Synchronous collaboration based on peer-to-peer communication
US6898642B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 24, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 25, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/1834
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A peer-to-peer protocol is based on the use of global timestamps and client priorities in serializing modifications to a shared workspace of real-time collaboration. The method caters to dynamic clients wherein a client can leave or join an ongoing collaboration session as long as there is always at least one client present/remaining in the collaboration session. The method can support multiple definitions of a modification, including partitioning-based definitions, wherein the method provides full support for locking of partitions, and a full treatment of inter-partition synchronization via a modification definition over multiple partitions. The method is capable of utilizing the many standard methods of creating a global, distributed, synchronized clock for the global timestamps utilized by it. The method is rollback-based for correcting tentative but incorrect serializations, and provides additional backup in terms of checkpoints for additional safety and for the support of lightweight, pervasive clients. The method includes many optimizations for efficiency, and includes a method of switching to and back from distributed server-based serialization for the periods when the netwo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.