PCT
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`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
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`CGT
`fa? DA»)
`APO.
`a OM
`DL
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`2a57
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`INTERNATIONALAPPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`(51) International PatentClassification 5 :
`(11) International Publication Number:
`WO 94/11814
`GO6F 9/46
`(43) International Publication Date:
`26 May 1994 (26.05.94)
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`
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`(21) International Application Number: PCT/GB93/02315|(74) Agent: BURT, Roger, James; IBM United Kingdom Li-
`mited, Intellectual Property Department, Hursley Park,
`Winchester, Hampshire $021 2JN (GB).
`:
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`(22) International Filing Date:
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`10 November 1993 (10.11.93)
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`tion program.
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`A programmable workstation for collaborative working in a network comprises a conventional operating system and a ne-
`twork control program layer. Additionally, the workstation includes a collaborative application support subsystem forinterfacing
`with application programs. The subsystem is responsive to predetermined application program calls to create a logical network
`model ofa collaborative environment. The model comprises sharing sets of application programs, which share data and resources
`across nodes andlogical dedicated data channels connecting members of the sharing set. The subsystem cooperates with the ne-
`twork layer to establish the physical links necessary.to implement the model in a physical network, transparently to the applica-
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`(30) Priority data:
`9223521.7
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`.
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`10 November 1992 (10.11.92) GB
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`(81) Designated States: JP, US, European patent (AT,BE, CH,
`SE DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT,
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`(71) Applicant(for all designated States except US): INTERNA-
`TIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION | Published
`[US/US]; Armonk, NY 10504 (US).
`With international search report.
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims andto be republished in the eventof the receipt of
`amendments.
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only) : ALDRED,Barry, Keith
`[GB/GB]; Dolphins, Malmesbury Gardens, Winchester,
`Hampshire S022 5LE (GB). BONSALL, Gordon, Willi-
`am [GB/GB]; 2 Court Road, Kings Worthy, Winchester,
`Hampshire SO23 7QJ (GB). LAMBERT, Howard [GB/
`GB]; 22 Nordik Gardens, Hedge End, Southampton,
`Hampshire SO3 4LQ (GB). MITCHELL, Harry, Davidd
`[GB/GB]; 18 The Hermitage, Richmond Upon Thames,
`Surrey TW10 6SH (GB).
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`(54) Title: COLLABORATIVE WORKING IN A NETWORK
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`APP PROG
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`18
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`29
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`CALL MGR
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`32
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`20
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`SUPPORT SYSTEM
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`;
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`DEVICES
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`Setheteeheeeefleesete: sae ce geeSee
`TREY INS
`ISON OEVICE
`RS232 DEVICE
`OTHER DEVICE
`a
`eve
`25] ORIVER
`6| DRIVER
`27| ORIVERS
`28
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`(57) Abstract
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Cover Page 1
`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, Cover-1
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Cover Page 1
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`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Cover Page 2
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, Cover-2
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`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, Cover-2
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Cover Page 2
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`

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`WO 94/11814
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`PCT/GB93/02315
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`COLLABORATIVE WORKING IN A NETWORK
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`DESCRIPTION
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`This invention relates to collaborative working in a network and more
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`specifically to a programmable workstation and a method for use in such a
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`collaborative working environment.
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`Background of the Invention
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`the business community and
`Personal computers are now widespread throughout
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`many are able to intercommunicate, either through fixed connections e.g.
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`local area networks, or through dynamically established links e.g.
`ISDN or
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`async lines over the public switched telephone network. Increasingly,
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`connected personal computers can be used to enhance collaborative working
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`between remote individuals; a typical example being the use of desk top
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`. conferencingsoftware. Successful collaborative work generally requires
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`more than a simple data link between the participants; voice capabilities
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`are normally essential and video links are frequently required. Thus remote
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`collaborative working can often be regarded as an extension to the
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`traditional telephone call - it being enhanced with the data and programs
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`available at the desktop via the personal computer - and, on occasions,
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`enriched with video services.
