Apparatus and Method for Managing Events in a Computer Supported Collaborative Work Environment

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, participating in a communication session over a network with a second communication device that is remote from the communication device where the communication session includes a computer supported collaborative work environment utilizing a non-baton passing protocol, presenting content at a display device where the content is presented by the second communication device at a second display device, receiving first user input at the user interface where second user input is received by the second communication device where a conflict resolution is applied to events associated with the first and second user input, and presenting adjusted content at the display device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A first communication device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 participating in a communication session over a network with a group of communication devices, wherein the group of communication devices includes the first communication device, wherein content associated with the communication session is presented on a display associated with each communication device in the group of communication devices resulting in a presentation; 
 obtaining user-generated input indicating to adjust the content; 
 generating adjustment data according to the user-generated input; 
 providing the adjustment data to a first portion of the group of communication devices over a first communication connection over the network and providing the adjustment data to a second portion of the group of communication device over a second communication connection over the network; 
 receiving a feedback signal from each of the second portion of the group of communication devices that each of the second portion of the group of communication devices adjusted the content according to the adjustment data; and 
 in response to determining a timer expired, providing the adjustment data to the first portion of the group of communication device over the second communication connection over the network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The first communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication session comprises supporting a collaborative work environment. 
     
     
         3 . The first communication device of  claim 2 , wherein the group of communication devices participate in the collaborative work environment utilizing a non-baton passing protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The first communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the user-generated input is received via a user interface communicatively coupled to the first communication device. 
     
     
         5 . The first communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise, in response to the determining the timer has expired:
 determining that the adjustment data comprises a first portion of the adjustment data and a second portion of the adjustment data; and   determining the first portion of the adjustment data comprises a first group of control commands that is prohibited by each of the first portion of the group of communication devices, wherein the providing of the adjustment data to the first portion of the group of communication devices over the second communication connection comprises providing the second portion of the adjustment data over the second communication connection.   
     
     
         6 . The first communication device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first portion of the group of communication devices and each of the second portion of the group of communication devices adjusts the content of the presentation according to the adjustment data. 
     
     
         7 . The first communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment data comprises a second group of control commands, wherein the second group of control commands comprises navigation, editing of the content, insertion of new content, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The first communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise:
 adjusting the content according to the adjustment data resulting in adjusted content; and   presenting the adjusted content on a first display associated with the first communication device.   
     
     
         9 . The first communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the operations comprise:
 presenting a first graphical pointer associated with the adjusted content controlled by the first communication device on the first display; and   presenting a second graphical pointer associated with the adjusted content controlled by a second communication device on the first display, wherein the group of communication devices comprises the second communication device.   
     
     
         10 . The first communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the first graphical pointer and the second graphical pointer are visually distinguishable. 
     
     
         11 . The first communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the second graphical pointer includes identification information associated with the second communication device. 
     
     
         12 . The first communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the identification information includes an identity of a user associated with the second communication device. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory, machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first communication device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 participating in a collaborative work environment during a communication session over a network with a group of communication devices, wherein the group of communication devices includes the first communication device, wherein content associated with the collaborative work environment is presented on a display associated with each communication device in the group of communication devices;   obtaining user-generated input indicating to adjust the content;   generating adjustment data according to the user-generated input;   providing the adjustment data to a first portion of the group of communication devices over a first communication connection over the network and providing the adjustment data to a second portion of the group of communication device over a second communication connection over the network;   receiving a feedback signal from each of the second portion of the group of communication devices that each of the second portion of the group of communication devices adjusted the content according to the adjustment data; and   in response to determining a timer expired, providing the adjustment data to the first portion of the group of communication device over the second communication connection over the network.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the group of communication devices participate in the collaborative work environment utilizing a non-baton passing protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the user-generated input is received via a user interface communicatively coupled to the first communication device. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations comprise, in response to the determining the timer has expired:
 determining that the adjustment data comprises a first portion of the adjustment data and a second portion of the adjustment data; and   determining the first portion of the adjustment data comprises a first group of control commands that is prohibited by each of the first portion of the group of communication devices, wherein the providing of the adjustment data to the first portion of the group of communication devices over the second communication connection comprises providing the second portion of the adjustment data over the second communication connection.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first portion of the group of communication devices and each of the second portion of the group of communication devices adjusts the content of the collaborative work environment according to the adjustment data. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the adjustment data comprises a second group of control commands, wherein the second group of control commands comprises navigation, editing of the content, insertion of new content, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 participating, by a first communication device including a processor, in a communication session over a network with a group of communication devices, wherein the group of communication devices includes the first communication device, wherein content associated with the communication session is presented on a display associated with each communication device in the group of communication devices;   obtaining, by the first communication device, user-generated input indicating to adjust the content;   generating, by the first communication device, adjustment data according to the user-generated input;   providing, by the first communication device, the adjustment data to a first portion of the group of communication devices over a first communication connection over the network and providing the adjustment data to a second portion of the group of communication device over a second communication connection over the network;   receiving, by the first communication device, a first feedback signal from each of the second portion of the group of communication devices that each of the second portion of the group of communication devices adjusted the content according to the adjustment data;   in response to determining, by the first communication device, a timer expired, providing, by the first communication device, the adjustment data to the first portion of the group of communication device over the second communication connection over the network;   in response to receiving, by the first communication device, a second feedback signal from each of the first portion of the group of communication devices that each of the first portion of the group of communication devices adjusted the content according to the adjustment data:
 adjusting, by the first communication device, the content according to the adjustment data resulting in adjusted content; and 
 presenting, by the first communication device, the adjusted content on a first display associated with the first communication device. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 presenting, by the first communication device, a first graphical pointer associated with the adjusted content controlled by the first communication device on the first display; and   presenting, by the first communication device, a second graphical pointer associated with the adjusted content controlled by a second communication device on the first display, wherein the group of communication devices comprises the second communication device.