U.S. patent application number 15/390922 was filed with the patent office on 2018-02-22 for communication support system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Adam Modras. Invention is credited to Adam Modras.
Application Number | 20180054402 15/390922 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60142740 |
Filed Date | 2018-02-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180054402 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Modras; Adam |
February 22, 2018 |
COMMUNICATION SUPPORT SYSTEM
Abstract
A communication support system among a plurality of users within
a hierarchical structure is disclosed herein. An electronic note
may be transcribed using a computing device within an active
session that has other authorized users. The communication support
system may determine other devices authorized to receive electronic
notes, at the end of each session all information is permanently
deleted. Notes may be sent based a chain of command of those users
in a session. Notes will be relayed based on an authorization level
of each client computing devices and will be relayed when certain
criteria are satisfied. The electronic note may be transmitted to a
second client computing device based on the authorization level and
the criteria being satisfied. The second computing device may then
approve of and forward the electronic note to a relatively higher
client computing device within the hierarchy, such as a third
client computing device.
Inventors: |
Modras; Adam; (Playa del
Rey, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Modras; Adam |
Playa del Rey |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60142740 |
Appl. No.: |
15/390922 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62376768 |
Aug 18, 2016 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 51/14 20130101;
H04L 67/143 20130101; H04L 67/141 20130101; H04L 51/04 20130101;
H04L 63/105 20130101; H04L 67/104 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04L 12/58 20060101
H04L012/58 |
Claims
1. A system, comprising: a first and second computing device of a
plurality of computing devices, the first and second computing
devices being associated with a first and second user,
respectively, wherein each computing device comprises: memory; and
a processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the
processor of the first computing device is configured to:
transcribe an electronic note; and determine which computing
devices of the plurality of computing devices the first computing
device is authorized to transmit the electronic note to, wherein
the determination is based on an authorization level associated
with the first computing device and the plurality of computing
devices; and transmit the electronic note to the second computing
device only when the first computing device and the second
computing device are associated with a proper authorization
level.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein a processor of the second
computing device is configured to: receive the electronic note from
the first computing device; determine which computing devices of
the plurality of computing devices the second computing device is
authorized to transmit the electronic note to; and transmit the
electronic note to a third computing device only when the second
computing device and the third computing device are associated with
a proper authorization level.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is
blocked from transmitting the electronic note to one or more of the
plurality of computing devices.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second computing device is
blocked from transmitting the electronic note to one or more of the
plurality of computing devices.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing devices is
authorized to transmit the electronic note to the second computing
device when the first and second computing devices are within a
threshold distance from each other.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the authorization levels of the
plurality of computing devices is based on a hierarchy among the
plurality of computing devices, wherein: the first computing device
is lower in the hierarchy than the second computing device and a
third computing device and the second computing device is lower in
the hierarchy than the third computing device; wherein the first
computing device is only authorized to communicate with computing
devices that are at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the
first and second computing devices; and the second computing device
is only authorized to communicate with computing devices that are
at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the first, second,
and third computing devices.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic notes that are
transmitted are completely deleted from memory of the first and
second computing devices at an end of a session.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic note is
transmitted in real-time from the first computing device to the
second computing device.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein when the electronic note is
transmitted from the first computing device to the second computing
device, the first and second computing devices include a comment
section adjacent to the electronic note, the comment section
configured to allow input from the first and second computing
devices, such that the input is transmitted in real-time between
the first and second computing devices.
10. A method, comprising: transcribing, using a first computing
device, an electronic note; and determining, using the first
computing device, which computing devices of a plurality of
computing devices the first computing device is authorized to
transmit the electronic note to, wherein the determination is based
on an authorization level associated with the first computing
device; and transmitting, using the first computing device, the
electronic note to a second computing device only when the first
computing device and the second computing device are associated
with a proper authorization level.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving, using
the second computing device, the electronic note from the first
computing device; determining, using the second computing device,
which computing devices of the plurality of computing devices the
second computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic
note to; and transmitting, using the second computing device, the
electronic note to a third computing device of the plurality of
computing devices only when the second computing device and the
third computing device are associated with a proper authorization
level.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first computing device is
blocked from transmitting the electronic note to one or more of the
plurality of computing devices.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second computing device is
blocked from transmitting the electronic note to one or more of the
plurality of computing devices.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first computing devices is
authorized to transmit the electronic note to the second computing
device when the first and second computing devices are within a
threshold distance from each other.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the authorization levels of the
plurality of computing devices is based on a hierarchy among the
plurality of computing devices, wherein: the first computing device
is lower in the hierarchy than the second computing device and a
third computing device and the second computing device is lower in
the hierarchy than the third computing device; wherein the first
computing device is only authorized to communicate with computing
devices that are at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the
first and second computing devices; and the second computing device
is only authorized to communicate with computing devices that are
at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the first, second,
and third computing devices.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic notes that are
transmitted are completely deleted from memory of the first and
second computing devices at an end of a session.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic note is
transmitted in real-time from the first computing device to the
second computing device.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein when the electronic note is
transmitted from the first computing device to the second computing
device, the first and second computing devices include a comment
section adjacent to the electronic note, the comment section
configured to allow input from the first and second computing
devices, such that the input is transmitted in real-time between
the first and second computing devices.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program
that is executable by one or more processors, the program includes
the method of: transcribing an electronic note; and determining
which computing devices of a plurality of computing devices a first
computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic note to,
wherein the determination is based on an authorization level
associated with the first computing device; and transmitting the
electronic note to a second computing device only when the first
computing device and the second computing device are associated
with a proper authorization level.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19,
further comprising: receiving the electronic note at the second
computing device from the first computing device; determining which
computing devices of the plurality of computing devices the second
computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic note to;
and transmitting the electronic note to a third computing device
only when the second computing device and the third computing
device are associated with a proper authorization level.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a non-provisional application which
claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 62/376,768 filed
Aug. 18, 2016, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In certain settings, such as in a courtroom environment,
multiple users may need to communicate with each other. In this
regard, paper notes may be physically handed between individuals,
such as notes written on post-its, legal pad, loose-leaf paper,
etc. Tens or hundreds of these notes may be passed amongst
individuals on the team in order to secretly and securely relay
information to other people within the team or party. Transferring
a single note to a group of individuals may waste valuable time and
may potentially allow the other parties to see who is knowledgeable
about a specific topic in discussion. In addition, the contents of
the note may not be fully secure in that wandering eyes of other
non-party members could potentially view the written communication
thereon.
