Communication control apparatus and method

• US 6,111,570 A
• Filed: 02/02/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Murai, Shinya, Sugikawa, Akihiko, Morioka, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/017,213
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 345/329-331, 709/201, 709/203, 709/205, 709/217, 709/219, 707/10, 707/501
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

In the present invention, a plurality of the communication control apparatus form a group to communicate each other. In each communication control apparatus, a memory section stores at least one data and its discrimination information. When the discrimination information of data to broadcast is inputted through an input section, a retrieval section retrieves the data corresponding to the discrimination information from the memory section. A sending section broadcasts the retrieved data to other communication control apparatuses of the group. A receiving section receives the data broadcasted by other communication control apparatus of the group.

Claims

1. A communication control apparatus, a plurality of the communication control apparatuses forming a group of member terminals, data being shared and displayed among the plurality of the communication control apparatuses of the group, each one of the plurality of the communication control apparatuses comprising:

memory means for storing at least one data and its discrimination information;

input means for inputting the discrimination information of data to broadcast to other communication control apparatuses of the group;

retrieval means for retrieving the data corresponding to the discrimination information from said memory means;

sending means for broadcasting the retrieved data to the other communication control apparatuses of the group as shared data;

receiving means for receiving data broadcasted by the other communication control apparatuses of the group, wherein said sending means broadcasts the discrimination information and a display order message of the shared data to the other communication control apparatuses of the group as a common working indication after the shared data is broadcasted; and

selection means for selecting one other communication control apparatus of the group which stores the data to broadcast if the data to broadcast is not stored in said memory means, wherein said sending means sends the discrimination information of data to broadcast and a sharing order message to the selected other communication control apparatus.

2. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said sending means simultaneously broadcasts the shared data, the discrimination information and the display order message to the other communication control apparatuses of the group.

3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said receiving means receives the discrimination information of data to broadcast sent by other communication control apparatus of the group instead of inputting the discrimination information.

4. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said sending means sends a retrieval order message of data to broadcast to other communication control apparatuses of the group if the data to broadcast is not stored in said memory means.

5. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said sending means sends a sharing order message of data to broadcast to one other communication control apparatus of the group if said receiving means receives a retrieval response message of the data to broadcast from the one other communication control apparatus.

6. The communication control apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein said sending means sends the retrieval order message of data to broadcast to other communication control apparatus except for the group if said receiving means does not receive the retrieval response message from all other communication control apparatuses of the group.

7. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said sending means sends a data request to a server by setting a communication session to the server if the data to broadcast is not stored in all communication control apparatuses of the group.

8. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said selection means selects the one other communication control apparatus of the group if at least one other communication control apparatus of the group stores the data to broadcast.

9. A communication control method in an apparatus, a plurality of the apparatuses forming a group of member terminals, data being shared and displayed among the plurality of the apparatuses of the group, the method comprising the steps of:

storing at least one data and its discrimination information;

inputting the discrimination information of data to broadcast to other apparatuses of the group;

retrieving the data corresponding to the discrimination information from stored data;

broadcasting the retrieved data to the other apparatuses of the group as shared data;

receiving data broadcasted by other apparatus of the group;

broadcasting the discrimination information and a display order message of the shared data to the other apparatuses of the group as a common working indication after the shared data is broadcasted;

selecting one other communication control apparatus of the group which stores the data to broadcast if the data to broadcast is not stored; and

sending the discrimination information of data to broadcast and a sharing order message to the selected other communication control apparatus.

10. A computer readable memory containing computer readable instructions for an apparatus, a plurality of the apparatuses forming a group of member terminals, data being shared and displayed among the plurality of the apparatuses of the group, comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to store at least one data and its discrimination information;

instruction means for causing a computer to input the discrimination information of data to broadcast to other apparatuses of the group;

instruction means for causing a Computer to retrieve the data corresponding to the discrimination information from stored data;

instruction means for causing a computer to broadcast the retrieved data to the other apparatuses of the group as shared data;

instruction means for causing a computer to receive data broadcasted by other apparatus of the group;

instruction means for causing a computer to broadcast the discrimination information and a display order message of the shared data to the other apparatuses of the group as a common working indication after the shared data is broadcasted;

instruction means for causing a computer to select one other communication control apparatus of the group which stores the data to broadcast if the data to broadcast is not stored; and

instruction means for causing a computer to send the discrimination information of data to broadcast and a sharing order message to the selected other communication control apparatus.