Instant Messaging Synchronization for Server-Client State
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current instant messaging technologies for networked computing environments fail to ensure synchronized, two-way communications between server and client applications, leading to inefficiencies in collaborative work, such as presentations and demonstrations, where participants may become desynchronized and lack interactive access to shared materials, resulting in ineffective learning and high bandwidth costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with instant messaging clients supported by an IM server that registers client applications, generates and transmits event commands independently of application states, and allows for bidirectional event communication between server and client applications, enabling synchronized operations and individualized inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the presenter constantly calls out the part of the material currently viewed to ensure synchronicity, then all participants can view the same part of the material, but the process becomes distracting and ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automatic feedback mechanisms where the presenter's application state is continuously monitored and automatically communicated to participants. The presenter application generates events that are converted to commands and transmitted to client applications, which then update their display state automatically, eliminating the need for manual synchronization calls.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary synchronization system is introduced between the presenter and participants. This system includes a server application, IM registry, and command transmission infrastructure that mediates the synchronization process, converting presenter actions into standardized commands that participants' applications can automatically process and apply.
2Loss of information
If participants view material via Web conference with presenter's interactions broadcast as non-interactive graphics, then participants can see presenter's interactions, but participants do not have access to the actual material and are restricted to viewing only those interactions that the presenter chooses
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of broadcasting graphics representations of interactions, the system transmits the actual material data and interaction commands to participants. Each participant's application receives commands that are converted back to events and processed locally, creating an accurate copy of the presenter's view state without requiring complex broadcasting infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional approach of broadcasting presenter actions as graphics is inverted. Instead, the system sends command representations that enable participants' applications to reconstruct the events and material state locally, giving participants direct access to the actual material rather than visual representations.
3Loss of information
If high resolution graphics are broadcast to a large audience, then all participants can see the material, but it results in wasted bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential synchronization information from the presenter's application state and transmits it as compact commands. Instead of broadcasting complete high-resolution graphics, the system extracts and transmits only the necessary event data and state changes, which participants' applications then process locally to reconstruct the full material view.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter representation from high-resolution graphics to compact command-state parameters. By transmitting abstracted event data and application state information rather than visual data, the system maintains visual quality at the participant end while dramatically reducing bandwidth consumption during transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating synchronized, two-way communications between a server application and one or more client applications. In one embodiment, the server application and client applications are provided with instant messaging (IM) clients that are supported by an IM server in a networked computing environment. A method disclosed includes registering at least one client application IM client in an IM registry, generating an event in the server application, and converting the event into an operation command that is independent of the states of the server or client applications. The method can also include transmitting the command to each client application IM client. The method can also include, at the client application, receiving the command, reconstituting an event from the command, and processing the event. The method can additionally include transmitting from the client application to the server application a completion notification upon completion of the processing of the event by the client application.