SUMMARY
[0003] An electronic communication support system that provides
real-time communication between and amongst members of a team or
party is disclosed herein. For instance, a hierarchy of users
within an application may be generated that allows users to create
notes using his or her computing device and transmit the note to
other users. The transmission and writing of the notes may be done
in real-time, that is, receiving users are able to view notes as
they are being written.
[0004] Furthermore, users may only be authorized to communicate
with other users according to the respective user's authorization
level, which may be associated with the user's computing device.
For example, a low-level user may only be able to transmit notes to
a mid-level user, in which case the low and mid level users will be
able to correspond about the same channel. The mid-level user is
able to correspond back and forth with the low-level user as well
about the channel. The mid-level user may also be able to transmit
and forward received notes to a high-level user using another
channel that the high-level and mid-level user are using. In this
regard, the mid-level user is the gatekeeper for the low-level
user's note to the high-level user, in that the low-level user is
unauthorized and therefore unable to transmit a note to the
high-level user. It should be understood that low-level, mid-level,
and high-level are exemplary only, and any number of authorization
levels may be generated, such as five levels, six levels, seven
levels, etc. The authorization levels can be turned on at the
beginning of the session and is not required to be enforced for
every session, only the sessions that have this setting turned
on.
[0005] A communication support system as described above is
disclosed herein. The system includes a first and second computing
device of a plurality of computing devices, the first and second
computing devices being associated with a first and second user,
respectively, wherein each computing device comprises: memory; and
a processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the
processor of the first computing device is configured to:
transcribe an electronic note; and determine which computing
devices of the plurality of computing devices the first computing
device is authorized to transmit the electronic note to, wherein
the determination is based on an authorization level associated
with the first computing device and the plurality of computing
devices; and transmit the electronic note to the second computing
device only when the first computing device and the second
computing device are associated with a proper authorization
level.
[0006] The processor of the second computing devices is configured
to receive the electronic note from the first computing device;
determine which computing devices of the plurality of computing
devices the second computing device is authorized to transmit the
electronic note to; and transmit the electronic note to a third
computing device only when the second computing device and the
third computing device are associated with a proper authorization
level. As another example, the first computing device is blocked
from transmitting the electronic note to one or more of the
plurality of computing devices. As a further example, the second
computing device is blocked from transmitting the electronic note
to one or more of the plurality of computing devices. As another
example, the first computing devices is authorized to transmit the
electronic note to the second computing device when the first and
second computing devices are within a threshold distance from each
other. As another example, the authorization levels of the
plurality of computing devices is based on a hierarchy among the
plurality of computing devices, wherein: the first computing device
is lower in the hierarchy than the second computing device and a
third computing device and the second computing device is lower in
the hierarchy than the third computing device; wherein the first
computing device is only authorized to communicate with computing
devices that are at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the
first and second computing devices; and the second computing device
is only authorized to communicate with computing devices that are
at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the first, second,
and third computing devices. As a further example, the electronic
notes that are transmitted are completely deleted from memory of
the first and second computing devices at an end of a session. As
another example, the electronic note is transmitted in real-time
from the first computing device to the second computing device. In
another example, when the electronic note is transmitted from the
first computing device to the second computing device, the first
and second computing devices include a comment section adjacent to
the electronic note, the comment section configured to allow input
from the first and second computing devices, such that the input is
transmitted in real-time between the first and second computing
devices.
[0007] A communication support method is also disclosed herein. The
method includes transcribing, using a first computing device, an
electronic note; and determining, using the first computing device,
which computing devices of a plurality of computing devices the
first computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic
note to, wherein the determination is based on an authorization
level associated with the first computing device; and transmitting,
using the first computing device, the electronic note to a second
computing device only when the first computing device and the
second computing device are associated with a proper authorization
level and satisfies the criteria.
[0008] As another example, the method includes receiving, using the
second computing device, the electronic note from the first
computing device; determining, using the second computing device,
which computing devices of the plurality of computing devices the
second computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic
note to; and transmitting, using the second computing device, the
electronic note to a third computing device of the plurality of
computing devices only when the second computing device and the
third computing device are associated with a proper authorization
level. In another example, the first computing device is blocked
from transmitting the electronic note to one or more of the
plurality of computing devices. As a further example, the second
computing device is blocked from transmitting the electronic note
to one or more of the plurality of computing devices. As another
example, the first computing devices is authorized to transmit the
electronic note to the second computing device when the first and
second computing devices are within a threshold distance from each
other. As a further example, the authorization levels of the
plurality of computing devices is based on a hierarchy among the
plurality of computing devices, wherein: the first computing device
is lower in the hierarchy than the second computing device and a
third computing device and the second computing device is lower in
the hierarchy than the third computing device; wherein the first
computing device is only authorized to communicate with computing
devices that are at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the
first and second computing devices; and the second computing device
is only authorized to communicate with computing devices that are
at a level in the hierarchy commensurate with the first, second,
and third computing devices. As a further example, the electronic
notes that are transmitted are completely deleted from memory of
the first and second computing devices at an end of a session. In
another example, the electronic note is transmitted in real-time
from the first computing device to the second computing device. As
a further example, when the electronic note is transmitted from the
first computing device to the second computing device, the first
and second computing devices include a comment section adjacent to
the electronic note, the comment section configured to allow input
from the first and second computing devices, such that the input is
transmitted in real-time between the first and second computing
devices.
[0009] In another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable
medium storing a program that is executable by one or more
processors, the program includes the method of: transcribing an
electronic note; and determining which computing devices of a
plurality of computing devices a first computing device is
authorized to transmit the electronic note to, wherein the
determination is based on an authorization level associated with
the first computing device; and transmitting the electronic note to
a second computing device only when the first computing device and
the second computing device are associated with a proper
authorization level.