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`ranging
`A broad spectrum of collaborative applications can be envisaged,
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`from utilities taking advantage of the data and applications on a
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`workstation, e.g. sharing of screen windows and files,
`through to new
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`collaborative applications designed to meet
`the needs’ of specific classes
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`of remote user e.g.
`just-in-time education,
`remote presentations, executive
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`broadcasts or help desk. The common requirements behind these examples are:
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`the support of a wide variety of personal computer platforms - both
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`hardware and software.
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`operation over the existing communication networks.
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`group communications and multi-media data services.
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`Although desk top conferencing systems employing multi-media devices and
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`communications channels exist, generally they are provided with a fixed set
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`of system software and utility applications which is insufficiently
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 1
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 1
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`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 1
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 1
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`flexible to meet
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`the needs of all potential applications.
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`Accordingly the present invention provides a programmable workstation for
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`collaborative working in a network of workstations forming the nodes of the
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`network,
`the network being connected by physical links for the transmission
`of data betweennodes;
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`the workstation comprising an operating system;
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`a network control program layer,
`running on the operating system, for
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`controlling physical routing of multi-media data between nodes; and
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`a collaborative application support program layer for interfacing
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`with application programs running on the workstation and responsive to
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`predetermined application program calls to create a logical network model
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`of a collaborative environment
`comprising sharing sets of application
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`programs, which share data and resources within and across nodes, and
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`logical dedicated data channels connecting members of a sharing set of
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`application programs, each data channel being defined by a sending port and
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`the
`a receiving port each associated with an application program,
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`collaborative application support program layer being adapted to cooperate
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`with the network control program layer to establish the physical links
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`necessary to implement the logical network model in a physical network,
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`transparently to the application programs.
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`According to another aspect,.the invention also provides A method in which,
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`in response to a predetermined program call by a first application program
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`through which data is being transferred, via receiving and sending ports of
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`the first application, between two other applications,
`the receiving port
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`of the first application is reversibly directly connected to its sending
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`port so that the data transfer bypasses the first application programs.
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`The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference
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`to Figures 1-25 of the accompanying drawings.
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`Detailed Description of the Invention
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`“In Figure 1 are shown two programmable workstations 10 and 12 connected by
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`link 11 in a network, such as a LAN or WAN.
`The principal components of
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`the workstations are conventionally described as layers, starting with the
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`hardware 13.
`The hardware which is not illustrated in detail, consists of
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`a processor unit with main memory, secondary storage such as a disk file, a
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`display unit and input/output devices such as keyboard and mouse. Device
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`support software 14 enables the hardware devices to function within a known
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`operating system 15, such as IBM's Operating System/2 (05/2).
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 2
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 2
`
`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 2
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 2
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`

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`WO 94/11814
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`PCT/GB93/02315
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`is
`Also part of a conventional workstation, when used in a network,
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`networking software 16 for supporting connection to the network 11 and
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`communication over the network between workstations.
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`software 16 could be the Netbios program product from IBM.
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`point all that has been described is a conventional networking workstation
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`capable of executing application programs 18.
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`the present invention, each workstation also includes
`In order to implement
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`collaborative application support system software 17 which facilitates the
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`development of application programs for creating a distributed
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`collaborative working environment.
`In this environment, end-users of the
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`workstation may communicate with users of other workstations in the network
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`over multi-media channels and may work collaboratively on shared data and
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`The overall structure of support system 17 in relation to other software
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`components of the workstation with which it interfaces directly is shown in
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`Figure 2. Further details of the internal structure of the support system
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`are shown in Figure 10. Broadly speaking,
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`system 17 lie between two interfaces 20 and 21, illustrated by dashed
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`An application programming interface 20 allows applications 18 to request
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`support services.
`A device driver interface 21 allows the system to
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`support an extensible range of software and hardware communications sub-
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`systems through device drivers such as token ring driver 25,
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`26, RS232 driver 27 and other device drivers 28.
