Deferred synchronization of distributed objects

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for communication between agents in an electronic conferencing system. In an electronic conferencing system wherein data is shared between a plurality of participants during an electronic conference, a method is disclosed for maintaining consistency of the data among the participants during the electronic conference. The method of the present invention comprises the following steps: a) each participant in the electronic conferencing system maintains a local copy of the shared data for the electronic conference during the electronic conference; b) one of the participants commences to perform modifications to an associated local copy of the shared data; c) subsequent to the step of commencing modifications, a participant requests an index for the modifications from an arbitrator participant, wherein the modifications to the associated local copy of the shared data may continue to be performed; d) the arbitrator participant responds to the participant requesting the index for the modifications; and e) a participant modifies the associated local copy of the shared data according to the index received from the arbitrator participant and transfers the local modifications to remote participants.