Peer-to-Peer Service Designer

Abstract

A peer-to-peer communication system, including a service manager for managing peer-to-peer services, a zone manager for managing zones, each zone including at least one peer-to-peer service and a window display layout therefor, and a privacy manager for restricting access to a zone, to a select group of users. A method is also described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of sharing in a peer-to-peer communication system, wherein the peer-to-peer communication system includes a server and a plurality of client devices interconnected via a communications network, the method comprising:
 registering individual users with the server;   storing, by the server, a user ID and password tor each of the registered users;   selecting, by a given individual user, a group of one or more other users, to be designated as friends;   arbitrarily defining, by said given individual user, a plurality of zones, said arbitrarily defining comprising:
 selecting, by the given individual user, a name tor each of the plurality of zones, 
 presenting to the given individual user a listing of a plurality of functionally different peer-to-peer services, the listing including interactive peer-to-peer services, 
 selecting, by the given individual user, one or more functionally different peer-to-peer communication services from the presented listing of functionally different peer-to-peer services, and 
 selecting, from the list of friends of the given individual user, one or more other users allowed to have access to each of the plurality of zones, 
 wherein each of the selected name, selected peer-to-peer services, and allowed users are maintained as a definition for the zone; 
   concurrently activating, for another individual user, one or more defined zones for which the other individual user is authorized to access;   activating, for each activated defined zone, the one or more peer-to-peer communications services selected for the activated defined zone;   restricting access to each defined zone to the selected users allowed to have access to the defined zone; and   maintaining the definition of each zone, even when the zone is not active.   
     
     
         2 . A peer-to-peer communication method according to  claim 1 , wherein the peer-to-peer services includes a file exchange service, a photo sharing service, a video conference service, and a private e-mail service. 
     
     
         3 . A peer-to-peer communication system according to  claim 2 , wherein the individual user sets properties for each zone by pre-designating the data to be utilized by the at least one peer-to-peer service associated with the zone. 
     
     
         4 . A peer-to-peer communication system, comprising:
 a user manager tor managing users and groups of users, and for identifying users who are currently on-line;   a zone manager for managing zones belonging to users, each zone including at least one peer-to-peer service and a window display layout therefor;   a privacy manager tor restricting access to a zone, to a select group of users;   a zone navigator for identifying zones accessible to a given user, and belonging to users who are currently on-line; and   a service activator for activating the at least one peer-to-peer service included within the identified zone, and for displaying the at least one peer-to-peer service according to the window layout therefor