Multi-platform collaboration appliance

Abstract

The invention contains a private self-aware network. The network will use multi-point Bluetooth technology or Wi-Fi or a direct connection (though not limited to any of these technologies) to provide this capability. By enabling the invention to detect other invention connections, accessories, and users, it can perform many of the network functions common in today's marketplace. A few examples include instant send or sharing of files to or with anybody linked through the invention or to a specific device. A chat window can be created to talk to specific people or to groups of people on the invention network. Registration information for conference discussion sessions can provide files to update customer databases or CRM type systems. Classroom attendance and assignments can be passed between the teacher and student. These are just a few examples of what can be done using this new network feature but the invention is not limited to just these. Due to a limited number of electrical wall sockets, a daisy chain option can be incorporated into the invention as well. The user has the option for directly connecting the power input of all the inventions in the room together rather than plugging in each one individually. There are four basic settings: Business (coffee shop), Active Conference, Active Classroom, and Professional Client. These offer standard settings usually expected in that kind of environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for communicating in a collaborative application with portable and fixed computer based hardware, comprising:
 establishing, by a server, a terminal connection with each of a plurality of computerized devices into a closed local network for an event in response to an access, by each of the set of computerized devices, to a main server software package on the server;   measuring, using a location beacon, a measured signal strength corresponding to each of the set of computerized devices during the event, all of the set of computerized devices being located in a common meeting area;   plotting, at the server, location information that includes a relative location of the each of the set of computerized devices based on the corresponding measured signal strength;   maintaining attendance and defining boundaries of the common meeting area based on the location information;   generating, using the server in response to a request by a user of a computerized device, a three-dimensional visual representation of a physical room forming the common meeting area that includes a triangulated relative position of each of the set of users and the network within the common meeting area built specifically for the user of the computerized device of the set of connection devices based on the plotting;   providing the visual representation to the user of the computerized device;   allowing the user of the computerized device of the set of connection devices to access the visual representation of the each of the set of users and the network from a point of view of the user and to indicate a location of the user within the virtual representation; and   rotating, in response to a request by the user, the visual representation with respect to the indicated location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directly connecting, for the event, the set of co-located computerized devices, which includes a first computer device having a first operating platform and a second computer device having a second operating platform, into the closed local network via a co-located server having a first connection method and a second connection method, the first computer device connecting to the server via the first connection method and the second computer device connecting to the server via the second connection method. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first connection method and the second connection method includes at least one of USB ports, Video Ports, Audio Ports, Power in, and Wired Ethernet LAN ports. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a computer network, which includes all of the set of computerized devices that have established the terminal connection, for the event that makes each of the set of computerized devices in the computer network automatically aware of all others of the set of computerized devices in the computer network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising enabling direct file sharing, data access, data transfer and communications functionality between all of the set of computerized devices in the computer network during the event, the functionality being independent of a set of platforms of the set of computerized devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically aggregating, after the event has concluded, integrated data gathered in real time during the event into an event summary, the integrated data including multimedia presentation data for the event, a summary that corresponds to the multimedia presentation data and that is automatically generated from portions of the presentation audio of the event converted to text, and notes that correspond to the multimedia presentation data, the notes being taken during the event on the first and second computer devices by users of the first and second computer devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the memory medium comprising further instructions to implement a setting routine comprising one of: Business (coffee shop), Active Conference, Active Classroom, and Professional Client. 
     
