Remote collaboration system performed by a host computer running an application program and remote computers running a program distinct from the application program

• US 5,944,785 A
• Filed: 03/03/1997
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Carleton, Allison A., Schwartz, Krista S., Pommier, Theresa M., Fitzpatrick, Catherine M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Lance Leonard
• Application Number:
  US08/811,078
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1-2, 345/112, 345/330, 345/331, 345/332, 395/330-333, 395/200.04, 395/200.34, 395/200.35
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for remote collaboration is disclosed, wherein a host program running on a host computer is distinct from a remote program running on remote computers. The host program provides an output, and the remote program, which is distinct from the host program, presents the output on the display of the computers, provides input to the host program, annotates the display of the computers, replicates the display of one computer to another computer, and selectively blocks inputs to the program and annotations to the display.

Claims

1. In a computer system which includes a host computer and one or more remote computers linked together by one or more data channels, the improvement comprising:

a) means for running a program on the host computer;

b) shared program means, running on each of the remote computers, for allowing the remote computers to issue commands to the running program;

c) means for allowing a user of any computer to annotate the display of the user'"'"'s computer;

d) means for selectively collecting annotations and replicating the collected annotations on other displays; and

e) means for selectively blocking annotations from other computers to the display of the user'"'"'s computer.

2. In a computer system which includes a host computer and one or more remote computers linked together by one or more data channels, the improvement comprising:

a) means for running a program on the host computer;

b) shared program means for allowing the remote computers to issue commands to the running program;

c) means for allowing a user of any computer to annotate the display of the user'"'"'s computer;

d) means for selectively collecting annotations and replicating the collected annotations on other displays; and

e) means for selectively blocking an annotation on the user'"'"'s computer from the other computers.

3. A method of operating a host computer and at least one remote computer, each having a display, comprising the following steps:

a) running a shared program on the host computer, the shared program providing an output;

b) presenting the output on at least a portion of the display of the host computer;

c) providing input to the shared program, based on actions of a user of the remote computer;

d) allowing a user of any computer to annotate the display of the user'"'"'s computer, the annotations being distinct from the commands issued to the shared program;

e) replicating the display of the host computer on the display of the remote computer;

f) selectively blocking inputs to the shared program and annotations to the display from the remote computer; and

g) wherein one or more of the steps of a) to f) are accomplished by a computer program executed by the remote computers which is distinct from the shared program executed by the host computer.

4. In a computer system which includes a host computer and one or more remote computers linked together by one or more data channels, the improvement comprising:

a) means for running a shared program on the host computer;

b) means for allowing the remote computers to issue commands to the shared program;

c) means for allowing a user of any computer to annotate the display of the user'"'"'s computer;

d) means for selectively collecting annotations and replicating the collected annotations on the remote computer'"'"'s displays;

e) selectively blocking annotations from other computers to the display of the user'"'"'s computer; and

f) wherein one or more of the steps of a) to e) are accomplished by a computer program executed by the remote computers which is distinct from the shared program executed by the host computer.

5. A method of operating a host and one or more remote computers, each having a display, comprising the following steps:

a) running an application program on the host computer, the application program providing an output;

b) presenting the output on at least a portion of the display of the host computer;

c) providing input to the application program, based on actions of a user of remote computer;

d) allowing a user of any computer to annotate the display of the user'"'"'s computer, the annotations being distinct from the commands issued to the running application program;

e) replicating the display of the host computer on the display of the remote computer;

f) selectively blocking an annotation on the host computer from replicating on the display of at least one of the remote computers;

g) selectively blocking an input to the host computer from replicating on the display of at least one of the remote computers; and

h) wherein one or more of the steps of a) to g) are accomplished by a computer program executed by the remote computers which is distinct from the application program.

6. In a computer system which includes a host computer and one or more remote computers linked together by one or more data channels, the improvement comprising:

a) means for running a shared program on the host computer;

b) means for allowing the remote computer to issue commands to the running shared program;

c) means for allowing a user of any computer to annotate the display of the user'"'"'s computer, the annotations being distinct from the commands issued to the running shared program;

d) means for selectively collecting annotations and replicating the collected annotations on other displays;

e) means for selectively blocking an annotation on the user'"'"'s computer from the other computers; and

f) wherein one or more of the steps of a) to e) are accomplished by a computer program executed by the remote computers which is distinct from the shared program.