Real time bit map capture and sharing for collaborative tools

A method of providing a shared display region among a plurality of users across a computer network, comprising the steps of:

• executing at least one shared application on a server system forming at least one shared application window, said shared application window displaying at least partially within said shared display region;
• capturing a first bit map used to display said shared display region on said server system;
• transmitting said first bit map to a client system;
• capturing a second bit map from said series of bit maps at a polling rate, a polling rate initialized to a predetermined rate;
• and
• determining whether said shared display region on said server system has changed by performing an exclusive OR operation (XOR) between a first one of said subsequent bit maps and a second one of said subsequent bit maps, said shared display region having changed if the result of said XOR operation is non-zero, wherein said capturing of said first and second bitmaps are done independent from execution of said shared application.

A system for providing a shared display region among a plurality of users across a computer network, comprising:

• means for capturing a first bit map used to display said shared display region on a server system;
• means for transmitting said first bit map to a client system;
• means for capturing a second bit map from a series of bit maps at a polling rate, said polling rate initialized to a predetermined rate;
• means for determining whether said shared display region on said server system has changed;
• means for transmitting a representation of said subsequent bit map to said client system if said shared display region on said server has changed;
• and
• means for increasing said polling rate responsive to determining a change in said shared display region on said server system.

A system for providing a shared display region among a plurality of users across a computer network, comprising:

• means for executing at least one shared application on a server system forming at least one shared application window said shared application window displaying at least partially within said shared display region;
• means for capturing a first bit map used to display said shared display region on said server system;
• means for transmitting said first bit map to a client system;
• means for capturing a second bit map from a series of bit maps at a polling rate, said polling rate initialized to a predetermined rate;
• and
• means for determining whether said shared display region on said server system has changed by performing an exclusive OR operation (XOR) between a first one of said subsequent bit maps and a second one of said subsequent bit maps, said shared display region having changed if the result of said XOR operation is non-zero, wherein said capturing of said first and second bitmaps are done independent from execution of said shared application.

A computer readable program storage device, having computer executable instructions encoded thereon, said computer executable instructions comprising program code, said program code for providing a shared display region among a plurality of users across a computer network, said program code comprising:

• program code for capturing a first bit map used to display said shared display region on a server system;
• program code for transmitting said first bit map to a client system;
• program code for capturing a second bit map from a series of bit maps at a polling rate, said polling rate initialized to a predetermined rate;
• program code for determining whether said shared display region on said server system has changed;
• program code for transmitting a representation of said subsequent bit map to said client system if said shared display region on said server has changed;
• and
• program code for increasing said polling rate responsive to determining a change in said shared display region on said server system.

A computer readable program storage device, having computer executable instructions encoded thereon, said computer executable instructions comprising program code, said program code for providing a shared display region among a plurality of users across a computer network, said program code comprising:

• program code for executing at least one shared application on a server system forming at least one shared application window, said shared application window displaying at least partially within said shared display region;
• program code for capturing a first bit map used to display said shared display region on said server system;
• program code for transmitting said first bit map to a client system;
• program code for capturing a second bit map from a series of bit maps at a polling rate, said polling rate initialized to a predetermined rate;
• and
• program code for determining whether said shared display region on said server system has changed by performing an exclusive OR operation (XOR) between a first one of said subsequent bit maps and a second one of said subsequent bit maps, said shared display region having changed if the result of said XOR operation is non-zero, wherein said capturing of said first and second bitmaps are done independent from execution of said shared application.