Display management for a shared visual workspace in a game playing context.

Abstract

In this thesis, the term display management refers to organizing the way users have access to the graphical interface to a system. The special class of systems considered is that of real-time multi-user applications, that present special characteristics, different from those existing for single-user programs. In this context, display management is achieved through the use of a production system controlling the actions of the users, and determining how the graphical objects on each screen are to be seen. A prototype is implemented in the particular case of poker game. The approach chosen can be characterized by three salient features. Firstly, it integrates a rule-based system in a real-time multi-user application. Secondly, it emphasizes the reconfigurability aspect. Thirdly, the system allows to define complex relationships between the users and the interface.