[0010] As a further example, the non-transitory computer-readable
medium further includes receiving the electronic note at the second
computing device from the first computing device; determining which
computing devices of the plurality of computing devices the second
computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic note to;
and transmitting the electronic note to a third computing device
only when the second computing device and the third computing
device are associated with a proper authorization level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0011] FIG. 1 is an exemplary overview of the communication support
system in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates devices of the system in FIG. 1 in
accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an example display of a session being created in
accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an example display of users being added to the
session in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts an overview of a hierarchy of levels and
channels among a plurality of computing devices in accordance with
aspects of the disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates an electronic note being sent from a
low-level user to mid-level users in accordance with aspects of the
disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 7 is an example display of an electronic note being
created in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 8 illustrates a mid-level user forwarding the
electronic note to a high-level user in accordance with aspects of
the disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an exemplary system and method in
accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 10 is an example display of a comment section on the
electronic note in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The aspects, features and advantages of the present
disclosure will be appreciated when considered with reference to
the following description of preferred embodiments and accompanying
figures. The following description does not limit the disclosure;
rather, the scope is defined by the appended claims and
equivalents. While certain processes in accordance with example
embodiments are shown in the figures as occurring in a linear
fashion, this is not a requirement unless expressly stated herein.
Different processes may be performed in a different order or
concurrently.
[0022] The present disclosure describes a system and method to
securely transmit electronic notes between two or more computing
devices. For example, using an application associated with a
computing device, a session may be created that assigns individual
users to a hierarchy of levels and channels. Each user may be
assigned to a particular level within the hierarchy, and then users
are able to communicate to each other based on the level that each
user is associated with. For example, in one session there may be
three levels within the hierarchy, the first level having the
highest authority, second level being in the middle of the
hierarchy, and the third level being the lowest within the
hierarchy. Once a session is created a third level user may create
an electronic note by transcribing a note on his or her computing
device. A server in communication with the third level user's
computing device may determine that the third level user is
authorized to transmit the note to users and/or computing devices
associated with the first level user(s) only after being viewed and
passed on by the second level. Thus, the electronic note will be
transmitted only to computing devices that are on the second level
within the hierarchy until such time that user passes it on to the
first level. Upon receipt of the electronic note, the one or more
users associated with the second level may review the electronic
note. If any of the second level users believe the electronic note
is worth forwarding the electronic note to the one or more users
associated with the first level of the hierarchy, then at least one
of the second level users must forward the electronic note
accordingly. In this regard, the third level users are prohibited
or blocked from transmitting electronic notes to the first level
users. As an alternative or additional embodiment, the third level
user may only transmit the electronic note to a single second level
user, who then solely determines whether or not to transmit the
electronic note to one or more first level users.
[0023] FIGS. 1 and 2 include example systems in which the features
described above may be implemented. It should not be considered as
limiting the scope of the disclosure or usefulness of the features
described herein. In this example, the system can include control
server 102 and computing devices 160-163. Control server 102 and
each of the computing devices 160-163 can contain one or more
processors, memory and other components typically present in
computing devices.
[0024] The one or more processors 110 can be any conventional
processor, such as a commercially available Central Processing Unit
("CPU"). Alternatively, processor 110 can be a dedicated component
such as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit ("ASIC") or
other hardware-based processor. Although not necessary, the control
server 102 may include specialized hardware components to perform
specific computing processes, such as decoding video, matching
image frames with images, distorting videos, etc. faster or more
efficiently.
[0025] The memory 112 can include data 116 that can be retrieved,
manipulated or stored by the one or more processors 110. The memory
112 can be of any non-transitory type capable of storing
information accessible by the one or more processors 110, such as a
hard-drive, memory card, Read Only Memory ("ROM"), Random Access
Memory ("RAM"), Digital Versatile Disc ("DVD"), Compact Disc
Read-Only Memory ("CD-ROM"), and write-capable memories.
[0026] The instructions 114 can be any set of instructions to be
executed directly, such as machine code, or indirectly, such as
scripts, by one or more processors 110. In that regard, the terms
"instructions," "application," "steps" and "programs" can be used
interchangeably herein. Instructions 114 can be stored in object
code format for direct processing by the one or more processors
110, or in any other computing device language including scripts or
collections of independent source code modules that are interpreted
on demand or compiled in advance. As an example, the instructions
114 may include instructions to authenticate users, create and
terminate sessions, and transmit electronic notes, as discussed in
further detail below. Other functions, methods and routines of the
instructions are explained in more detail below.
[0027] The data 116 can be retrieved, stored or modified by the one
or more processors 110 in accordance with the instructions 114. For
instance, although the subject matter described herein is not
limited by any particular data structure, the data 116 can be
stored in computer registers, in a relational database as a table
having many different fields and records, or XML documents. The
data 116 can also be formatted in any computing device-readable
format such as, but not limited to, binary values, American
Standard Code for Information Interchange ("ASCII") or Unicode.
Moreover, the data 116 can comprise any information sufficient to
identify the relevant information, such as numbers, descriptive
text, proprietary codes, pointers, references to data stored in
other memories such as at other network locations, or information
that is used by a function to calculate the relevant data.
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the control server 102 may
communicate over a network 150 in order to communicate with a
database 172. In this regard, although FIG. 1 illustrates data 170
and database 172 being accessible by the control server 102 over
the network 150, it should be understood that the database 172 may
alternatively be stored within data 116 of control server 102.
Alternatively or as another example, the data 170 and the database
172 may be connected to the control server 102 via a physical
connection or wireless connection such as via Wi-Fi. In this
regard, the network 150 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be considered
a Personal Area Network ("PAN"), Local Area Network ("LAN"), Wide
Area Network ("WAN"), the Internet, etc.
[0029] Thus, the one or more processors, memory, control server,
displays, etc. can actually comprise multiple processors, memories,
control servers, displays, etc. that may or may not be stored
within the same physical housing. For example, the memory 112 can
be a hard drive or other storage media located in a housing
different from that of control server 102. Accordingly, references
to a processor, memory, computer, control server, etc. will be
understood to include references to a collection of processors,
memories, computers, control servers, etc. that may or may not
operate in parallel. For example, the control server 102 may
include a single server computing device or a load-balanced server
farm. And although some functions described below are indicated as
taking place on a single computing device having a single
processor, various aspects of the subject matter described herein
can be implemented by a plurality of computing devices, for
example, communicating information over the network 150.
