Control unit operations in a real-time collaboration server

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of tracking the status of a real-time collaboration involving multiple collaboration clients, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a real-time collaboration server from a first collaboration client, data submitted as part of the collaboration;
• queuing said data at the control unit of the collaboration server for dissemination to the other collaboration clients;
• operating a virtual client at the control unit of the collaboration server, wherein the virtual client acts as a collaboration client and receives the same queued data from the control unit as the other collaboration clients;
• maintaining, by the virtual client, a collaboration status in a virtual screen that comprises a representation of the real-time collaboration;
• updating the representation within the virtual screen to include the received data and to track the collaboration status of the real-time collaboration;
• establishing a connection with a new collaboration client;
• generating a copy of said representation of the real-time collaboration which tracks the updated status of the real-time collaboration;
• and
• transmitting said copy to the new collaboration client to facilitate synchronization of the new collaboration client with the real-time collaboration.

A method of monitoring the status of a real-time collaboration in which a presenter's desktop is shared with multiple clients, comprising:

• operating a virtual client at a control unit of a real-time collaboration server configured to manage a real-time collaboration in which a presenter's desktop is shared with other collaboration clients, wherein the virtual client acts as a collaboration client and receives the same queued data from the control unit as the other collaboration clients;
• receiving a first set of data from the presenter at the virtual client, wherein said a first set of data comprises one or more media streams;
• queuing the first set of data at the control unit of the collaboration server;
• maintaining, by the virtual client, a collaboration status in a virtual screen within which the first set of data is rendered to mimic the presenter's desktop;
• receiving a media sync modifier configured to trigger a reset of said media streams;
• and
• in response to said media sync modifier, packing said virtual screen for transmission to the other collaboration clients.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

• operating a virtual client at a control unit of a real-time collaboration server configured to manage the real-time collaboration in which a presenter's desktop is shared with other collaboration clients, wherein the virtual client acts as a collaboration client and receives the same queued data from the control unit as the other collaboration clients;
• receiving a first set of data from the presenter at the virtual client, wherein said a first set of data comprises one or more media streams;
• queuing the first set of data at the control unit of the collaboration server;
• maintaining, by the virtual client, a collaboration status in a virtual screen within which the first set of data is rendered to mimic the presenter's desktop;
• receiving a media sync modifier configured to trigger a reset of said media streams;
• and
• in response to said media sync modifier, packing said virtual screen for transmission to the other collaboration clients.