A Framework for Collaborative Graphical Based Design Environments

Current electronic design automation (EDA) and computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools typically do not support collaborative work. When designers are geographically dispersed and with different time zones, real time collaboration can be a daunting task. A collaborative environment providing a platform for designers to communicate with one other more effectively is needed to address this problem. With this, instead of depending on telephone calls or emails, designers can interact among themselves in real time through computer-based support. Several studies have been done on collaborative computing. However, there are still no standard architecture styles for such an environment. This paper examines the use of a client-server based architecture to support collaborative environment for graphical based design tools. A design overview and the salient features of such a collaborative environment or system is presented. A prototype developed using Microsoft .NET framework and Visual C# to demonstrate its viability is also discussed in this paper.