[0030] For instance, data 170 may include database 172 to store
various information, which control server 102 may communicate with
over the network 150. Information stored in database 172 includes
user account information 174 such as user identity, company each
user is associated with, usernames, and authentication information.
Database 172 may further store company information 176, which may
include at least user data, session data, electronic notes, session
expiration data, and channels that have been established. Control
server 102 can have the capability to read, write, and access data
on database 172. Furthermore, database 172, control server 102, or
both may operate using expandable cloud storage capabilities, such
as a proprietary system.
[0031] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, control server
may include multiple servers operating together. Thus, although the
disclosure herein may refer to control server 102, it should be
understood that specially programmed and dedicated servers may be
performing certain tasks.
[0032] For instance, an HTTPS web server may be utilized to
authenticate users, such as client computing devices 160-163, and
also updating user settings and information. The HTTPS web server
may use Secure Sockets Layer ("SSL") for security, such as to
establish an encrypted link between a web server and a client
browser. This use of SSL ensures that all data passed between the
HTTPS web server and client browsers of the respective client
computing devices remains private. Any data sent and received in
accordance with the communication support system may be encrypted
using AES-256 encryption with a secret cipher that is stored
programmatically on client computing devices 160-163 and the HTTPS
web server.
[0033] In addition, a Websocket server may be another server part
of the control servers 102. The Web Socket server of the
communication support system may be used to join sessions and
sending and receiving electronic notes. For instance, the WebSocket
server may also utilize SSL to ensure all data passed between the
WebSocket server and the client computing devices 160-163 remain
private. The WebSocket server may employ a WebSocket protocol to
provide for fully duplex communication channels over a single TCP
connection. WebSocket protocol may be utilized within web browsers
associated with each client computing device 160-163 and HTTPS web
servers. The WebSocket protocol allows for interactions between the
browsers of the various authenticated client devices 160-163
facilitating real-time data transfer to and from the various
authenticated client devices, the Web Socket server and the
database 172.
[0034] The WebSocket server may also work in conjunction with a
push notification mechanism to provide the various authenticated
client computing devices 160-163 with the required information. As
described in further detail below, the information generated by
various client computing devices 160-163 is pushed to the other
client computing devices 160-163 when these client computing
devices 160-163 subscribe to various channels under the control of
the Web Socket server. When new content is available on one of the
channels, the secure Web Socket server pushes that information to
the client computing devices 160-163. The WebSocket server used in
accordance with the present invention will be secure.
[0035] Control server 102 can include display 130 (e.g., a monitor
having a screen, a touch-screen, a projector, a television, or
other device that is operable to display information), and user
input 128. The user input 128 may include, for example, a keyboard,
touchscreen, and mouse. Other input devices are also possible, such
as a microphone. In this regard, the control server 102 may include
only one or a plurality of the various input devices. The control
server 102 may also include various modules and partitions that are
stored in memory 112 and accessible by the one or more processors
110 to perform certain functions as described in more detail
below.
[0036] Computing device 160 may also include one or more processors
172, memory 174, instructions 174, data 176, instructions 178,
display 180, and user input 182, all of which may perform similarly
as discussed above with respect to the one or more processors 110,
memory 112, instructions 114, data 116, user input 128, and display
130 of the control server 102. Furthermore, although not shown
client computing device 150 may also include input devices such as
a keyboard, touchscreen, a mouse, or any combination thereof. In
addition, as illustrated in FIG. 1 client computing device 150
includes camera 167 as an input device. In addition, client
computing device 160 may also include a Global Positioning System
("GPS") device 184 or other geo-location identifying systems in
order to identify the location of computing device 160. For
example, the positioning component may include a GPS receiver to
determine the particular device's latitude, longitude and/or
altitude position. The location of the client computing devices may
include an absolute geographical location, such as latitude,
longitude, and altitude as well as relative location information,
such as relative to a particular device or object. Although not
shown, client computing devices 161-162 may also include one or
more processors, memory, a display, various input devices, GPS etc.
and overall may be constructed and configured to operate similarly
to client computing device 160 as discussed above.
[0037] Similarly, processor 172 and memory 174 of client computing
device 160 may be contained within the same housing or operate
remotely from each other, and may include a plurality of components
therein. For instance, processor 172, memory 174, and other
components of client computing device 160 may be a plurality of
processors, memories, etc., and should not be restricted to a
single or particular type of processor or memory. Further,
information collected on client computing device 160 may store
temporarily in memory 174 (such as in Random Access Memory or on an
internal hard drive) and be transmitted over network 150 to a
remote database (not shown) in a hard drive, or alternatively
transmitted to control server 102 and then to database 172. The
client computing device 161-163 are also configured similarly to
client computing device 160.
[0038] Client computing devices 160-163 may each comprise any type
of computing devices. For instance, the client computing devices
160-163 may comprise a personal computing device or a mobile
computing device capable of wirelessly exchanging data with each
other or control server 102, such as via network 150. FIG. 2
illustrates exemplary computing devices of control server 102 and
client computing devices 160-163. By way of example only, client
computing devices 160-163 may be a mobile phone (e.g., Smartphone)
or a device such as a wireless-enabled PDA, a tablet, a laptop,
head-mountable device, Smart watch, or a netbook that is capable of
obtaining and transmitting information via the Internet.
[0039] Control server 102 and client computing devices 160-163 can
be at nodes of network 150 and capable of directly and indirectly
communicating with other nodes of network 150. Although only a few
computing devices are depicted in FIGS. 1-2, it should be
appreciated that a typical system can include a large number of
connected computing devices, with each different computing device
being at a different node of the network 150. The network 150 and
intervening nodes described herein can be interconnected using
various protocols and systems, such that the network can be part of
the Internet, World Wide Web, specific intranets, Wide Area
Networks, or Local Area Networks. Network 150 can utilize standard
communications protocols, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi and HTTP,
protocols that are proprietary to one or more companies, and
various combinations of the foregoing, as discussed above with
respect to the HTTPS Webserver and the Websocket server. Although
certain advantages are obtained when information is transmitted or
received as noted above, other aspects of the subject matter
described herein are not limited to any particular manner of
transmission of information.
