Collaboration framework

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the invention provide a collaboration framework for collaborating access to a drawing document on a network. A drawing document is stored on a server. Thereafter, a collaboration session comprised of two or more collaborators on a network is established. During the collaboration session, the server permits the two or more collaborators to work simultaneously across the network on the drawing document stored on the server. A command to modify the drawing document from a first collaborator is received by the server. The server then distributes the command to modify the drawing document to other collaborators in the session.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for collaborating access to a drawing document on a network, comprising: 
 storing a drawing document on a server;    receiving, in the server, a request to open the drawing document;    in response to the request, the server establishing a collaboration session, wherein during the collaboration session, the server permits two or more collaborators to work simultaneously across the network on the drawing document stored on the server;    receiving, in the server, a command to modify the drawing document from a first one of the collaborators in the collaboration session; and    the server distributing the command to modify the drawing document to other ones of the collaborators in the collaboration session.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the server maintaining a history of modifications to the drawing document.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the history is used to support an undo command.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the history is used to recommunicate modifications to the two or mote collaborators.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the server maintaining a record of the collaboration session including name, numbers, and statuses of the two or more collaborators.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command comprises an extensible markup language (XML) command.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more collaborators all have write-access for the drawing document during the collaboration session.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command is received in the server from a first collaborator pursuant to a regularly transmitted command.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 generating an identifier for the command;    distributing the identifier with the command to the other collaborators in the collaboration session.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document is supported.  
     
     
         12 . A method for accessing a drawing document on a network, comprising: 
 joining an existing collaboration session comprised of a collaborator on a network, wherein during the collaboration session, collaborators in the collaboration session can work simultaneously across the network on a drawing document stored on a server; and    transmitting, to the server, a first command to modify the drawing document.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving a second command to modify the document from the server wherein the command was originally transmitted from another collaborator.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the command comprises an undo command.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the command comprises an extensible markup language (XML) command.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising displaying a collaboration palette that provides information relating to the collaborators in the collaboration session.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the command is transmitted pursuant to a regularly transmitted command.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document is supported.  
     
     
         20 . An system for collaborating access to a drawing document on a network comprising: 
 (a) a server connected to a network and having a memory and a data storage device coupled thereto;    (b) a drawing document stored on the server; and    (c) a computer program, performed by the server, the computer program configured to: 
 (i) receive a request to open the drawing document;  
 (ii) in response to the request, establishing a collaboration session, wherein during the collaboration session, the computer program permits two or more collaborators to work simultaneously across the network on the drawing document;  
 (iii) receive a command to modify the drawing document from a first one of the collaborators in the collaboration session; and  
 (iv) distribute the command to modify the drawing document to other ones of the collaborators in the collaboration session.  
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further configured to maintain a history of modifications to the drawing document.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the history is used to support an undo command.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the history is used to recommunicate modifications to the two or more collaborators.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further configured to maintain a record of the collaboration session including name, numbers, and statuses of the two or more collaborators.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the command comprises an extensible markup language (XML) command.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the two or more collaborators all have write-access for the drawing document during the collaboration session.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the command is received in the server from a first collaborator pursuant to a regularly transmitted command.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further configured to: 
 generate an identifier for the command;    distribute the identifier with the command to the other collaborators in the collaboration session.    
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the computer program supports an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document.  
     
     
         31 . A system for accessing a drawing document on a network, comprising: 
 (a) a collaborator connected to a network and having a memory and a data storage device coupled thereto; and    (b) a computer program, performed by the collaborator, the computer program configured to: 
 (i) join an existing collaboration session comprised of a collaborator on a network, wherein during the collaboration session, collaborators in the collaboration session work simultaneously across the network on a drawing document stored on a server; and  
 (ii) transmit, to the server, a first command to modify the drawing document.  
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , the computer program further configured to receive a second command to modify the document from the server wherein the command was originally transmitted from another collaborator.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the command comprises an undo command.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the command comprises an extensible markup language (XML) command.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , further, wherein the computer program is further configured to display a collaboration palette that provides information relating to the collaborators in the collaboration session.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the command is transmitted pursuant to a regularly transmitted command.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the computer program supports an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document.  
     
     
         39 . An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for collaborating access to a drawing document on a network, the method comprising: 
 storing a drawing document on a server;    receiving, in the server, a request to open the drawing document;    in response to the request, the server establishing a collaboration session, wherein during the collaboration session, the server permits two or more collaborators to work simultaneously across the network on the drawing document stored on the server;    receiving, in the server, a command to modify the drawing document from a first one of the collaborators in the collaboration session; and    the server distributing the command to modify the drawing document to other ones of the collaborators in the collaboration session.    
     
     
         40 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises the server maintaining a history of modifications to the drawing document.  
     
     
         41 . The article of manufacture of  claim 40 , wherein the history is used to support an undo command.  
     
     
         42 . The article of manufacture of  claim 40 , wherein the history is used to recommunicate modifications to the two or more collaborators.  
     
     
         43 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises the server maintaining a record of the collaboration session including name, numbers, and statuses of the two or more collaborators.  
     
     
         44 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the command comprises an extensible markup language (XML) command.  
     
     
         45 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the two or more collaborators all have write-access for the drawing document during the collaboration session.  
     
     
         46 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the command is received in the server from a first collaborator pursuant to a regularly transmitted command.  
     
     
         47 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 generating an identifier for the command;    distributing the identifier with the command to the other collaborators in the collaboration session.    
     
     
         48 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.  
     
     
         49 . The article of manufacture of  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises providing an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document.  
     
     
         50 . An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for accessing a drawing document on a network, the method comprising: 
 joining an existing collaboration session comprised of a collaborator on a network, wherein during the collaboration session, collaborators in the collaboration session work simultaneously across the network on a drawing document stored on a server; and    transmitting, to the server, a first command to modify the drawing document.    
     
     
         51 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a second command to modify the document from the server wherein the command was originally transmitted from another collaborator.  
     
     
         52 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the command comprises an undo command.  
     
     
         53 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the command comprises an extensible markup language (XML) command.  
     
     
         54 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the method further comprises displaying a collaboration palette that provides information relating to the collaborators in the collaboration session.  
     
     
         55 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the command is transmitted pursuant to a regularly transmitted command.  
     
     
         56 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the command specifies an object identifier for an object in the drawing document that is modified.  
     
     
         57 . The article of manufacture of  claim 50 , wherein the method further comprises providing an extensible set of three dimensional modeling tools for modifying the drawing document.