SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMBINING LOCAL AND REMOTE WINDOWS INTO A SINGLE DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT

• US 20020057295A1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: PANASYUK, ANATOLIY, DUURSMA, MARTIN
• Granted Patent: US 6,437,803 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A system for incorporating windows from remote desktop environments into a local desktop environment includes a local node, a local agent, a first remote node, and a first remote agent. The first remote node provides a first remote desktop environment, and the first remote agent monitors the first remote desktop environment for changes in the environment. The first remote node transmits messages to the local agent indicative of changes in the first remote desktop environment. The local agent receives the transmitted messages and commands the local node to modify a representation of a first remote window that is part of a local desktop environment. The local agent also monitors the local desktop and transmits messages to the remote agent indicative of a change in the local desktop. In some embodiment, the local node provides the local desktop environment. Local agents can be embodied on articles of manufacture.

Claims

1. A system for incorporating windows from remote desktop environments into a local desktop environment, the system comprising:

a local node having a local desktop environment;

a local agent;

a first remote node having a first remote desktop environment including at least one first remote window; and

a first remote agent monitoring said first remote desktop environment and in communication with said local agent, said first remote agent transmitting a message to said local agent indicative of a change to said first remote window,

said local agent receiving the message transmitted by said first remote agent and, responsive to the received message, commanding said local node to modify a representation of said first remote window as part of said local desktop environment and said local agent transmitting messages to said first remote agent indicative of a locally-generated change to a representation of said first remote window.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first remote agent transmits a message indicating that said first remote window has changed position and wherein said local agent receives the message transmitted by said first remote agent and commands said local node to change the position of a representation of said first remote window in said local desktop environment.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first remote agent transmits a message indicating that said first remote window has changed size and wherein said local agent receives the transmitted message and commands said local node to change the size of a representation of said first remote window in said local desktop environment.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first remote agent monitors said first remote desktop environment by monitoring an intranode message queue.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said local node provides said local desktop environment and said local agent monitors said local desktop environment.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said local node broadcasts a message indicative of a locally-generated change to a representation of said first remote window.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said local node performs clipping functions on said representations of said first remote window that are obscured by local windows or other remote windows.

2. The system of claim I wherein said local node provides said local desktop environment, said local agent monitors said local desktop environment, and wherein said local agent receives the messages transmitted by said remote agent and, responsive to the received message, commands said local node to modify a representation of said first remote window as part of said local desktop environment.

4. The system of claim I wherein said first remote agent transmits a message indicating that said first remote window has closed and wherein said local agent receives the message transmitted by said first remote agent and commands said local node to close a representation of said first remote window in said local desktop environment.

9. The system of claim I wherein said remote node broadcasts a message indicative of a change to said first remote window.

11. A method for incorporating windows from remote desktop environments into a local desktop environment, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a local node hosting a local agent;

(b) receiving, by the local agent, a message indicating a change to windows included in a remote desktop environment;

(c) commanding, by the local agent, the local node to effect a corresponding change in the local desktop environment;

(d) monitoring, by the local agent, the local desktop environment; and

(e) transmitting, by the local agent, a message indicative of a change to representation of the remote windows included in the local desktop environment.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein steps (b) and (c) comprise:

(b) receiving, by the local agent, a message indicating that a window included in a remote desktop environment has changed position; and

(c) commanding, by the local agent, the local node to change the position of a representation of the remote window in the local desktop environment.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein steps (b) and (c) comprise:

(b) receiving, by the local agent, a message indicating that a window included in a remote desktop environment has closed; and

(c) commanding, by the local agent, the local node to close a representation of the remote window in the local desktop environment.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein steps (b) and (c) comprise:

(b) receiving, by the local agent, a message indicating that a window included in a remote desktop environment has changed size; and

(c) commanding, by the local agent, the local node to change the size of a representation of the remote window in the local desktop environment.

16. The agent of claim 15 wherein said transmission process broadcasts messages indicative of the local desktop events.

17. The agent of claim 15 wherein said command process issues application programming interface commands, responsively to received messages, to effect changes to a local desktop environment.

18. A article of manufacture having the agent of claim 15 embodied thereon.

15. An agent for incorporating windows from remote desktop environments into a local desktop environment, the agent comprising:

a message receiving process capable of receiving messages indicative of a change in a remote desktop environment;

a command process capable of effecting changes to a local desktop environment responsive to the received messages;

a monitor process capable of monitoring local desktop events; and

a transmission process capable of transmitting messages indicative of the local desktop events.

19. A system for incorporating windows from remote desktop environments into a local desktop environment, each desktop environment including at least one window displaying graphical data, the system comprising:

a communications link comprising a first virtual channel and a second virtual channel;

a local node; and

a remote node,

said local node and said remote node exchanging window information over said first virtual channel of said communications link and said local node and said remote node exchanging graphical data over said second virtual channel of said communications link.

20. The system of claim 20 wherein the first virtual channel and the second virtual channel comprise the same virtual channel.