Abstract: A cooperative information processing system in which a cooperative execution application program can utilize an auxiliary application program that is being executed locally. The communication control program has the request conversion unit, the input conversion unit and the server-dependent information table. The communication control program utilizes the server-dependent information table to interpret the format of an inter-application message between the sites and carries out a proper conversion. Thus, communication between the cooperative execution application program and the auxiliary application program locally executed at a specific site, such as for example, the Japanese inputting front end program, is made possible.

Abstract: In a conferencing system comprising telephones and workstations, a conference display control method for a visual user interface is provided. A conference window is displayed on a workstation display during a teleconference and includes a meeting table area as a shared space and a local area which cannot be seen by the other participants. Document objects corresponding to a document application program which is used in the conference are arranged on those areas. The distribution of the documents, reference of information, and execution of the application program can be executed by direct manipulation of objects using a mouse. In the conference window, the document object can be operated at both the cooperative work place and the local work place.

Abstract: A conference system is formed by multiple workstations which have individual conference control programs and are connected to a network, with each workstation having a destination workstation determined in advance so that a ring-shaped logical communication path is formed on the network. A conference control program which detects a fault on its receiving path during a conference sends a fault recovery request message including an identifier of the conference control program itself and the address of the workstation to the neighboring workstation, and the conference control program of the neighboring workstation relays the received fault recovery request message to the next workstation on the ring-shaped logical communication path so that the fault recovery request message is propagated on the ring-shaped logical communication path.

Abstract: A conference support system includes a plurality of computers provided with a graphical user interface (GUI) system and connected by a communication network. Each computer includes a storage section having an area in which a drawing object, such as graphics, characters or the like drawn on a partial screen area shared through the communication network by access by user to the shared partial screen area and comment data concerning the drawing object are stored in association with each other, and a display control module by which the drawing object and the comment data associated with each other and stored in the storage section are displayed on a display section in association with each other, whereby a conference by users with each other can be conducted in such a manner that an individual intention for the drawing object is clearly given to participants in real time while accessing the shared partial screen area such as a shared window.

Abstract: In a collaborative information processing system including a plurality of terminals each having a multiwindow function and each being connected to the other terminal via a network, each terminal includes a plurality of application programs for issuing a request for an input event and a request for a window, a window server for converting input data received from the input device into a logical input event and for updating an image on a display screen depending on the content of an output request received from the application program, a plurality of window library modules connected to the window server via a logical communication path and linked with the application programs, and a control program for communicating an input event with other terminals via the network.

Abstract: A group working system includes a plurality of work stations interconnected through a network and each having a multi-window function. Each work station is provided with a group working user interface program executed under the control of a control program for transferring control information for a group work with the other work stations. When input operation is performed for a window of a group working mode in any one of the work stations, indication information for identifying an operator or work station performing the input operation is output to an additional window which is paired with the above-mentioned window. By making reference to the indication information, each user can avoid conflict in the input operation to the same window of the group working mode with other users.