Control unit operations in a real-time collaboration server
First Claim
1. In a real-time collaboration among multiple collaboration clients, a method of tracking the status of the collaboration, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a real-time collaboration server, data submitted as part of a real-time collaboration involving multiple collaboration clients;
updating a representation of the status of the real-time collaboration to include the data;
establishing a connection with a new collaboration client;
generating a copy of said representation of the status of the real-time collaboration; and
transmitting said copy to the new collaboration client to facilitate synchronization of the new collaboration client with the real-time collaborationmaintaining a queue in said real-time collaboration server, wherein each entry in said queue comprises collaboration data distributed to the multiple clients; and
if the queue reaches a maximum size;
identifying a slow client referencing the oldest entry in the queue;
sending said copy of said representation of the status of the real-time collaboration to the slow client; and
updating the slow client'"'"'s reference to identify the first entry in the queue.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a real-time collaboration server, a control unit manages a collaboration mode. The control unit operates a virtual client that maintains a virtual screen reflecting the status of the collaboration (e.g., the contents of a shared desktop or whiteboard). The virtual client renders collaboration data within the virtual screen. New clients are synchronized with an ongoing collaboration by packing and sending them a copy of the virtual screen. The control unit maintains a queue of collaboration data to be sent to participating clients. Each client may have a pointer identifying the queued data it is processing. The queue may be collapsed (e.g., when it reaches a maximum size) by sending a copy of the virtual screen to one or more clients that have not yet consumed old data in the queue; those clients are then updated to skip the queue entries embodied in the virtual screen.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a real-time collaboration among multiple collaboration clients, a method of tracking the status of the collaboration, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a real-time collaboration server, data submitted as part of a real-time collaboration involving multiple collaboration clients; updating a representation of the status of the real-time collaboration to include the data; establishing a connection with a new collaboration client; generating a copy of said representation of the status of the real-time collaboration; and transmitting said copy to the new collaboration client to facilitate synchronization of the new collaboration client with the real-time collaboration maintaining a queue in said real-time collaboration server, wherein each entry in said queue comprises collaboration data distributed to the multiple clients; and if the queue reaches a maximum size; identifying a slow client referencing the oldest entry in the queue; sending said copy of said representation of the status of the real-time collaboration to the slow client; and updating the slow client'"'"'s reference to identify the first entry in the queue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of tracking the status of a real-time collaboration involving multiple collaboration clients, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a real-time collaboration server, data submitted as part of a real-time collaboration involving multiple collaboration clients; updating a representation of the status of the real-time collaboration to include the data; establishing a connection with a new collaboration client; generating a copy of said representation of the status of the real-time collaboration; and transmitting said copy to the new collaboration client to facilitate synchronization of the new collaboration client with the real-time collaboration maintaining a queue in said real-time collaboration server, wherein each entry in said queue comprises collaboration data distributed to the multiple clients; and if the queue reaches a maximum size; identifying a slow client referencing the oldest entry in the queue; sending said copy of said representation of the status of the real time collaboration to the slow client; and updating the slow client'"'"'s reference to identify the first entry in the queue.
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12. A method of monitoring the status of a real-time collaboration in which a presenter'"'"'s desktop is shared with multiple clients, comprising:
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operating a virtual client within a real-time collaboration server configured to manage a real-time collaboration in which a presenter'"'"'s desktop is shared with multiple clients; receiving a first set of data from the presenter at the virtual client, wherein said a first set of data comprises one or more media streams (Column 9, lines 50–
55);rendering the first set of data within a virtual screen configured to mimic the presenter'"'"'s desktop; receiving a media sync modifier configured to trigger a reset of said media streams; and in response to said media sync modifier, packing said virtual screen for transmission to a client; if the queue reaches a maximum size; identifying a slow client referencing the oldest entry in the queue; sending said packed virtual screen to the slow client; and updating the slow client'"'"'s reference to identify the first entry in the queue. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification