COLLABORATION FRAMEWORK

• US 20080046828A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Kreisel, Carolyn, Rogers, Ryan, Bibliowicz, Jacobo, Lipari, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture enables users to collaborate on an actual stored drawing document across a network. A single document is stored on a server who establishes a collaboration session with multiple users that collaborate in real time and dynamically view modifications executed by the users. Users maintain simultaneous write access to the document. Asynchronous commands are received from users, that have a delay of a defined time period, include any modifications made in real time by the user transmitting the asynchronous command, and cause the server to transmit any modifications to all of the multiple users in the collaboration session. The server also maintains a history of all modifications to the actual stored drawing document. The history can be used by a user to undo any user'"'"'s modifications.

Claims

1. A method for users to collaborate on an actual stored drawing document across a network, comprising:

(a) maintaining a single actual stored drawing document on a server;

(b) the server establishing a collaboration session wherein multiple users collaborate in real time and dynamically view modifications, executed by any one of the multiple users to a local copy of the single actual stored drawing, performed in real time by any one of the users in the collaboration session, wherein during the collaboration session;

(i) multiple users maintain simultaneous write access to the single actual stored drawing document;

(ii) asynchronous commands are received by the server from one or more users, wherein the asynchronous commands;

(1) have a delay of a defined time period;

(2) include any modifications made in real time by the user transmitting the asynchronous command;

(3) cause the server to transmit any modifications to all of the multiple users in the collaboration session; and

(iii) the server maintains a history of all modifications to the actual stored drawing document, wherein a user in the collaboration session can undo any user'"'"'s modifications using the history.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the server maintaining a record of the collaboration session including name, numbers, and statuses of the two or more collaborators.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document is supported on all of the users in the collaboration session.