Deferred sychronization of distributed objects

Abstract

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

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. In an electronic conferencing system wherein data is shared between a plurality of participants during an electronic conference, a method of maintaining consistency of shared data among said participants during said electronic conference comprising the following steps: 
       a. each participant of said plurality of participants in said electronic conferencing system maintaining a local copy of said shared data for said electronic conference during said electronic conference;  
       b. one participant of said participants commencing to perform modifications to an associated local copy of said shared data;  
       c. subsequent to commencing modifications, said one participant requesting an index for said modifications from an arbitrator participant, wherein said modifications to said associated local copy of said shared data may continue to be performed;  
       d. said arbitrator participant responding to said one participant with said index for said modifications to said associated local copy of said shared data;  
       e. said one participant of said participants modifying said associated local copy of said shared data according to said index received from said arbitrator participant; and  
       f. transferring said modifications of steps b through e above to a remote participant.  
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said shared data further includes an object. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 2  further including a step of determining whether ownership of said object has been obtained. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 2  further including a step of determining whether said object is blocked. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 2  further including a step of deleting said object. 
     
     
       6. In an electronic conferencing system wherein data is shared between a plurality of participants during an electronic conference, an apparatus for maintaining consistency of said data among said participants during said electronic conference comprising: 
       a. means for maintaining a local copy of said shared data for said electronic conference during said electronic conference, each participant of said plurality of participants in said electronic conferencing system including said means for maintaining;  
       b. means for commencing to perform modifications to an associated local copy of said shared data;  
       c. means for requesting an index for said modifications from an arbitrator participant, wherein said modifications to said associated local copy of said shared data may continue to be performed, one participant of said participants including said means for requesting;  
       d. means for responding to said one participant with said index for said modifications to said associated local copy of said shared data, said arbitrator participant including said means for responding;  
       e. means for modifying said associated local copy of said shared data according to said index received from said arbitrator participant; and  
       f. means for transferring said local modifications to a remote participant.  
     
     
       7. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said shared data further includes an object. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  further including a means for determining whether ownership of said object has been obtained. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  further including a means for determining whether said object is blocked. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  further including a means for deleting said object. 
     
     
       11. In an electronic conferencing system wherein data is shared between a plurality of participants during an electronic conference, an apparatus for maintaining consistency of said data among said participants during said electronic conference comprising: 
       
         a. maintenance logic associated with each of the participants that correspondingly maintains for the participants local copies of said shared data of said electronic conference during said electronic conference;  
       
       
         b. modification logic associated with each of the participants for making modifications to the corresponding local copies of said shared data;  
       
       
         c. request logic associated with each of the participants that correspondingly request indices for the modifications being made by the participants to their local copies of said shared data, upon commencement of the modifications;  
       
       
         d. respond logic associated with at least one of the participants that responds to each of said participant indices requests, said modification logic further modifying the local copies of the shared data according to said requested indices upon received them; and  
       
       
         e. transfer logic associated with each of the participants that transfers said modifications to other remote participants upon completing said modifications to the local copies in accordance with the received indices.  
       
     
     
       12. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said shared data further includes an object.  
     
     
       13. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  further including determination logic associated with each of the participants that determines whether ownership of said object has been obtained.  
     
     
       14. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  further including determination logic associated with each of the participants that determines whether said object is pending synchronization.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  further including deletion logic that deletes said object.  
     
     
       16. An apparatus equipped with: 
       
         a. modification logic for modifying a local copy of shared data that is to be synchronized with corresponding remote copies; and  
       
       
         b. requesting logic that requests for an index for a modification from an external source, upon commencement of said modification,  
       
       
         said modification logic further modifying said associated local copy of said shared data according to said requested index, upon receiving said requested index.  
       
     
     
       17. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said shared data further includes an object.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  further including determination logic that determines whether ownership of said object has been obtained.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  further including determination logic that determines whether said object is pending synchronization.  
     
     
       20. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  further including deletion logic that deletes said object.  
     
     
       21. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said apparatus further comprising: 
       
         e. responding logic that responds to the request for the index to modification being commenced against one of said remote copies of said shared data, the local copy of shared data being a master copy of the shared data.  
       
     
     
       22. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said apparatus further comprising: 
       
         e. transfer logic that transfers said local modifications to a remote user having a corresponding remote copy of shared data to be synchronized to the modified local copy of shared data.  
       
     
     
       23. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said apparatus is an electronic conferencing system.  
     
     
       24. In a digital system wherein a local copy of shared data is maintained, a method for synchronizing the local copy of the shared data to corresponding remote copies of the shared data, the method comprising the steps of: 
       
         a. upon commencing making modification to said local copy of shared data, requesting an index for said modification;  
       
       
         b. upon requesting the index, continuing to modify said local copy of shared data;  
       
       
         c. receiving said requested index;  
       
       
         d. modifying said local copy of shared data according to said received index.  
       
     
     
       25. The method as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said method further comprises the step of: 
       
         e. responding to a request for an index for modifications being made to a corresponding remote copy of shared data, the local copy of shared data being a master copy of the shared data.  
       
     
     
       26. The method as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said method further comprises the step of 
       
         e. transferring said modifications to said local copy of shared data to a remote user having a corresponding remote copy of shared data to be synchronized with the modified local copy.