Rich Multi-Media Format For Use in a Collaborative Computing System

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture that allow a document containing custom objects to be shared in a distributed collaborative computer system. This is accomplished by allowing custom objects to be embedded in a document. When the document is to be shared, the document with custom objects is converted to a Rich Multi-Media (RMM) format. Furthermore, the converted document may be shared during a collaborative session among multiple computers. Alternatively, the converted document may be viewed by a user independent of a collaborative session.

1 . A computer system for viewing a document, the computer system comprising: a computer; and a computer program executable by the computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for: identifying an embedded custom object in the document; inserting information about the embedded custom object into a rich multi-media format document; inserting the embedded custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and rendering the embedded custom object in the rich multi-media format document using the inserted information during a collaborative session.  
   
   
       2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for: rendering the embedded custom object in the rich multi-media format document by invoking a component application.  
   
   
       3 . A computer system for converting a document for distributed collaborative computing, the computer system comprising: a computer; and a computer program executable by the computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for: scanning a portion of a document for a custom object; and inserting information about the custom object into a rich multi-media format document; and inserting the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       4 . The computer system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: obtaining an identifier for the custom object.  
   
   
       5 . The computer system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: scanning the portion of the document for a non-custom object; and inserting the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       6 . The computer system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: embedding the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       7 . The computer system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: inserting a link to the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       8 . A computer system for converting a document for distributed collaborative computing, the computer system comprising: a computer; and a computer program executable by the computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for: scanning a portion of a document for an object; identifying whether the object is a custom object or a non-custom object; if the object is a custom object, obtaining identification information for the custom object; inserting the identification information about the custom object into a rich multi-media format document; and inserting the custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and if the object is a non-custom object, inserting information about the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and inserting the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       9 . A method for viewing a document, comprising: identifying an embedded custom object in the document; inserting information about the embedded custom object into a rich multi-media format document; inserting the embedded custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and rendering the embedded custom object in the rich multi-media format document using the inserted information during a collaborative session.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: rendering the embedded custom object in the rich multi-media format document by invoking a component application.  
   
   
       11 . A method for converting a document for distributed collaborative computing, the method comprising: scanning a portion of a document for a custom object; and inserting information about the custom object into a rich multi-media format document; and inserting the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: obtaining an identifier for the custom object.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: scanning the portion of the document for a non-custom object; and inserting the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein inserting the custom object further comprises: embedding the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the custom object further comprises: inserting a link to the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       16 . A method for converting a document for distributed collaborative computing, the method comprising: scanning a portion of a document for an object; identifying whether the object is a custom object or a non-custom object; if the object is a custom object, obtaining identification information for the custom object; inserting the identification information about the custom object into a rich multi-media format document; and inserting the custom object into the rich multi-media format document; 
 and if the object is a non-custom object, inserting information about the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and inserting the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document.    
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a computer, the computer program comprising computer instructions for: identifying an embedded custom object in the document; inserting information about the embedded custom object into a rich multi-media format document; inserting the embedded custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and rendering the embedded custom object in the rich multi-media format document using the inserted information during a collaborative session.  
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: rendering the embedded custom object in the rich multi-media format document by invoking a component application.  
   
   
       19 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a computer, the computer program comprising computer instructions for: scanning a portion of a document for a custom object; and inserting information about the custom object into a rich multi-media format document; and inserting the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: obtaining an identifier for the custom object.  
   
   
       21 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: scanning the portion of the document for a non-custom object; and inserting the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       22 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: embedding the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       23 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for: inserting a link to the custom object into the rich multi-media format document.  
   
   
       24 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a computer, the computer program comprising computer instructions for: scanning a portion of a document for an object; identifying whether the object is a custom object or a non-custom object; if the object is a custom object, obtaining identification information for the custom object; inserting the identification information about the custom object into a rich multi-media format document; and inserting the custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and if the object is a non-custom object, inserting information about the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document; and inserting the non-custom object into the rich multi-media format document.