[0040] The communication support system may begin by a user, such
as the user associated with client computing device 163, being
authenticated and then creating a session on his or her client
computing device 163. Thus, the user may create a username and
password or login to the system if he or she already has a username
and password. Alternatively, the user may be authenticated using
fingerprint identification, iris scan, pin code, pattern, etc., or
any combination thereof. It should be understood that other users
associated with client computing devices 160-162 may also create a
session or other client computing device not shown.
[0041] Upon being authenticated, the user may create a session. For
example, referring to FIG. 3, the user may type in a session name
or number in a text box or input line 320. In addition, at this
time the user may select a date and time using scroll 322 for the
session to expire. In this regard, if the user is planning on
attending a meeting, deposition, court hearing, trial, etc., then
the user may select for the session to expire any time after the
meeting is expected to be over, such as 5:30 p.m., or any time up
until 11:59 p.m. that night. The user may then choose whether or
not the session is private via private session switch 324 and
whether or not to put channels on via channel switch 326. The
private session may create additional security and privacy measures
via certain criteria, such as only authorized users within that
specific company or team are able to access the electronic notes
transmitted, only users within a predetermined distance threshold
are able to access the session, etc. Other criteria that work
together or alone are possible as well. The channels may establish
a hierarchy among the various users, so that each user's ability to
communicate with another user is based on the level or position of
that user within the hierarchy.
[0042] After the user creates the session, the user may add members
or users to the created session, as illustrated in FIG. 4. For
instance, the user may search for registered users by typing in a
user's name or e-mail address in search textbox 430, in which case
names will begin to populate therebelow. Alternatively or in
addition, the user may select users in the organization section
424. In which case the user may select all users that he or she
would like to include within the created session. As illustrated in
selected section 422, all users that have been selected will be
displayed.
[0043] After a session is created, the hierarchy is fully
established among the users. For instance and by way of example
only, as illustrated in FIG. 5 each user is associated with a
particular authorization level within the session and channels are
created among and between the users. FIG. 5 depicts a plurality of
client devices, each of which is associated with a particular user,
at three different levels within the particular session that was
created by the user associated with client computing device 163. In
this example, the lowest level of authorization is at Level 3 and
includes client computing devices 161 and 561-563. The level that
includes greater authorization than Level 3 is Level 2, which
includes client computing devices 161, 564 and 565. Finally, the
level with the highest authorization level is Level 1, which
includes only client computing device 163. The user associated with
client computing device 163 may be a leader of a group, a public
speaker, or the partner of a law firm whom is speaking at a trial,
deposition, hearing, etc. Other examples are also possible. In this
regard, the other users associated with client computing devices at
Levels 2 and 3 may be providing support to the user associated with
client computing device 163. Furthermore, only users that have
access to the session, such as those whom were properly invited by
the administrator or creator of the session, are able to transmit
and access electronic notes within the given session.
[0044] The client computing devices that are capable and authorized
to transmit electronic notes to levels above that of the given
client computing device are those that are adjacent to each other
within the levels of the hierarchy. For instance, in FIG. 5 Level 2
is adjacent to Level 1; therefore, the client computing devices
associated with Level 2 are capable of transmitting notes to client
computing devices at Level 1, which is client computing device 163
in the example of FIG. 5. Furthermore, Level 3 is only adjacent to
Level 2; thus, client computing devices associated with Level 3 may
only transmit electronic notes to client computing devices at Level
2, which is client devices 161, 564, and 565 in the example of FIG.
5.
[0045] However, since the structure is a hierarchy, it should be
understood that client computing devices associated with a
respectively higher level within the hierarchy may transmit
electronic notes to respectively lower levels within the hierarchy.
Thus, with respect to FIG. 5, client computing device 163 at Level
1 may transmit electronic notes to any and all devices below that
level, which is Level 2 and Level 1 in the example of FIG. 5.
[0046] As indicated in FIG. 5, channels are established between and
among the various levels. For instance, users associated with
Levels 2 and 3 may communicate according to Channel 2, and users
associated with Levels 1 and 2 may communicate with each other
according to Channel 1. In this regard, each respective channel are
secure in that no other users may intercept, receive, or view
electronic notes that are transmitted among the channels. Thus, if
the user associated with client computing device 160 transmits an
electronic note to client computing devices associated with Level
2, then only those users that have been authorized and associated
with Level 2 authorization will receive the electronic note.
[0047] Other client computing devices associated with Level 3 may
also receive the electronic note transmitted by client computing
device 160, including client computing devices 561-563. This may be
helpful in that comments may be transcribed on electronic notes.
Thus, if the user associated with client computing device 562 has
more information to add to the electronic note transmitted by
client computing device 160, then that user may transcribe below
that note any additional comments, information, opinions, etc.
Since each client computing device associated with Levels 2 and 3
received the electronic note from client computing device 160,
these comments may be transcribed by any client computing device
associated with Levels 2 and 3.
[0048] It should be understood that although only three levels of
authorization are depicted in FIG. 5, any number of levels within
the hierarchy and any number of users may be associated with each
level within the hierarchy. For instance, there may be four levels,
five levels, ten levels, twenty levels, etc. The amount of levels
may depend on the given situation and the scale of operation that
the organization is using the technology for. Furthermore, although
FIG. 5 illustrates the number of users reducing as the hierarchy
extends to the highest level of authorization, it should be
understood that each level may be varied in terms of the amount of
users. For instance, Level 3 may have two users, Level 2 may have
ten users, and Level 1 may have four users. Thus, the purpose of
the technology may still operate even if the amount of users does
not fit within a clear and concise structure, as depicted in FIG.
5. Rather, the authorization levels may be dependent on the given
jobs, roles, tasks, etc. assigned to each level of
authorization.
[0049] Referring now to FIG. 6, the user associated with client
computing device 160 transcribed and subsequently transmitted the
electronic note 602 to Level 2 users, that is, client computing
devices 161, 564, and 565. FIG. 7 provides an exemplary display
associated with client computing device 160 to transcribe the
electronic note 602. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the user may
transcribe, such as by typing on a keyboard, a note within text
area 730, which thereby would create the text of the electronic
note 602. In addition or as an alternative, the electronic note may
include handwriting, such as on a touchscreen display, links (e.g.,
Uniform Resource Locator), documents, photographs, graphics such as
arrows and emojis, etc. The electronic note 602 is associated with
a session named Bank of America v. State of Nebraska, as
illustrated in session area 740. Furthermore, electronic note area
750 may provide a list of all electronic notes that have been
created during that particular session.
