1994-06-27
1997-07-15
Bowler, Alyssa H.
395800, 395326, G06F 1516
Patent
active
056491050
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to co-pending, commonly assigned application Ser. No. 08/256,209, filed Jun. 27, 1994, entitled "Call Management in a Collaborative Working Network".
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to collaborative working in a network and more specifically to a programmable workstation and a method for use in such a collaborative working environment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Personal computers are now widespread throughout the business community and many are able to intercommunicate, either through fixed connections e.g. local area networks, or through dynamically established links e.g. ISDN or async lines over the public switched telephone network. Increasingly, these connected personal computers can be used to enhance collaborative working between remote individuals; a typical example being the use of desk top conferencing software. Successful collaborative work generally requires more than a simple data link between the participants; voice capabilities are normally essential and video links are frequently required. Thus remote collaborative working can often be regarded as an extension to the traditional telephone call--it being enhanced with the data and programs available at the desktop via the personal computer--and, on occasions, enriched with video services.
A broad spectrum of collaborative applications can be envisaged, ranging from utilities taking advantage of the data and applications on a workstation, e.g. sharing of screen windows and files, through to new collaborative applications designed to meet the needs of specific classes of remote user e.g. just-in-time education, remote presentations, executive broadcasts or help desk. The common requirements behind these examples are: and software.
Although desk top conferencing systems employing multi-media devices and communications channels exist, generally they are provided with a fixed set of system software and utility applications which is insufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all potential applications.
Accordingly the present invention provides a programmable workstation for collaborative working in a network of workstations forming the nodes of the network, the network being connected by physical links for the transmission of data between nodes; controlling physical routing of multi-media data between nodes; and application programs running on the workstation and responsive to predetermined application program calls to create a logical network model of a collaborative environment comprising sharing sets of application programs, which share data and resources within and across nodes, and logical dedicated data channels connecting members of a sharing set of application programs, each data channel being defined by a sending port and a receiving port each associated with an application program, the collaborative application support program layer being adapted to cooperate with the network control program layer to establish the physical links necessary to implement the logical network model in a physical network, transparently to the application programs.
According to another aspect, the invention also provides A method in which, in response to a predetermined program call by a first application program through which data is being transferred, via receiving and sending ports of the first application, between two other applications, the receiving port of the first application is reversibly directly connected to its sending port so that the data transfer bypasses the first application programs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to FIG. 1-25 of the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows two programmable workstations connected by a network;
FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship between the support program shown in FIG. 1 and other software components on a workstation;
FIG. 3 illustrates applications being shared between the nodes;
FIG. 4 shows the sharing sets resulting from the application sharing illustrated in
REFERENCES:
patent: 5195086 (1993-03-01), Baumgartner et al.
patent: 5208912 (1993-05-01), Nakayama et al.
patent: 5247615 (1993-09-01), Mori et al.
patent: 5357068 (1994-10-01), Rozier
patent: 5363507 (1994-11-01), Nakayama et al.
patent: 5379374 (1995-01-01), Ishizaki et al.
"Novell now shipping Netware Global Messaging", The LocalNetter, Sep. 1992 v12 n9 p. 25(1).
"E-mail: Novell shipping Netware Global Messaging Server", EDGE on & About AT&T, Aug. 10, 1992 v7 n211 p. 23(1).
"Promises & Pitfalls: how collaborative systems work", Janca, Peter C, Corporate Computing Nov. 1992 v1 n5 p. 185 (4).
"It's in the Mail: E-mail has grown into a serious network tool for info exchange", Krivda, Cheryl D, LAN Computing Aug. 1992 v3 n8 p. 19(5).
U. K. Search Report "A Multipoint Communication Service for Interactive Applications" by G. Vonderweidt et al, IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. 39, No. 12, Dec. 1991.
Aldred Barry Keith
Bonsall Gordon William
Lambert Howard S.
Mitchell Harry David
Bowler Alyssa H.
Davis Walter D.
IBM Corp.
Ray-Yarletts Jeanine S.
LandOfFree
Collaborative working in a network does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Collaborative working in a network, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Collaborative working in a network will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1498874