The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 31, 1994
Gregg S Foster, Woodside, CA (US);
Frederich N Tou, Cupertino, CA (US);
Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A method for synchronously sharing data among a plurality of computer systems includes the step of determining the initiation of a shared space session. Upon initiation, a message is transmitted to remote computer systems to announce the initiation. A shared space view is then displayed on a screen of the computer system. The input into the shared space view of data is then determined and this data is shared among the computer systems in the shared space session. The method further includes determining whether a message has been received from remote computer systems and incorporating these messages into the shared space view. A further method of the present invention resynchronizes a participant into communication with a shared space session. The method includes the steps of selecting a close box in the shared space view, closing the view to terminate participation in the session and reinitiating participation to reestablish synchronous communication. Contents of the session are saved upon the termination of participation so that sessions can be recreated. An apparatus for performing the methods of the present invention is further disclosed. Included in the apparatus is the mechanisms for determining the initiation of a shared space session and for synchronously sharing data among a plurality of computer systems once initiation has occurred.