Distributed document sharing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer system for distributed collaborative computing, the system comprising:
- a plurality of server computers connected to a plurality of client computers via a global-area computer network;
a high-speed direct connection link connecting the plurality of server computers; and
a computer program executable by the server computers, wherein the computer a program comprises computer instructions for;
spawning a plurality of logical collaboration servers distributed across the plurality of server computers;
receiving a request to join an on-line conference from a particular client computer of the plurality of client computers;
selecting a particular logical collaboration server on a particular one of the plurality of server computers, from the plurality of logical collaboration servers, to support the client computer;
replicating conference information to the particular logical collaboration server from another logical collaboration server;
conducting an on-line conference among the particular client computer and an arbitrary number of other client computers connected to an arbitrary number of other logical collaboration servers on the server computers connected to each other by over the global area network and the high-speed direct connection link;
displaying a document stored on the particular client computer on an arbitrary number of other client computers;
monitoring the operational status of the logical collaboration server; and
spawning a new logical collaboration server process in the event failure of a spawned logical collaboration server is detected.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed collaborative computer system that supports document sharing is provided that comprises a plurality of server computers interconnected via a high-speed link. Client computers can connect to any available server computer and start or join a conference hosted on either the server computer to which the client computer is connected or any other server in the system. As a result, the system and method of the present invention allow document sharing among an arbitrary number of client computers.
122 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A computer system for distributed collaborative computing, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of server computers connected to a plurality of client computers via a global-area computer network;
a high-speed direct connection link connecting the plurality of server computers; and
a computer program executable by the server computers, wherein the computer a program comprises computer instructions for;
spawning a plurality of logical collaboration servers distributed across the plurality of server computers;
receiving a request to join an on-line conference from a particular client computer of the plurality of client computers;selecting a particular logical collaboration server on a particular one of the plurality of server computers, from the plurality of logical collaboration servers, to support the client computer; replicating conference information to the particular logical collaboration server from another logical collaboration server;
conducting an on-line conference among the particular client computer and an arbitrary number of other client computers connected to an arbitrary number of other logical collaboration servers on the server computers connected to each other by over the global area network and the high-speed direct connection link;
displaying a document stored on the particular client computer on an arbitrary number of other client computers;monitoring the operational status of the logical collaboration server; and
spawning a new logical collaboration server process in the event failure of a spawned logical collaboration server is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method of operating a distributed collaborative computing system comprising a plurality of server computers, the method comprising:
spawning a plurality of logical collaboration servers and distributing them across the plurality of server computers;
replicating conference information from one logical collaboration server to another logical collaboration server;
conducting an on-line conference among an arbitrary number of the client computers connected to an arbitrary number of logical collaboration servers on the server computers, the server computers connected to each other by a high-speed direct connection link;
displaying a document stored on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers;
monitoring the operational status of the logical collaboration servers; and
spawning a new logical collaboration server process in the event failure of a spawned logical collaboration server process is detected.- View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a plurality of server computers, the computer program comprising computer instructions for:
-
spawning a plurality of logical collaboration servers and distributing them across the plurality of server computers replicating conference information from one logical collaboration server to another logical collaboration server; conducting an on-line conference among an arbitrary number of the client computers connected to an arbitrary number logical collaboration servers on the server computers, the server computers connected to each other by a high-speed direct connection link;
displaying a document stored on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers;
monitoring the operational status of the logical collaboration servers spawned processes; and
spawning a new logical collaboration server process in the event failure of a spawned logical collaboration server process is detected. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
Specification