[0050] Referring back to FIG. 6, when transmitting the electronic
note 602 the electronic note may be transmitted via the network
150, through and verified by control server 102, and then
transmitted via the network 150 to each client device at
authorization Level 2. For instance, control server 102, such as
the WebSocket server, may authenticate the user by verifying the
authentication token associated with the client computing device
160, which the client computing device 160 received after signing
in to his or her account. From here, the control server 102
communicates with database 172 via network 150 and stores the
electronic note 602. Furthermore and in accordance with the details
associated with the created session that was set-up via client
computing device 163 as described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4,
other details about the electronic note 602 is stored as well. For
instance, the expiration date and time of the electronic note 602
and who are the authorized client computing devices that are
permitted to receive and access the electronic note 602 pursuant to
each user's relationship in the hierarchy. Furthermore, the session
name or title may be stored, such as session area 740 in FIG. 7,
which is Bank of America v. State of Nebraska.
[0051] With respect to the expiration date and time of the
electronic note 602, if the user associated with client computing
device 163 indicated in creating the session that the electronic
note will terminate at 11:59 p.m. on the same date, then the
database 172 will store a parameter associated with that electronic
note 602, which states that all information and data with respect
to electronic note 602 will be deleted at 11:59 p.m. that day. The
information that is deleted with respect to the electronic note 602
when 11:59 p.m. strikes may include the text of the electronic note
602, the time and date it was created, transmitted, and received by
other client computing devices, the session name it was associated
with, etc. In this regard, the memory file for all information
pertaining to the electronic note 602 may be set to NIL and
permanently deleted from all devices, computers and or servers that
may have ever been part of a particular session.
[0052] With respect to the database 172 storing information in
regards to who is able to receive and access the electronic note
602, the database 172 may store at least one of which
authentication levels and users within the hierarchy the electronic
note 602 should be transmitted to. For instance, with respect to
FIG. 6, since the electronic note 602 was created and sent via
client computing device 160 at Level 3, then the control server 102
knows which client computing devices are authorized to receive the
electronic note 602 from a Level 3 user. As discussed above, client
computing devices that are positioned one respective level above
that of the sending client computing device are authorized to
receive the electronic note, in addition to client computing
devices at the same authorization level as the sending client
computing device. Thus and with respect to FIG. 6, along with the
contents of electronic note 602, the database 172 will further
store indications that Levels 2 and 3 authorization levels are
authorized to receive the electronic note 602. However, in the
event that the channels switch 326 was not selected at the creation
of the session, as illustrated in FIG. 3, then the database 172 may
not store indications that Levels 2 and 3 authorization levels are
only authorized to receive the electronic note 602. In this regard,
all users may simply be authorized to receive the electronic note
602 because the hierarchy structure is inactivated for that
particular session.
[0053] It should further be understood that should another user be
created and/or associated with one of the levels, such as Level 2
or 3, then the database 172 will be updated to reflect the client
computing device associated with the new user to have authorization
to electronic note 602 as well. For instance, if a new client
computing device was added to Level 2 after, before, or
contemporaneous with the creation of the electronic note 602, then
the new client computing device will be authorized to receive and
access the electronic note 602 as well. Further and as discussed in
further detail below, based on the actions of the users associated
with the client computing devices at Level 2, the database 172 may
update the client computing devices and/or levels that are
authorized to receive and access the client computing device 602,
such as in the situation where one or more of the client computing
devices at Level 2 choose to forward the electronic note 602 to
Level 1 users.
[0054] After or contemporaneous with all relevant information of
the electronic note 602 being stored within database 172, the
control server 102, such as the Websocket server, sends push
notifications to any and all authorized users. The control server
102 may also send a message to the original client device 160 that
the electronic note 602 creation and transmission was a
success.
[0055] As an alternative to or in addition to the electronic note
602 being transmitted through control server 102, the electronic
note 602 may be transmitted via Bluetooth.RTM. between and among
the client computing devices. For example, client computing device
160 may store security and authorization information within memory
174 which indicates which client computing devices the client
computing device 160 can transmit the electronic note 602 to. For
instance, the client computing device 160 may receive verified
information regarding every client computing device that is
associated with Levels 2 and 3; thereby providing the client
computing device 160 with the relevant information as to who can
receive the electronic note 602. Accordingly, the network 150 in
this scenario may be Bluetooth.RTM.. Furthermore, if Bluetooth.RTM.
is used as a means of communicating electronic note 602, then as an
additional security criteria the client computing devices that
should not receive the electronic note 602 may include a security
measure that prohibits receiving the electronic note from any
client computing device except those that are authorized. In this
regard, client computing device 163 at Level 1 may block or
otherwise prohibit receipt of any electronic notes that are
transmitted from client computing device 160 and any other client
computing devices at Level 3. However, client computing device 163
will permit or otherwise allow the receipt of electronic notes if
they were transmitted via a Level 2 client computing device, such
as client computing device 161. Alternatively or in addition, if
prohibiting receipt of the electronic note 602 is not feasible,
such as given the network employed, then by the electronic note 602
being properly encrypted, unauthorized devices will be unable to
read the electronic note 602.
[0056] As an additional requirement that may be optional based on
the settings of the created session, the communication support
system, such as at control server 102, may determine whether or not
certain criteria are satisfied before transmitting the electronic
note 602. For instance, based on the client computing devices
including GPS, the client computing devices themselves or the
control server may verify that the client computing devices are
within a threshold distance from each other. For instance, even if
client computing device 161 is at a proper authorization Level 2,
the communication support system may set further requirement
criteria in order for the client computing device 161 to receive
the electronic note. One criteria may be that the client computing
device 161 is within a threshold distance to client computing
device 160, such as five feet, ten feet, one mile, etc. This may
provide heightened security to assure that no one else could
receive access the electronic note 602. Other criteria are also
possible and customizable by the creator of the session. For
instance, additional security measures can be utilized such as
Networking and Cryptography library ("NaCl") Encryption related to
encryption and key agreement protocols and advanced libraries and
frameworks designed to ensure the highest level of security and
encryption. Encryption protocols may be used to encode all
information or notes in such a way so only authorized parties can
access it. Encryption does not in and of itself prevent
interference, but is utilized to deny any information to potential
interceptors. By utilizing highest industry standard encryption
schemes, plaintext messages or information is encrypted using an
encryption algorithm, generating ciphertext that can only be read
if decrypted. For technical reasons, an encryption scheme usually
uses a key generated by an algorithm. It is in principle possible
to decrypt the message without possessing the key, but, for a
well-designed encryption scheme, large computational resources and
skill are required. An authorized recipient can easily decrypt the
message with the key provided by the originator to recipients, but
not to unauthorized interceptors.
