Information sharing method and apparatus using object oriented technology

• US 20020180777A1
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K-Plex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: K-Plex Incorporated
• Inventors: Oikawa, Kazushige, Kusumoto, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

An information sharing method and apparatus using an object oriented technology are provided for mutually sharing any manipulation events in a shared environment which operates in a plurality of computers on a network. The method provides a plurality of objects to be used by users for information processing on their information processing apparatuses, and an environment in which the objects operate. Each of the objects transmits an event made thereto by an operator as a message. A shared field object is shared by a plurality of users, and one or more objects operate on the shared field object. These objects are distributed to the plurality of users to share the same environment among the users. A message of the event is distributed to each of the users through the shared field object to recall the event in the respective environments to share the operation of the object.

Claims

1. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of computers connected to a network with an environment in which objects operate;

providing a shared field object;

registering one or more objects in said shared field object as required at any arbitrary time;

loading said shared field object and said one or more objects registered as required at any arbitrary time onto said plurality of computers;

recording, in response to each manipulation made by an operator to said object, event information on said object;

managing said recorded event information for each object as an object scenario;

delivering said object scenario to said shared field object on said plurality of computers; and

executing said delivered object scenario for each object associated with said scenario by said shared field object on said plurality of computers.

2. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said recorded one or more objects holds information on its position relative to said shared field object.

3. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said object scenario is recorded by said shared field object.

4. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said object scenario is recorded by an object itself which is manipulated by said object scenario.

5. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said object scenario includes sequential recording of a change in a relative position of an object with respect to said shared field object associated with movements of said object, wherein said relative position is recorded at intervals of adjustable sampling time period.

6. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said shared field object holds information on users who share said shared field object, and information on a server which has user information, wherein a destination of an object scenario is determined based on such shared information.

7. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

an object operating under management of said object scenario cannot be manipulated by individual sharers while an independent object not operating under management of said object scenario can be manipulated by the individual sharers.

8. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of loading said shared field object and said one or more objects registered as required at any arbitrary time onto said plurality of computers and said step of delivering said object scenario to said shared field object on said plurality of computers are directly executed mutually by said plurality of computers.

9. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of loading said shared field object and said one or more objects registered as required at any arbitrary time onto said plurality of computers and said step of delivering said object scenario to said shared field object on said plurality of computers are executed through a server computer on the network.

10. An information sharing method using an object oriented technology according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of loading said shared field object and said one or more objects registered as required at any arbitrary time onto said plurality of computers is executed through a server computer on the network; and

said step of delivering said object scenario to said shared field object on said plurality of computers is directly executed mutually by said plurality of computers.

11. A program causing a computer to execute the steps of:

providing a plurality of computers connected to a network with an environment in which objects operate;

providing a shared field object;

registering one or more objects in said shared field object as required at any arbitrary time;

loading said shared field object and said one or more objects registered as required at any arbitrary time onto said plurality of computers;

recording, in response to each manipulation made by an operator to said object, event information on said object;

managing said recorded event information for each object as an object scenario;

delivering said object scenario to said shared field object on said plurality of computers; and

executing said delivered object scenario for each object associated with said scenario by said shared field object on said plurality of computers.

14. An information sharing apparatus using an object oriented technology according to claim 13, wherein:

said shared field object operates in respective information processing apparatuses of said plurality of users.

15. An information sharing apparatus using an object oriented technology according to claim 13, wherein:

said shared field object operates on an information sharing apparatus of a server connected to respective information processing apparatuses of said plurality of users.

16. An information sharing apparatus using an object oriented technology according to claim 13, wherein:

said shared field object operates both in respective information processing apparatuses of said plurality of users and in a server connected to the respective information processing apparatuses of said plurality of users.

12. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute a program comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of computers connected to a network with an environment in which objects operate;

providing a shared field object;

registering one or more objects in said shared field object as required at any arbitrary time;

loading said shared field object and said one or more objects registered as required at any arbitrary time onto said plurality of computers;

recording, in response to each manipulation made by an operator to said object, event information on said object;

managing said recorded event information for each object as an object scenario;

delivering said object scenario to said shared field object on said plurality of computers; and

executing said delivered object scenario for each object associated with said scenario by said shared field object on said plurality of computers.

13. An information sharing apparatus using an object oriented technology, comprising:

a shared field object for providing an environment shared by a plurality of users;

an object having at least relative position information within said shared field object and internal state information;

means for distributing said objects to said plurality of users;

means for acquiring a manipulation event of a user to said object;

means for distributing the acquired event to each of the users through said shared field object as a message; and

means for recovering the distributed event in each user environment.

17. A program causing a computer to operate as an information sharing apparatus using an object oriented technology, comprising:

a shared field object for providing an environment shared by a plurality of users;

an object having at least relative position information within said shared field object and internal state information;

means for distributing said objects to said plurality of users;

means for acquiring a manipulation event of a user to said object;

means for distributing the acquired event to each of the users through said shared field object as a message; and

means for recovering the distributed event in each user environment.

18. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to operate as an information sharing apparatus using an object oriented technology, comprising:

a shared field object for providing an environment shared by a plurality of users;

an object having at least relative position information within said shared field object, and internal state information;

means for distributing said objects to said plurality of users;

means for acquiring a manipulation event of a user to said object;

means for distributing the acquired event to each of the users through said shared field object as a message; and

means for recovering the distributed event in each user environment.