Collaborative Applications for Multimedia Conferences

The Rapport multimedia conferencing system allows a group of people, using the computers and phones in their offices, to hold real-time discussions in which they talk with each other and interactively run computer programs, producing and editing identical displays on their computer screens. Rapport manages the initiation, conduct, and termination of conferences, coordinating communications and conference state among the conferees. A Rapport conference may involve a mix of devices, including both computers and telephones, and conventional phone calls are treated as conferences. For conferences involving computers, Rapport provides an environment in which conventional, single-user programs can be shared by the conference participants.