Multi-group collaboration system and associated methods

1. A collaboration system, including processors and memory, comprising:

a first group display and a first group display computer, the first group display computer to receive mobile device data streams from at least two mobile devices over a wireless access protocol, the first group display computer to request a data stream of a predetermined resolution to each of the at least two mobile devices, the first group display computer to output a first group display data stream over a network, the first group display data stream combining mobile device data streams from the at least two mobile devices:

a second group display and a second group display computer, the second group display computer to receive mobile device data streams from at least two mobile devices, different from the at least two mobile devices streaming to the first group display computer, over the wireless access protocol, the second group display computer to request a data stream of a predetermined resolution to each of the at least two mobile devices, the second group display computer to output a second group display data stream over a network, the second group display data stream combining mobile device data streams from the at least two mobile devices:

a common display computer to receive the first and second group display data streams from the network; and

a common display to display data streamed from the first and second group display computers in first and second group display windows;

for each mobile device:

downloading a display application onto the mobile device;

selecting a group display computer in the display application;

connecting the mobile device to the group display computer;

selecting, on the mobile device, what is to be displayed on the group display,

sending a data stream of the selection on the mobile device to the group display computer to be displayed in a window on the group display corresponding to the mobile device, wherein a first processor in the collaboration system is to:

determine a first resolution (R 1 ) of the data stream sent by the mobile device to the group display computer,

determine a region in which the data stream is to be presented and a second resolution (R 2 ) associated therewith, and

when R 2 is less than R 1 , send a third resolution (R 3 ) request to the mobile device, where R 1 >R 3 >=R 2 , and the display application on the mobile device is to down sample the selection in accordance with the resolution, R 3 , and

transmitting the down sampled resolution (R 3 ) to the group display computer, and

sending a data stream of the group display computer to the common display computer to be displayed in a window on the common display corresponding to the group display computer, wherein a second processor in the collaboration system is to:

determine a first resolution (R 1 ′) of the data stream displayed by the group display computer on the group display,

determine a region in which the data stream is to be presented and a second resolution (R 2 ′) associated therewith, and

when R 2 ′ is less than R 1 ′, send a third resolution (R 3 ′) to the group display computer, where R 1 ′>R 3 ′>=R 2 ′, and the presentation software on the group display computer is to

down sample the data stream in accordance with the resolution, R 3 ′, and

transmitting the data stream with the down sampled resolution (R 3 ′) to the common display computer.

2. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the common display is to broadcast data in the first group display window to the second group display computer or data in the second group display window′ to the first group display computer.

3. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the common display computer is to broadcast a first window on the common display to the first and second group displays.

4. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first window on the common display is one of the first and second group display windows.

5. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the common display computer is to select which of the first and second group display window dominate the common display.

6. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising Ethernet cables connecting the first and second group display computers and the common display computer to the network.

7. A collaboration system, including processors and memory, comprising:

N group displays and N group display computers, where N is a natural number greater than two, each of the group display computers capable of receiving mobile device data streams from at least M mobile devices, different from mobile devices of other group display computers, where M is a natural number greater than two, over a wireless access protocol, the N group least M mobile devices, and to output a group display data stream over a network, the group display data stream combining mobile device data streams from the at least M mobile devices:

a network to receive N group display data streams,

a common display computer to receive the N group display data streams from the network; and

a common display to display data streamed from any one of the N group display-computers in a group display window or full screen;

for each mobile device:

downloading a display application onto the mobile device;

selecting a group display computer in the display application;

connecting the mobile device to the group display computer;

selecting, on the mobile device, what is to be displayed on the group display,

sending a data stream of the selection on the mobile device to the group display computer to be displayed in a window on the group display corresponding to the mobile device, wherein a first processor in the collaboration system is to:

determine a first resolution (R 1 ) of the data stream sent by the mobile device to the group display computer,

determine a region in which the data stream is to be presented and a second resolution (R 2 ) associated therewith, and

when R 2 is less than R 1 , send a third resolution (R 3 ) request to the mobile device, where R 1 >R 3 >=R 2 , and the display application on the mobile device is to

down sample the selection in accordance with the resolution, R 3 , and

transmitting the down sampled resolution (R 3 ) to the group display computer, and

sending a data stream of the group display computer to the common display computer to be displayed in a window on the common display corresponding to the group display computer, wherein a second processor in the collaboration system is to:

determine a first resolution (R 1 ′) of the data stream displayed by the group display computer on the group display,

determine a region in which the data stream is to be presented and a second resolution (R 2 ′) associated therewith, and

when R 2 ′ is less than R 1 ′, send a third resolution (R 3 ′) to the group display computer, where R 1 ′>R 3 ′>=R 2 ′, and the presentation software on the group display computer is to down sample the data stream in accordance with the resolution, R 3 ′, and

transmitting the data stream with the down sampled resolution (R 3 ′) to the common display computer.

8. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the common display to display data streamed from multiple group display computers in multiple group display windows simultaneously.

9. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the common display computer is to broadcast data in a first group display window of the N group display-windows to N−1 group display computers other than the first group display window.

10. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein one of the group display computers and common display computer is to broadcast data in a first group display window of the N group display windows to N−1 group display computers other than the first group display window.

11. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the common display to display data streamed from the N group display computers in N group display windows simultaneously.

12. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the common display computer is to broadcast a first window′ on the common display to any one or more of the N group display computers.

13. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the common display computer is to select which of N group display window's dominate the common display.

14. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising Ethernet cables connecting the N group display computers and the common display computer to the network.

15. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the common display computer is to broadcast a second window′ on the common display to P group display computers, P is a natural number between 1 and N−1.

16. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the P group display computers to receive the second window is selected through touch mechanisms on the common display.

17. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the P group display computers to receive the second window′ is controlled by the common display computer.

18. The collaboration system as claimed in claim 15 , where the P group display computers to receive the second window is controlled by the common display computer and the group display computers.

19. A method of connecting a mobile device to a collaboration system including processors, memory, a common display associated with a common display computer controlling the common display, and a group display associated with a common display computer having presentation software, including, for each mobile device:

downloading a display application onto the mobile device;

selecting a group display computer in the display application;

connecting the mobile device to the group display computer;

selecting, on the mobile device, what is to be displayed on the group display,

sending a data stream of the selection on the mobile device to the group display computer to be displayed in a window on the group display corresponding to the mobile device, wherein a first processor in the collaboration system is to:

determine a first resolution (R 1 ) of the data stream sent by the mobile device to the group display computer,

determine a region in which the data stream is to be presented and a second resolution (R 2 ) associated therewith, and

when R 2 is less than R 1 , send a third resolution (R 3 ) request to the mobile device, where R 1 >R 3 >=R 2 , and the display application on the mobile device is to

down sample the selection in accordance with the resolution, R 3 , and

transmitting the down sampled resolution (R 3 ) to the group display computer, and

sending a data stream of the group display computer to the common display computer to be displayed in a window on the common display corresponding to the group display computer, wherein a second processor in the collaboration system is to:

determine a first resolution (R 1 ′) of the data stream displayed by the group display computer on the group display,

determine a region in which the data stream is to be presented and a second resolution (R 2 ′) associated therewith, and

when R 2 ′ is less than R 1 ′, send a third resolution (R 3 ′) to the group display computer, where R 1 ′>R 3 ′>=R 2 ′, and the presentation software on the group display computer is to

down sample the data stream in accordance with the resolution, R 3 ′, and

transmitting the data stream with the down sampled resolution (R 3 ′) to the common display computer.