Method and apparatus for persistent real-time collaboration

US7840596B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Werner Geyer · Newton, US
• Michael Muller · Medford, US
• Elizabeth A. Brownholtz · Andover, US
• David R. Millen · Boxford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 13, 2007
• Grant date: Nov 23, 2010
• Expiry date: Sep 9, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S707/99952
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A collaboration server is described that enables both real-time conferencing and content management. Thus, client applications can connect to the server to share data and collaborate in real-time. The server allows fine grained sharing of any type of content using generic shared objects (GSO). Each GSO holds one or more pieces of persistent information and defines a list of people who are allowed to access the information. Each GSO also represents a persistent conferencing session, i.e., if clients modify GSOs, modifications are broadcast to all the other clients on the list of the shared object if they are connected. The server also manages relationships between shared objects; i.e., shared objects could be contained in other shared objects or reference other shared objects.