Method and apparatus for activity-based collaboration by a computer system equipped with a communications manager
US6640241B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 19, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 28, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/329
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A communications manager provides communication services for an activity-based collaboration system, in which data change requests comprising deltas are communicated over a network between network-capable devices. The communications manager is operable on a local network capable device for sending locally-generated deltas over the network to at least one remote network-capable device and for receiving remotely-generated deltas over the network from the at least one remote network-capable device. The communications manager can send the deltas via unicasting, multicasting, or broadcasting techniques. The communications manager is responsive to network connection status information indicating that the remote network-capable device is connected to the network for sending the local deltas directly to an address for the remote network-capable device. A presence mechanism maintains and distributes, on request, the network connection status information, which it acquires from each of the network-capable devices. The communications manager is also responsive to the network connection status information indicating that the remote network-capable device is disconnected from the network for se…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.