System for providing a synchronized display of information slides on a plurality of computer workstations over a computer network

Abstract

A system is disclosed for providing synchronized presentation of slides over a computer network. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a plurality of computer workstations disposed in electrical communication across the computer network, each workstation running a Web browser application (e.g. Netscape's Navigator, Microsoft's Explorer, etc.). An instructor applet is executed under a browser application at a first of the plurality of computer workstations, and at least one student applet is executed under a browser application at a second of the plurality of computer workstations. Finally, a network server is provided and, in response to an initial request from the instructor applet, starts an auxiliary server, which runs a synchronization application that is responsive to the instructor applet for managing a plurality of URLs that define the totality of the presentation. The synchronization application includes a code segment to direct each of the student applets to retrieve and display the presentation slides located at the URLs designated by the instructor and displayed via the Web browser. The display is synchronized in that the same presentation URL is displayed at the instructor workstation and each of the plurality of student workstations.