`Link support modules
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`(Figure
`228, 229 interface with the device drivers. These are replaceable,
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`10 shows only a possible selection) depending on the hardware options
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`available at the workstation, and serve to isolate the support system from
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`needing to know precisely which hardware is present. Through an implicit
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`resources interface,
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`network, such as node addresses and directory data may be requested by both
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`the support system,
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`The API 20 allows applications 18 to initiate peer applications and share
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`‘resources, on a variety of hardware and software platforms,
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`nodes across a diverse and complex communications networks.
`It allows them
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`to define multiple dedicated logical data channels between shared
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`applications, suitable to a broad range of multi-media traffic,
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`independently of the structure of the underlying physical network.
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`It
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 3
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 3
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`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 3
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 3
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`allows them to serialise, synchronise, merge or copy the data streaming
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`between shared applications.
`It also allows them to support a range of
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`attached devices and to allow the interception and redirection of the
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`The support system includes other components to assist application
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`interfacing to
`. development such as an extensible set of logical devices 30,
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`external applications and devices. Also provided is a set.of end-user
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`utilities, written to the API (not illustrated), which can also invoked
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`from applications through a command interface.
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`Network, nodes and applications |
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`At
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`the highest level,
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`of a communicating set of nodes. A node is the addressable entity
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`representing a user, and comprises an instance of the support system
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`software, and a set of resources such as application programs, data etc.
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`Usually a node is typically a dedicated programmable workstation 10,
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`capable of communicating with its peers;
`in a multi-user system a node is
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`associated with each user.
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`a supported node
`Nodes are either supported nodes or non-supported nodes;
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`is one where the support system software 17 is being executed.
`A
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`collection of inter-communicating supported nodes is called a supported
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`ideally all node names should be unique but
`Nodes are identified by name;
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`duplicates can be tolerated as long as their associated nodes are never
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`required to inter-communicate. The choice of node naming scheme is. not
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`directly relevant to the present invention, although a hierarchical system
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`such as that defined by the Internet protocol has many benefits. It is
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`fundamental to the architecture that a node can dynamically join or leave
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`Nodes can contain logical devices 30. A logical device is a software
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`extension to the support system that allows an application to manipulate or
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`manage software or equipment,
`in a manner consistent with other entities in
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`the architecture. There is an extensive range of possible logical devices
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`including: presentation windows, printers, disk drives, modems, and
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`application programs.
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`Multiple applications can be executed at a node, subject to the constraints
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`- SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`
`
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 4
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 4
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`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 4
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 4
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`5
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`imposed there by the operating and windowing system. Applications are
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`either aware or unaware; an aware application uses the services of the API;
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`an unaware application does not. Both aware and unaware applications will
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`generally be executing simultaneously at a node.
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`When the support system is fully active at a node, one particular aware
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`application must be running at that node. This application plays a unique
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`role at that node and is known as call manager 32. Many call managers may
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`be available for execution at a particular node but only one can execute at
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`-a time. The distinguishing feature of a call manager is that it responds to
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`certain events generated by the support system; for example, it resolves
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`any requests that are not directed specifically at an instance of an
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`application, and optionally it may also handle resource management for the
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`node. Call manager responsibility can be transferred from one call manager
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`to’ another; also the role can be combined with user application function if
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`that is appropriate.
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`The support software 17 may request that the resources of one node are made
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`available for communication between two other nodes;
`this is termed passive
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`operation and permission is controlled by the call manager at the passive
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`node. As an example, consider two nodes A and B on a LAN, with a third node
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`C connected to B by an asynchronous communications link. If applications at
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`A and C wish to communicate,
`the traffic will need to be routed via B. The
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`consent of the call manager at B is required for this use of its node.
