-down version of said information object at the desired location on the public display device, or   whenever a package metaphor mode is enabled, displaying an icon at the desired location on the public display device, wherein the icon serves as a surrogate for said information object.   
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the process action of whenever the remote location indicator mode is enabled and the meeting attendee performs an allowed touch gesture on a display screen of the non-handheld computing device, receiving a command from the non-handheld computing device that is associated with said touch gesture and executing the command comprises the actions of:
 whenever the meeting attendee remotely points the remote location indicator posture at an information object that is displayed on the public display device, and the meeting attendee then performs an information-pull touch gesture on said display screen,   receiving an information-pull command from the non-handheld computing device, said command requesting that a copy of said information object be transferred to the non-handheld computing device, and   transmitting a copy of said information object to the non-handheld computing device.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the meeting attendee is using a handheld computing device, further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the meeting attendee forming a device sharing posture with the handheld computing device and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a transient sharing mode for as long as the second condition continues, 
 receiving a copy of the current contents of a display screen of the handheld computing device from the handheld computing device, and 
 displaying said current contents in the form of an overlay on the public display device. 
   
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the meeting attendee is using a touch-enabled non-handheld computing device, further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the meeting attendee forming a remote dragging posture and remotely pointing said posture at the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, and 
 enabling a transient sharing mode for as long as the second condition continues; and 
   whenever the transient sharing mode is enabled and the meeting attendee touches a display screen of the non-handheld computing device,
 receiving a copy of the current contents of said display screen from the non-handheld computing device, and 
 displaying said current contents in the form of an overlay on the public display device. 
   
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented process for democratizing information sharing during a co-located group meeting in a meeting space, comprising:
 using a computer to performing the following process actions:   whenever a first condition occurs comprising a first meeting attendee who is within a first prescribed distance of a public display device comprising a touch-enabled display screen in the meeting space forming a remote location indicator posture and remotely pointing said posture at a second meeting attendee who is not within the prescribed distance of the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with both an audience-oriented object sensing device in the meeting space, and a presenter-oriented object sensing device in the meeting space, to identify the first condition, identify the second meeting attendee, and identify a personal computing device that is associated with the second meeting attendee, and 
 enabling a presenter-to-audience-member transfer mode for as long as the first condition continues; and 
   whenever the presenter-to-audience-member transfer mode is enabled and the first meeting attendee performs an information-push touch gesture on an information object that is displayed on the display screen, transmitting a copy of said information object to said personal computing device.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the first meeting attendee forms the remote location indicator posture using one of their hands, further comprising the actions of:
 whenever the presenter-to-audience-member transfer mode is enabled and a second condition occurs comprising the first condition continuing for a prescribed period of time and the other hand of the first meeting attendee being within a second prescribed distance of the display screen,
 operating cooperatively with both the audience-oriented and presenter-oriented object sensing devices to identify the second condition, and 
 displaying a touch gesture disclosure overlay around the first meeting attendee on the public display device, said overlay comprising one or more different graphical icons each of which discloses a different rectilinear, mark-based touch gesture that is allowed to be performed by the first meeting attendee on the display screen; 
   whenever a third condition occurs comprising the first meeting attendee forming said posture and remotely pointing it away from the public display device and at a floor of the meeting space,
 operating cooperatively with both the audience-oriented and presenter-oriented object sensing devices to identify the third condition, identify any meeting attendees who are not within the first prescribed distance of the public display device, and identify the personal computing device that is associated with each of said attendees, and 
 enabling a presenter-to-entire-audience transfer mode for as long as the third condition continues; and 
   whenever the presenter-to-entire-audience transfer mode is enabled and the first meeting attendee performs the information-push touch gesture on the information object that is displayed on the display screen, transmitting a copy of said information object to the personal computing device that is associated with each of the meeting attendees who are not within the first prescribed distance of the public display device.   
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising there being no meeting attendees in the meeting space,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented and presenter-oriented object sensing devices to identify the second condition, 
 enabling an ambient display mode for as long as the second condition continues, and 
 displaying one or more default information objects on the public display device; and 
   whenever the ambient display mode is enabled and a third condition occurs comprising one or more meeting attendees entering and remaining in the meeting space for a prescribed period of time,
 operating cooperatively with the audience-oriented and presenter-oriented object sensing devices to identify the third condition, 
 disabling the ambient display mode, and 
 removing the default information objects from the public display device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising there being two or more meeting attendees within the first prescribed distance of the public display device and said attendees are facing toward the public display device enough to see its contents,
 operating cooperatively with the presenter-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a multi-working presenters mode, and 
 segmenting the display screen into a number of different regions, wherein said number equals a current count of the two or more meeting attendees, each different region is positioned in front of a different one of the two or more meeting attendees, and a splitter graphical element is displayed between adjacent regions. 
   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the first meeting attendee forming the remote location indicator posture and pointing said posture at a tertiary display region which is optically projected onto a prescribed location on a tertiary surface in the meeting space that is located near the public display device,
 operating cooperatively with the presenter-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a tertiary display mode for as long as the second condition continues, and 
 causing an optical projection device in the meeting space to optically project a location indicator within said region in a position there-within corresponding to where said posture is currently being pointed; and 
   whenever the tertiary display mode is enabled and the first meeting attendee performs the information-push touch gesture on the information object that is displayed on the display screen,
 causing the optical projection device to optically project said information object within the tertiary display region, and 
 removing said information object from the public display device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising the actions of:
 whenever a second condition occurs comprising the first meeting attendee forming a palette generating posture and hovering said posture over the display screen for a prescribed period of time,
 operating cooperatively with the presenter-oriented object sensing device to identify the second condition, 
 enabling a palette mode for as long as the second condition continues, and 
 displaying a posture palette on the display screen in a position thereon that is adjacent to the current location of said posture, wherein the posture palette comprises a palette of graphical icons and each of said icons represents a different item of information content that the first meeting attendee may choose to add to the display screen. 
   
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented process for democratizing information sharing during a co-located group meeting in a meeting space, comprising:
 using a computer to performing the following process actions:   whenever a first condition occurs comprising a first meeting attendee who is using a touch-enabled non-handheld computing device forming a remote location indicator posture and remotely pointing said posture at a second meeting attendee,
 operating cooperatively with an object sensing device in the meeting space to identify the first condition, identify the second meeting attendee, and identify a personal computing device that is associated with the second meeting attendee, and 
 enabling a peer-to-peer transfer mode for as long as the first condition continues; 
   whenever the peer-to-peer transfer mode is enabled and the first meeting attendee performs an information-push touch gesture on a first information object that is displayed on a display screen of the non-handheld computing device,
 receiving a copy of the first information object from the non-handheld computing device, and 
 forwarding the copy of the first information object to said personal computing device; 
   whenever a second condition occurs comprising the peer-to-peer transfer mode being disabled and a third meeting attendee who is using a touch-enabled handheld computing device forming a device pointing posture and remotely pointing said posture at the second meeting attendee,
 operating cooperatively with the object sensing device to identify the second condition, identify the second meeting attendee, and identify the personal computing device that is associated with the second meeting attendee, and 
 enabling the peer-to-peer transfer mode for as long as the second condition continues; and 
   whenever the peer-to-peer transfer mode is enabled and the third meeting attendee performs the information-push touch gesture on a second information object that is displayed on a display screen of the handheld computing device,
 receiving a copy of the second information object from the handheld computing device, and 
 forwarding the copy of the second information object to said personal computing device.