Systems and methods for collaborative synchronous image selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10656807-B2
Application number	US-201816147647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2018
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for real-time collaborative computing and collective intelligence are disclosed. A collaborative application runs on a collaborative server connected to a plurality of computing devices. Collaborative sessions are run wherein a group of independent users, networked over the internet, collaboratively answer questions in real-time, thereby harnessing their collective intelligence. Methods for collaborative selection of a target point on an image displayed on the computing devices. Methods for collaborative zooming and panning of an image displayed on the computing devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A collaborative targeting system for enabling a plurality of users to jointly select a coordinate location within a graphical image during a real-time session, the system comprising:
a collaboration server configured to run a collaboration server application and to exchange real-time data with each of a plurality of networked computing devices, each of the computing devices configured to:
display a graphical image;
display a collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, from the collaboration server, a pointer location;
update, repeatedly in real-time, the displayed location of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image in response to the received pointer location, the displayed location being substantially synchronized among the plurality of computing devices;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, user input through a user interface, the user input indicating at least in part, a desired direction of motion of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer; and
send, repeatedly in real-time, a representation of the desired direction of motion to the central collaboration server;

wherein the collaboration server application is configured to:
receive, repeatedly in real-time, the representation of the user input from more than one of the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, a group intent vector from the user input received from the more than one of the plurality of computing devices, the group intent vector indicating a collaboratively desired speed and direction of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, the updated pointer location for the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer based at least in part upon the group intent vector;
send, repeatedly in real-time, the pointer location to the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly, whether a speed of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer has fallen below a threshold value;
identify a target location upon the graphical image based at least in part upon the determination that the speed of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer has fallen below the threshold value; and
send an indication of the target location to at least one of the computing devices.

2. A collaborative targeting system for enabling a plurality of users to jointly select a coordinate location within a graphical image during a real-time session, the system comprising:
a collaboration server configured to run a collaboration server application and to exchange real-time data with each of a plurality of networked computing devices, each of the computing devices configured to:
display a graphical image;
display a collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, from the collaboration server, a pointer location;
update, repeatedly in real-time, the displayed location of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer upon the graphical image in response to the received pointer location, the displayed location being substantially synchronized among the plurality of computing devices;
receive, repeatedly in real-time, user input through a user interface, the user input indicating at least in part, a desired direction of motion of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer; and
send, repeatedly in real-time, a representation of the desired direction of motion to the central collaboration server;

wherein the collaboration server application is configured to:
receive, repeatedly in real-time, the representation of the user input and from more than one of the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, a group intent vector from the user input received from the more than one of the plurality of computing devices, the group intent vector indicating a collaboratively desired speed and direction of the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer;
determine, repeatedly in real-time, the updated pointer location for the collaboratively controlled graphical pointer based at least in part upon the group intent vector;
send, repeatedly in real-time, the pointer location to the plurality of computing devices;
determine, repeatedly, whether a magnitude of the group intent vector has fallen below a threshold value;
identify a target location upon the graphical image based at least in part upon the determination that the magnitude of the group intent vector has fallen below the threshold value for more than a threshold amount of time; and
send an indication of the target location to at least one of the computing devices.

Assignees

• Rosenberg Louis B
• Unanimous A I Inc

Inventors

• Rosenberg Louis B

Classifications

• H04L67/04

  specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability · CPC title

• G06F3/04842 Primary

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title