Group communication and collaboration method

Abstract

A system for communicating information among participants in a distributed application having peripheral communications devices comprises a central agent having two-way links to the peripheral devices, a notice generator triggered by an information input from one participant directed to at least one other participant, the notice generator generating a notice for the other participant(s) and pushing the notice to the peripheral device of the other participant(s) only if the information input was directed to the other participant(s), a central storage medium storing the information input, and an access channel by which the other participant(s) may receive the information input only if the other participant(s) responds to the notice. The links may form a computer network, cable network, telecommunications network, wireless network, or other network, or a combination. Additional information inputs may be associated with the first information input or may modify or delete it.

1 . A computer-assisted method of facilitating group collaboration comprising: 
 sending a resource locator to plural members of a group;    receiving contributions from members of said group;    dynamically changing content at least in part in response to said received contributions from said group members; and    enabling access by said plural group members to said dynamically changed content based at least in part on use of said resource locator by said group members, wherein said access-enabling includes automatically customizing presentation of said content to accommodate capabilities available to said group members.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sending comprises pushing said resource locator out to said plural group members.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said resource locator comprises a link.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said resource locator comprises a channel.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said resource locator comprises a URL.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said resource locator is voice activated.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further including storing said contributions.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further including storing said dynamically changed content for later access by said group members.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said access enabling includes delivering streaming information.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said access enabling includes delivering streaming audio and/or video.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said customizing includes controlling transmission rates depending on network access capabilities of said group members.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said above-mentioned steps are performed by a central agent.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further including granting different levels of privilege/access to said dynamically changed content to different group members.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said customizing includes customizing presentation of said dynamically changed content for presentation on a PDA.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said customizing includes customizing presentation of said dynamically changed content for presentation on a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said customizing includes customizing presentation of said dynamically changed content according to capabilities of a peripheral device a group member is using to access said dynamically changed content.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method provides distributed discussion.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method provides distributed scheduling.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method provides distributed contact management.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method provides distributed document management.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method provides distributed project management.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method further includes providing a distributed discussion template.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method further includes providing a distributed scheduling template.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method further includes providing a distributed contact management template.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method further includes providing a distributed document management template.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said method further includes providing a distributed project management template.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1  further including distributing storage of said dynamically changed content among a plurality of computing devices.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said computing devices are associated with respective members of said group.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sending includes emailing said resource locator to members of said group without including said dynamically changed content within said email.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further including said group members using said email to access said dynamically changed content.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said dynamically changing includes continuously changing said content over time.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1  further including allowing said group members to create and continuously modify said content.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1  further including dynamically changing said content with contributions of said group members and distributing said changed content out to said group members.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1  further including modifying or deleting said content in response to additional contributions from said group members.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said resource locator takes a group member to a list containing only new content said group member has not previously accessed.  
     
     
         36 . A storage medium including program instructions which, when executed by at least one automatic computing device, facilitate group collaboration, said storage medium comprising: 
 first instructions for sending a resource locator to plural members of a group;    second instructions for receiving contributions from members of said group;    third instructions for dynamically changing content at least in part in response to said received contributions from said group members; and    fourth instructions for enabling access by said plural group members to said dynamically changed content based at least in part on use of said resource locator by said group members, wherein said access-enabling includes automatically customizing presentation of said content to accommodate capabilities available to said group members.    
     
     
         37 . A computer-assisted system for facilitating group collaboration comprising: 
 A notifier that sends a resource locator to plural members of a group;    A storage that receives contributions from members of said group and dynamically changes said content at least in part in response to said received contributions from said group members; and    A server that enables access by said plural group members to said dynamically changed content within said storage based at least in part on use of said resource locator by said group members, wherein said server automatically customizes presentation of said content to accommodate capabilities available to said group members.    
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said notifier pushes said resource locator out to said plural group members.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said resource locator comprises a link.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said resource locator comprises a channel.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said resource locator comprises a URL.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said resource locator is voice activated.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage stores said dynamically changed content for later access by said group members.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server delivers streaming information.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server delivers streaming audio and/or video.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server selects a data transmission rate depending on network access capabilities of said group members.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said notifier and storage together provide a central agent.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server grants different levels of privilege/access to said dynamically changed content to different group members.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server customizes presentation of said dynamically changed content for presentation on a PDA.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server customizes presentation of said dynamically changed content for presentation on a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server customizes presentation of said dynamically changed content according to capabilities of a peripheral device a group member is using to access said dynamically changed content.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system provides distributed discussion.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system provides distributed scheduling.  
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system provides distributed contact management.  
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system provides distributed document management.  
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system provides distributed project management.  
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system delivers a distributed discussion template.  
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system delivers a distributed scheduling template.  
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system delivers a distributed contact management template.  
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system delivers a distributed document management template.  
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said system delivers a distributed project management template.  
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage is distributed among a plurality of computing devices.  
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62  wherein said computing devices are associated with respective members of said group.  
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said notifier has an email application that emails said resource locator to members of said group without including said dynamically changed content within said email.  
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64  further including said group members use of said email to access said dynamically changed content.  
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage continuously changes said content over time.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage permits said group members to create and continuously modify said content.  
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage dynamically changes said content with contributions of said group members and distributes said changed content out to said group members.  
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage modifies or deletes said content in response to additional contributions from said group members.  
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said resource locator takes a group member to a list containing only new content said group member has not previously accessed.  
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said storage includes a database that accesses a further store, said further store storing said dynamically changed content, said database correlating said resource locator with said dynamically changed content stored by said further store.  
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 71  wherein said database permits a resource locator to access content changed after said resource locator was distributed.  
     
     
         73 . A computer-assisted system for facilitating group collaboration comprising: 
 A notifier that distributes resource locators to plural members of a group;    A storage that maintains contributions from members of said group and dynamically changes said contributions at least in part in response to information received from said group members; and    An agent that enables access by said plural group members to said dynamically changed contributions said storage maintains, wherein said agent permits resource locators to access contributions changed after said resource locators were distributed.    
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73  wherein said agent includes a database that correlates previously distributed resource locators with dynamically changed contributions.  
     
     
         75 . A method of facilitating group collaboration comprising: 
 distributing resource locators to plural members of a group;    maintaining, in a store, contributions from members of said group;    dynamically changing said maintained contributions at least in part in response to information received from said group members; and    enabling access by group members to maintained contributions changed after said resource locators were distributed.    
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 75  wherein said agent includes a database that correlates previously distributed resource locators with dynamically changed contributions within said store.  
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said access enabling includes authentication methods.  
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76  wherein said authentication methods include use of passwords.  
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said access enabling includes authentication methods.  
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 78  wherein said authentication methods include use of passwords.  
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said automatically customizing presentation includes delivering one or more scrollable web pages.  
     
     
         81 . The system of  claim 37  wherein said server delivers one or more scrollable web pages.