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`Aware applications can share data and resources with other aware
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`applications at the same or different nodes. A collection of applications
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`sharing is called a sharing set. An aware application initiates a share
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`request, naming an application sharing set, a target application and a
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`destination node. This request is first passed by the support software to
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`the call manager at the sending node, which will typically transfer it to
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`the call manager at the destination node. Usually this second call manager
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`will launch the requested application and the source application will be
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`informed. The participation of the call managers in this process allows
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`both local control of the sharing process and other actions to be initiated
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`if necessary. The call managers play a vital role in resolving the names
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`used by applications to idnetify other nodes and applications. The sharing
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`mechanism can be cascaded; for example, if two applications are already
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`sharing, one of them can initiate a share with a third application naming
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`the same sharing set, with the result that all three applications are then
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`sharing with each other.
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 5
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 5
`
`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 5
`
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 5
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`WO 94/11814
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`PCT/GB93/02315
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`6
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`Applications may also make local share requests on behalf of other
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`applications thereby allowing membership control of the sharing set to be
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`delegated. Facilities exist for either the issuer, or the target of the
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`share request,
`to name the application sharing set. These names are not
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`required to be unique:
`thus multiple sharing sets with the same name can
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`exist.
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`Individual applications can cease sharing at any time, withdrawing from a
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`sharing set; the other applications in the set are informed of the
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`This
`withdrawal. Figure 3 shows a number of applications A-E sharing.
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`results in two sharing sets,
`irrespective of the order in which the shares
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`were requested, as illustrated in Figure 4.
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`Communications, channels and ports
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`As illustrated in the schematic example of Figure 5, applications in a
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`sharing set such as 40, 41 and 42 can establish data communication links
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`with each other known as.channels. Channels such as 43 and 44 are
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`logically dedicated and uni-directional pipes, with application specified
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`transmission characteristics.
`A channel is always defined by the sending
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`application and it goes from a sending application to a receiving
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`application...
`The ends of channels are known as ports;
`thus all channels
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`have one sending port and one receiving port.
`A sending port such as 45
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`sends data packets down the channel; a receiving port such as 46 receives
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`data packets from the channel in the order in which they were sent. There
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`may be no direct mapping between the logical channel structure seen by the
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`aware applications and the physical communication network in existence
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`between the nodes.
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`An application may establish multiple channels to another application as a
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`convenient way to separate data traffic of different types. The system
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`network manager 31, Fig. 2 may map some or all of the logical channels on
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`to a single physical link such as link 11, Fig.
`1 but this will be
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`invisible to the application.
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`Channels have a number of quality of service characteristics, initially
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`negotiated with the support system 17 during the creation process, which
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`allow data transmission characteristics to be tailored to the requirements
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`of the expected traffic. These characteristics include encryption,
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`compression hints. Encryption allows the data to be encrypted during
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`transmission along the channel; compression hints allow the system the
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`option of compressing the data over narrow bandwidth links.
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 6
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 6
`
`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 6
`
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 6
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`7
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`Quality of service parameters are defined according to signal type, which
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`distinguishes analog from digital data. They rieed not be specified
`explicitly, but can be notified to the support system in terms of data
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`classes. This mechanism allows video channels, voice channels and other
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`data channels to be sensibly established. Channel characteristics can be
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`re-negotiated after channel creation. The data transmission characteristics
`are implemented in the real network by means of the data transformation
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`manager 32, Fig. 2 in response to the characteristics specified in the
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`channel creation calls over the API.
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`Four: types of channel are supported: standard, merged, synchronous and
`serialised. Standard channels are the default case;
`the other types are
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`used in conjunction with collections of channels, known as channel sets.
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`Through a merged channel set data packets are combined from multiple
`channels and delivered to each receiving application through a single port.
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`There is no guarantee that each application receives all the data packets
`in the same sequence, only that each application receives all the packets.
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`Through a serialising channel set data packets are combined from different
`channels, serialised, and delivered to each application such that each
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`receiving port receives the same sequence of data. Through a synchronising
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`channel set data is synchronised, so that the data packets on separate
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`channels are tied together in time (for example voice with video), but
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`delivered through the individual ports belonging to the channels.
