Abstract: A new system for resolving differences in pixel format is disclosed for use in a collaborative software tool. The disclosed system further determines a frequency distribution of color values within pixels forming a bit map of the display of the shared region on the server system. The disclosed system further forms a color ramp responsive to the frequency distribution of color values. The color ramp includes a number of color ramp entries, where each one of the color ramp entries includes an output color value associated with one or more input color values. The color ramp is then transmitted to a client system. The client system converts pixels received from the server system based on the contents of the color ramp. Further in the example embodiment, the client system converts pixels received from the server system using a color conversion table generated based on the color ramp if the pixels in the client system are of true color format.

Abstract: A new system and method for sharing graphical display information in a collaborative tool is disclosed which samples graphics display information regarding a shared display region on a server system. The disclosed system updates client systems regarding changes in the shared display region responsive to detection of a change in the shared display region contents. The disclosed system further modifies a polling rate used to sample the graphical display information on the server responsive to the frequency of changes to the shared display region. Specifically, in an example embodiment the disclosed system shares a display region among a plurality of users by selecting a first bit map from a series of bit maps used to display the shared display region on a server system. The server system then transmits said first bit map to a client system. The server system periodically selects a subsequent bit map from the series of bit maps at a polling rate.

Abstract: The disclosed system updates client systems regarding changes in a shared display region on a server using compressed graphical display information. The disclosed system compares a first bit map with a second bit map to generate a difference array. The difference array includes indication of each bit in the second bit map having a different value than in the first bit map. The system then transmits the difference array to a client system if at least one bit in the second bit map is different from a corresponding bit in the first bit map. In a further aspect of the disclosed system, the system run length encodes the difference array prior to transmitting if the second bit map is different from the first bit map to generate a run length encoded difference array. The client system generates an updated bit map based on an initial bit map and the difference array. The client system displays the shared region using the updated bit map.