[0057] Should one or more of the client computing devices at Level
2 approve of the contents of the electronic note 602, then that
respective client computing device may approve and thereby forward
the electronic note 602 to the recipient who resides at Level 1. In
this regard, the electronic note 602 created by client computing
device 160 may have been transmitted to a single user, such as a
single user associated with Level 1. In this scenario, after the
Level 2 user approved the electronic note 602 for forwarding, the
electronic note 602 may only be transmitted to the originally
designated user, such as the user associated with the client
computing device 163. Thus, in the event there are a plurality of
users associated with Level 1, then only client computing device
163 would receive the electronic note 602. However, each user
associated with Level 2 may still receive the electronic note 602
in order for each Level 2 user to read and approve of the
electronic note 602. Alternatively, the communication support
system may be configured so that only one or certain users
associated with Level 2 are authorized to receive the electronic
note 602. For instance, particular users at Level 3 may be
associated with particular users at Level 2, such as in terms of
expertise, fields of knowledge, etc., and the recipient's ID is
used to retrieve the encrypted value. Alternatively or in addition,
particular users at each level may select whom to transmit
electronic notes to.
[0058] Furthermore, in the event that there are greater than three
levels, such as six levels, then similar configurations described
above would still apply. For instance, if a level 6 user wants a
specific user at level 3 to receive an electronic note, then any
user at level 4 may receive the electronic note to review, approve,
and forward. When the level 4 user approves of the electronic note,
only the original intended recipient that is at level 3 would
receive the electronic note. Alternatively, only certain users at 4
would receive the electronic note from the level 6 user and be able
to approve of and forward to the electronic note.
[0059] Referring now to the example in FIG. 8, the client computing
device 161 opted to forward the electronic note 602 to Level 1
client computing devices, which in this scenario is only client
computing device 163. In this regard, the electronic note 602 may
be transmitted to client computing device 164 similarly as
described above with respect to the transmission of the electronic
note from client computing device 160 to the Level 2 and Level 3
client computing devices. For instance, the electronic note 602 may
be transmitted over the network 150, through control server 102,
stored within database 172, and then ultimately transmitted to
client computing device 164. Alternatively, the electronic note 602
may be transmitted to client computing device 164 via
Bluetooth.RTM. as discussed above. It should be understood that
although only client computing device 163 is depicted in FIG. 8, if
additional client computing devices were associated with Level 1
then those devices would similarly receive the electronic note 602.
Furthermore, any additional client computing devices that are added
to each respective Level may receive any and all electronic notes
that were transmitted prior to, contemporaneous with, or after the
transmission of the electronic note. Thus, if a fourth, fifth, etc.
client computing device were to be added to Level 2, then the added
one or more client computing devices would receive any notes that
were transmitted in that session intended for that user.
Additionally, the top level user in a session can temporarily
promote any user in the session as an acting Level 1 for that brief
period of time, enabling that top user to act as the filter for the
acting lead of the session. For example, if a Level 5 user
addresses the court and speaks at the podium, the current Level 1
(e.g., the lead attorney) can promote that user to Acting Level 1
which will enable the original Level 1 to review and filter any
notes that are being sent to the temporary Acting level 1 for that
specific agenda item within the session.
[0060] For example, when the new user chooses to join a session,
the client computing device sends a request through the control
server 102, such as the WebSocket server, containing the
authentication token, requesting all electronic notes that are
available for the user based on his or her authorization level
within the hierarchy. The control server 102 could utilize items
such as JavaScript Objective Notations ("JSON") formatted records
back to the client computing device containing the electronic
notes. Using JSONs is the most common data format that is used for
asynchronous server communications to devices while taking into
account security and interoperability considerations. The control
server 102 may also mark the user as online in the database
172.
[0061] As mentioned above, the session may automatically end at a
given date and time. The session creator may choose a particular
date and time to end the session. Alternatively or in addition, the
system may be configured to automatically end all sessions by
midnight of the day that the session was created. When the session
ends, all electronic notes stored in the database 172, control
server 102, and each client computing device may be permanently
deleted and inaccessible. This provides for additional security and
comports the communication support system disclosed herein to act
similar to physical paper notes. For example, physical notes may be
discarded or shredded and never accessible again; however, even
physical notes can be retrieved by opposing parties, which makes
the present communication support system advantageous since there
will be no physical notes that can inadvertently be dropped for
opposing parties to retrieve.
[0062] In addition to a session ending at a particular time, users
may be ejected from or willfully leave sessions. For instance, an
owner or creator of a particular session has authority to eject
particular users from a session. In this scenario, all electronic
notes stored on the ejected user's client device may be deleted and
irretrievable. Similarly, should a user willfully leave or
otherwise sign-out from a session, then all electronic notes stored
on the user's client computing device will be deleted and
irretrievable. Should the user be given access to the session
again, then the user may again have access to electronic notes that
are commensurate with that given user's authentication level, as
discussed above.
[0063] FIG. 9 provides an exemplary flowchart of the communication
support system described above. For instance, at step 902 a user,
using a first client computing device, transcribes an electronic
note. The electronic note may be transcribed using a keyboard
associated with the client computing device, writing with a finger
or stylus, etc. on a touchscreen display of the client computing
device, voice recognition to text, etc.
[0064] After the electronic note is transcribed and the user wants
to transmit the electronic note to a second client computing device
associated with a higher level within the hierarchy, two
verification steps may be performed. The two verification steps may
be performed at the control server 102 or at one or more of the
client computing devices, such as the first and second client
computing devices. For instance, the communication support system
at step 904 will first determine whether or not the first client
computing device is authorized to transmit the electronic note to
at least the second client computing device. In this regard, the
communication support system may consider what level within the
hierarchy the first client computing device is at, and then which
level the second client computing device is associated with. If the
communication support system determines that the second client
computing device is one respective level above that of the first
client computing device within the hierarchy or at the same level
of the first client computing device, then this prong will be
satisfied.
