System and method for providing collaboration of a graphics session

A method for providing collaboration of a graphics session, comprising:

• providing a graphics application at a visual server;
• initiating the graphics application at a local terminal;
• initiating a collaborative session between the local terminal and a remote terminal;
• interacting with the graphics application at the local terminal in response to possession of input control;
• providing results of local terminal interaction with the graphics application to the remote terminal;
• passing the input control from the local terminal to the remote terminal in response to an input to the graphics application by the local terminal;
• wherein the local terminal is operable to interact with the graphics application when in possession of the input control, the interaction performed by the local terminal being visible at the remote terminal;
• wherein blocking remote terminal interaction with the graphics application in response to the remote terminal not possessing the input control.

An apparatus for providing collaboration of a graphics session, comprising:

• a server machine including:
• a graphics application processor operable to provide graphics images;
• a server application processor operable to provide access to the graphics application by a local terminal;
• a session application processor operable to provide access to the graphics application by a remote terminal, wherein an identical view of the graphics application is provided to both the local terminal and the remote terminal through the server application and the session application respectively, the server application operable to permit the local terminal to interact with the graphics application in response to possession of input control, the session application operable to permit the remote terminal to interact with the graphics application in response to possession of the input control, the server application and the session application operable to pass the input control between each other to allow the local terminal and the remote terminal to collaborate with the graphics application, wherein the input control is passed from the server application to the session application in response to an interaction with the graphics application by the local terminal;
• wherein interactions with the graphics application processor by the local terminal in response to the server application processor having the input control are provided to the remote terminal;
• wherein interactions with the graphics application processor by the remote terminal are blocked when the session application processor does not have the input control.