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`An example of data serialisation is illustrated by a shared drawing board
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`application illustrated in Figure 6.
`Two identical applications, A and B
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`(50 and 52), allow their users to draw on a single shared surface.
`In order
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`that the users at A and B see identical results, all the drawing orders at
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`A must be sent to B via ports 53 and 54, and vice versa via ports.55 and
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`56,
`in such a way that the sequence processed at A and B is identical. This
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`is accomplished by each transmitting their own data both to each other and
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`to themselves, over two channels 57 and 58 which are members of a common
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`serialising channel set 59. /
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`With reference to Figure 4, data synchronisation is illustrated by an
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`application A (60),
`that needs to send lip-synchronised video and voice to
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`application B (61). Two channels 62 and 63 are used for the transmission,
`each being a member of the same synchronising channel set 64.
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`Channels can be explicitly created by an API call to the support system,
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`specifying the required channel characteristics, and new channels can also
`be added to an existing port. The latter mechanism allows a port to be
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 7
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 7
`
`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 7
`
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 7
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`WO 94/11814
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`PCT/GB93/02315
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`8
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`shared across channels belonging to different channel sets; for example
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`data can be sent from a single port to one set of destinations belonging to
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`a merged channel set, and to a second set of destinations belonging to a
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`serialised channel set. Digital channels and analog channels cannot be
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`members of the same channel set. A channel can be deleted,
`the channel
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`being uniquely identified by specifying its sending and receiving ports.
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`Channels can be implicitly created as a consequence of an application
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`being, or becoming, a member of an application sharing set. For example, if
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`unshared applications already ahve a merged or serialized channel, and the
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`channel set name iused is identical across these applications,
`then when
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`the applications share with each other,
`the additional channels required
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`‘will be created automatically. Applications are notified of channels
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`implicitly created in this way.
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`type: event, command or null. Event ports
`Ports have an assigned connect
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`generate an event when data is either available or is required; command
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`ports allow the application to drive the receipt or supply of data to the
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`port. Null ports are reserved for ports that are unable to supply data to
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`an application e.g. ports associated with analogue channels, such as the
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`sending port of a video camera. Ports can be controlled through
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`"signal_port" commands sent to their port event handler. These can be
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`issued to the local port and can be passed to any other port in the
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`channel. Normally,
`the singal commands for channel ports will be sent to
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`the port event handler of the application either supplying or receiving
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`data, and may be used for example to stop, start, decrease or increase the
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`data flow. The order of signals between a source and target is maintained.
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`Signals sent to receiving ports in a serialising channel set are serialised
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`themselves, so that all sources receive the same sequence of commands.
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`Other typical signals are "rewind" or "pause" to a tape drive, or "change
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`paper size" to a printer device.
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`User exits can be optionally associated with ports. This allows monitoring
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`or manipulation of the data, after it has been supplied to a sending port,
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`or before being presented by a receiving port.
`In the case of synchronised
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`channels, synchronisation is performed from after the data leaves the
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`sending port user exit, and up to the data being presented to the receiving
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`port user exit.
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`The overall structure of a standard sending command port is shown in Figure
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`In response to a "send_data" command from an application, data is queued
`8.
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`in a buffer 71 of port 70.
`The application empties the buffer to send data
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET
`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 8
`Petitioner Riot Games,Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 8
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`Petitioner Riot Games, Inc. - Ex. 1009, p. 8
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`Petitioner Valve - Ex. 1009, Page 8
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`

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`WO 94/11814
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`PCT/GB93/02315
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`9
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`Incoming
`asynchronously over a channel.73 via a user exit 72.
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`"signal_port" commands are received by the port event handler 74,
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`independently of channel 73 on line 75 and can be retransmitted outwardly
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`on line 76.
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`Receiving ports are effectively the mirror image of the corresponding
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`‘sending port. For a standard receiving event port the structure is
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`similar, but in this case the event handler processes both.
`the data and the
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`port commends.
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`In this
`The situ