     
         8 . A system for communicating in a collaboration style application with portable and fixed computer based hardware, comprising:
 a bus;   a processor coupled to the bus; and   a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to:
 establish, by a server, a terminal connection with each of a plurality of computerized devices into a closed local network for an event in response to an access, by each of the set of computerized devices, to a main server software package on the server; 
 measure, using a location beacon, a measured signal strength corresponding to each of the set of computerized devices during the event, all of the set of computerized devices being located in a common meeting area; 
 plot, at the server, location information that includes a relative location of the each of the set of computerized devices based on the corresponding measured signal strength; 
 maintain attendance and define boundaries of the common meeting area based on the location information; 
 generate, using the server in response to a request by a user of a computerized device, a three-dimensional visual representation of a physical room forming the common meeting area that includes a triangulated relative position of each of the set of users and the network within the common meeting area built specifically for the user of the computerized device of the set of connection devices based on the plotting; 
 provide the visual representation to the user of the computerized device; 
 allow the user of the computerized device of the set of connection devices to access the visual representation of the each of the set of users and the network from a point of view of the user and to indicate a location of the user within the virtual representation; and 
 rotate, in response to a request by the user, the visual representation with respect to the indicated location. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the memory medium further including instructions to directly connect, for the event, the set of co-located computerized devices, which includes a first computer device having a first operating platform and a second computer device having a second operating platform, into the closed local network via a co-located server having a first connection method and a second connection method, the first computer device connecting to the server via the first connection method and the second computer device connecting to the server via the second connection method. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first connection method and the second connection method includes at least one of USB ports, Video Ports, Audio Ports, Power in, and Wired Ethernet LAN ports. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , the memory medium further including instructions to form a computer network, which includes all of the set of computerized devices that have established the terminal connection, for the event that makes each of the set of computerized devices in the computer network automatically aware of all others of the set of computerized devices in the computer network. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , the memory medium further including instructions to enable direct file sharing, data access, data transfer and communications functionality between all of the set of computerized devices in the computer network during the event, the functionality being independent of a set of platforms of the set of computerized devices. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , the memory medium further comprising instructions to automatically aggregate, after the event has concluded, integrated data gathered in real time during the event into an event summary, the integrated data including multimedia presentation data for the event, a summary that corresponds to the multimedia presentation data and that is automatically generated from portions of the presentation audio of the event converted to text, and notes that correspond to the multimedia presentation data, the notes being taken during the event on the first and second computer devices by users of the first and second computer devices. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , the memory medium comprising further instructions to implement a setting routine comprising one of: Business (coffee shop), Active Conference, Active Classroom, and Professional Client. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product for communicating in a collaboration style application with portable and fixed computer based hardware, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media, to:
 establish, by a server, a terminal connection with each of a plurality of computerized devices into a closed local network for an event in response to an access, by each of the set of computerized devices, to a main server software package on the server;   measure, using a location beacon, a measured signal strength corresponding to each of the set of computerized devices during the event, all of the set of computerized devices being located in a common meeting area;   plot, at the server, location information that includes a relative location of the each of the set of computerized devices based on the corresponding measured signal strength;   maintain attendance and define boundaries of the common meeting area based on the location information;   generate, using the server in response to a request by a user of a computerized device, a three-dimensional visual representation of a physical room forming the common meeting area that includes a triangulated relative position of each of the set of users and the network within the common meeting area built specifically for the user of the computerized device of the set of connection devices based on the plotting;   provide the visual representation to the user of the computerized device;   allow the user of the computerized device of the set of connection devices to access the visual representation of the each of the set of users and the network from a point of view of the user and to indicate a location of the user within the virtual representation; and   rotate, in response to a request by the user, the visual representation with respect to the indicated location.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , the computer program product further comprising instructions to directly connect, for the event, the set of co-located computerized devices, which includes a first computer device having a first operating platform and a second computer device having a second operating platform, into the closed local network via a co-located server having a first connection method and a second connection method, the first computer device connecting to the server via the first connection method and the second computer device connecting to the server via the second connection method. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first connection method and the second connection method includes at least one of USB ports, Video Ports, Audio Ports, Power in, and Wired Ethernet LAN ports. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , the computer program product further comprising instructions to form a computer network, which includes all of the set of computerized devices that have established the terminal connection, for the event that makes each of the set of computerized devices in the computer network automatically aware of all others of the set of computerized devices in the computer network. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , the computer program product further comprising instructions to enable direct file sharing, data access, data transfer and communications functionality between all of the set of computerized devices in the computer network during the event, the functionality being independent of a set of platforms of the set of computerized devices. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , the computer program product further comprising instructions to automatically aggregate, after the event has concluded, integrated data gathered in real time during the event into an event summary, the integrated data including multimedia presentation data for the event, a summary that corresponds to the multimedia presentation data and that is automatically generated from portions of the presentation audio of the event converted to text, and notes that correspond to the multimedia presentation data, the notes being taken during the event on the first and second computer devices by users of the first and second computer devices.