[0065] Before, after, or contemporaneous with the decision at step
904, the communication support system at step 906 may similarly
determine whether requisite criteria are satisfied to transmit the
electronic note to at least the second client computing device.
This verification of the criteria may be a secondary optional
requirement, and may not be performed. The criteria may include,
for example, whether the first and second client computing devices
are within a threshold distance from each other. For instance, even
if the second client computing device is permitted to receive the
electronic note based on the authorization level associated
therewith, the second client computing device may not be nearby.
If, for example, the communication support system is being
implemented in a courtroom environment, then the second client
computing device not being within a threshold distance to the
parties may thereby prohibit that device from receiving the
electronic notes.
[0066] If the decision to either 904 or 906 are no, then the
electronic note from the first computing device may not be
transmitted, as illustrated at steps 905 and 907. As mentioned
above, however, the step at 906 may be optional only based on the
creator of the session. Thus, then if the session does not consider
other criteria, such as threshold distance or proper authentication
keys, being necessary, then step 906 may not be performed and only
the decision at 904 will decide whether or not the electronic note
is transmitted.
[0067] If either the decisions at steps 904 and 906 are both yes,
then the communication support system may move on to step 908. At
step 908, the electronic note from the first computing device is
transmitted to at least the second client computing device over the
network. At step 910, at least the second client computing device
receives the electronic note from the first client computing
device. Similar to the steps at 904 and 906, at steps 912 and 914,
respectively, the communication support system determines whether
or not the second client computing device is authorized to forward
or otherwise transmit the electronic note to at least a third
client computing device, and whether or not the second client
computing device satisfies requisite criteria. If the decision to
step 912 or 914 is no, then the electronic note will not be
transmitted as indicated at steps 913 and 915. Conversely, if the
decisions to steps 912 and 914 is yes, then the electronic note
will be transmitted to at least the third client computing device
at step 916. It should be understood that the verification of
criteria being satisfied at step 914 is optional, and may only be
verified if the user selected this option when creating the
session, or this requirement was otherwise selected in settings
after creation of the session.
[0068] Although not shown in FIG. 9, the third client computing
device may then determine if a fourth client computing device
should receive the electronic note. The process in FIG. 9 may
continue up until the highest authorization level within the
hierarchy is reached.
[0069] As another embodiment, comments may be made for each
respective electronic note. Referring to FIG. 10, text area 730 is
displayed for electronic note 602, and therebelow is a comment
section 1080 from various users associated with authorized client
computing devices. In this regard, users that were authorized to
view the electronic note 602, are authorized to create comments for
the electronic note as well. This is similar to when physical paper
notes, such as post-its, are used between people in that each
individual is able to further write comments or additional notes on
a given post-it. This also facilitates comprehensive in-person
discussions among all relevant and authorized parties.
[0070] As a further embodiment, a writing utensil may include
electronic components that automatically sense writing and create
an electronic note based on movement of the writing utensil. The
writing utensil may be a pencil, pen, stylus, etc. that includes
various sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc. that are
able to transmit movement of the writing utensil into an electronic
note. For instance, a user may use a pen on legal pad or a post-it
to write a note. Alternatively, if a user has a stylus then they
may simply write a note on a desk, his or he hand, or any surface.
The sensors contained within the writing utensil transmits the
writing to electronic note form. The electronic note may then be
transmitted similarly as described above, such as over the network,
Bluetooth.RTM., through the control server, saved within the
database, and then transmitted to all authorized parties. It should
be understood the writing utensil may have been authenticated so as
to be associated with a given; thus, the writing utensil is the
client computing device as discussed above, and thereby replaces a
tablet, Smartphone, etc.
[0071] As another embodiment, the electronic note may be
immediately and in real-time transmitted to other authorized client
computing devices. For example, as a user is transcribing the
electronic note on his or her client computing device, the
authorized client computing devices receive the text as the note is
being written. Thus, similar to when a person is actually writing a
note on a notepad, post-it, etc. and others are able to see, the
other users are able to see the text of the electronic note on
their respective client computing devices as the user is
transcribing. This real-time communication may be done if the note
is transcribed via keyboard, writing on a touchscreen,
voice-to-text recognition, etc. Even further, the real-time
transmission may apply to the example provided above with respect
to the writing utensil including various sensors therein, such as a
stylus, pen, pencil, etc., which automatically transcribes an
electronic note via a typical writing utensil.
[0072] Advantages of the present disclosure include the ability for
a hierarchical structure to communicate effectively amongst each
other. The communication support system allows for the lead
speaker, such as the speaking attorney at a trial or hearing, to
receive effective and important communications after the
information has been sifted through and approved the relevant
people. For instance, if a paralegal has a piece of information
that he or she believes is favorable to the speaker, then the
paralegal may transmit the electronic note to a junior attorney.
The junior attorney may choose to reject notion in the electronic
note if he or she disagrees with the notions therein, or forward
the electronic note to a senior attorney. The senior attorney may
then similarly reject the note back to the junior attorney, or
approve of and forward the electronic note to the lead attorney who
is speaking. In addition, throughout the entire process each
participant within the chain may create comments for the electronic
note. For instance, if the senior attorney has a question or
comment about the electronic note, then the senior attorney can
comment directly thereon, thereby immediately having every
authorized user to view the comment and react thereto. Therefore,
the lead attorney or speaker will receive the note once it has been
properly vetted and verified.
[0073] Most of the foregoing alternative embodiments are not
mutually exclusive, but may be implemented in various combinations
to achieve unique advantages. As these and other variations and
combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized
without departing from the invention as defined by the claims, the
foregoing description of the embodiments should be taken by way of
illustration rather than by way of limitation of the invention as
defined by the claims. It will also be understood that the
provision of examples of the invention (as well as clauses phrased
as "such as," "including" and the like) should not be interpreted
as limiting the invention to the specific examples; rather, the
examples are intended to illustrate only one of many possible
embodiments.
* * * * *