System and method for performing interlocution at a plurality of terminals connected to communication network

A method of communication carried out in a communication system including a plurality of stations connected to a communication network, each of said stations being provided with a plurality of application programs and an interlocution control program and having a multi-window function for creating a plurality of windows on a display screen, said method comprising:

• a step of creating control windows in display screens of first and second stations respectively, each of said control windows including a command menu of control commands for said interlocution control program;
• a step of establishing on said communication network a communication path for effecting communication between said interlocution control programs of said first and second stations when a first control command is inputted through the command menu displayed in one of the control windows of said first and second stations;
• a step of creating in each display screen of said first and second stations an interlocution window for working therein one of said application programs;
• a step of logically establishing on said communication path an interlocution path for logically connecting a pair of application programs each running in each of said interlocution windows created in said first and second stations when a second control command is inputted through the command menu displayed at one of said first and second stations;
• a step of inputting data or a command for said pair of application programs to one of said interlocution windows of either one of said first and second stations;
• a step of intercepting said input data or command by said interlocution control program at said one of said first and second stations and supplying said intercepted input data or command to said one application program running in said one of said interlocution windows;
• a step of checking by said interlocution control program at said one of said first and second stations whether or not an interlocution path exists in relation to said interlocution window;
• a step of transmitting said input data or command from said one of said first and second stations to the other one of said first and second stations by said interlocution control program through said communication path using said interlocution path, when the interlocution path exists;
• and
• a step of supplying said one of application programs at the other one of said first and second stations with said data or command received from said communication path by interlocution control program whereby a data processing for said input data or command is performed by said one of application programs in both of said first and second stations so as to change a content of each of said interlocution windows of said first and second stations identically with each other.

A communication method carried out in a communication system including a plurality of stations connected to a communication network, each of said stations being loaded with a plurality of application programs and a control program and having a multi-window function for creating a plurality of windows on a display screen, said method comprising:

• a step of creating control windows for working therein the control programs in display screens of first and second stations, respectively;
• a step of establishing on said communication network a communication path for communicating between said first and second stations by supplying control commands to said control commands through said control window in a predetermined procedure;
• a step of creating a first window for working therein an application program in the display screen of said first station and logically establishing on said communication path an interlocution path for logically connecting said first window in said first station and one of a plurality of windows created in the display screen of said second station for working therein an application program equivalent in function to the application program working in said first window, said creation of said first window and establishment of said interlocution path being accomplished in response to command input operations carried out through said control window at said first station;
• a step of creating a second window for working therein an application program in the display screen of said first station without establishing on said communication path an interlocution path for logically connecting the second window with any one of windows created in the display screen of said second station;
• a step of inputting data or a command to one of said first and second windows in the display screen at said first station;
• a step of intercepting said input data or command by said control program at said first station and supplying said intercepted input data or command to either one of said application programs corresponding to one of said first and second windows to which said data or command has been inputted;
• a step of checking by said control program at said first station whether or not said intercepted input data or command has been inputted to a window for which an interlocution path has been established;
• a step of sending said intercepted input data or command from said first station to said second station through said communication path using said interlocution path by said control program at said first station if it was detected in said checking step that the interlocution path exists;
• and
• a step of supplying, by said communication control program at said second station, said data command received from said communication path to said application program running in the window logically connected to said first window by said interlocution path, thereby to display to the window the same output as that of said first window as a result of data processing performed by the application program.

A communication system for carrying out interlocution through a plurality of stations each having a display screen and being connected to a communication network, each of said stations comprising:

• means for creating a plurality of windows each for running an application program therein and a control window for inputting control commands for interlocution control in a display screen;
• means for inputting data or commands to any one of said windows created in the display screen;
• interface means for establishing a communication path between the station and selected one of the other stations through said communication network;
• and
• interlocution control means responsive to control commands inputted through the control window created in the display screen, for controlling said communication path in cooperation with said interface means, for logically establishing on said communication path an interlocution path for interlocking one of a plurality of windows created in the display screen of the station and one of a plurality of windows created in the display screen of said one of the other stations in response to a first command inputted through said control window, and for releasing an interlocution path established on the communication path in response to a second command inputted through said control window;
• said interlocution control means having means for checking when data or a command is inputted to one of windows by a user with said input means whether or not an interlocution path exists in relation to said one window of application programs running on said one and for transmitting said input data or command to one of the other stations through said communication path using said interlocution path, when the interlocution path exists, means for receiving data or a command generated at one of the other stations from said communication path, and means for selectively distributing said data or command received from said input means and said data or command received from said communication path to one of said application programs.

A communication system for use in interlocution through a plurality of remote stations each having a display screen and being connected to a communication network, each of said station comprising:

• means for creating a plurality of windows on the display screen;
• means for inputting data or commands to any one of windows created on the display screen;
• interface means for establishing a communication path for communicating between the station and one of the other stations through said communication network;
• and
• interlocution control means for logically forming on said communication path an interlocution path for coordinating one of said windows created in the display screen of the station and one of said windows created in the display screen of said one of the other stations in response to a first command, and for releasing an interlocution path established on the communication path in response to a second command;
• said interlocution control means including means for intercepting data or a command inputted to any one of windows by a user with said input means, means for checking whether or not an interlocution path exists in relation to said one window to which said data or command was inputted and for transmitting said intercepted input data or command to said communication path through said interface means if the interlocution path exists, and means for receiving data or a command generated at said one of the other stations through said interface means and said communication path and for selectively supplying said intercepted data or command inputted from said input means and said data or command received from said interface means to one of said application programs running in the windows.