Method for serving third party software applications from servers to client computers

• US 20020078203A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Softricity Inc (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Stuart, Greschler, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An application serving system is disclosed that comprises a target client computer that connects to a server system and subscribing institution host Web Server, over a network. Both the client computer Web server and server system implement a network protocol layer to communicate across the network. In a preferred embodiment, network is the Internet, or other public or private network, and the network protocol layers are implemented on top of TCP/IP or UDP/IP. Other network configurations and network protocols layers, however, could be implemented in place or in addition to the Internet such as wireless CDPD, GPRS, or other networks. The target, client computer is preferably a PC.

Claims

1. A method for serving applications over a computer network from an application server system to a target computer, the method comprising:

the target computer signaling the server system with a request for an application;

the server system responding to the request by transferring an application descriptor to the target computer;

the application descriptor being read by a helper application executing on the target computer; and

the helper application controlling the target computer to execute the application, which resides on the server system.

2. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the target computer signaling the server system with the request for the application by user selection of a link, which is displayed by a browser and associated with the application.

3. A method as described in claim 2, further comprising the application link containing an application identifier that identifies the requested application to the server system.

4. A method as described in claim 2, further comprising the link pointing the browser to the server system.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein activating the application link triggers the downloading of the application descriptor from the server system to the target computer.

6. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the server system encrypting the application descriptor prior to transmission to the target computer.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising invoking the helper application in response to the receipt of the application descriptor on the target computer.

8. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising maintaining the helper application on a graphical user interface of the target computer.

9. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising maintaining the helper application on a graphical user interface of the target computer to display advertisements.

10. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising issuing a command to a browser to display a follow-up page in response to termination of the application on the target computer.

11. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising including, in the application descriptor, minimum system requirements information, which is used by the target computer to ensure that adequate system resources are available to run the application.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the application descriptor contains transaction mode information.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the application descriptor contains application server information indicating a host computer to which the target computer is to attach to receive the application.

14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the application descriptor contains advertisement information indicating a host computer to which the target computer is to attach to receive advertisements.

15. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising tracking by the server system a status of the operation of the application on the target computer.

16. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising a failure server of the application server system receiving error log information from the helper application in response to improper operation of the application on the target computer.

17. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the application descriptor containing application server information indicating a host computer of application server system to which the target computer is to attach to receive the application, the host computer being selected to load balance across the application server system.

18. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the target computer mounting the server system to access the application.

19. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the target computer accessing the server system via port 80.

20. An application serving system operating across a computer network, the system comprising:

a target computer that requests an application;

a server system that responds to the request by transferring an application descriptor to the target computer;

a helper process executing on the target computer that reads the application descriptor and controls the target computer to execute the application, which resides on the application server system.

22. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the target computer is activated to signal the server system with the request for the application by user selection of a link, which is displayed by a browser and associated with the application.

23. A system as described in claim 22, wherein the application link contains an application identifier that identifies the requested application to the server system.

24. A system as described in claim 22, wherein the link points the browser to the server system.

25. A system as described in claim 21, wherein activating the application link triggers the downloading of the application descriptor from the server system to the target computer.

26. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the server system encrypts the application descriptor prior to transmission to the target computer.

27. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the helper process is invoked in response to the receipt of the application descriptor on the target computer.

28. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the helper process is maintained on a graphical user interface of the target computer.

29. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the helper application is maintained on a graphical user interface of the target computer to display advertisements.

30. A system as described in claim 21, wherein a command is issued to a browser to display a follow-up page in response to termination of the application on the target computer.

31. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the application descriptor contains minimum system requirements information, which is used by the target computer to ensure that adequate system resources are available to run the application.

32. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the application descriptor contains transaction mode information.

33. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the application descriptor contains application server information indicating a host computer to which the target computer is to attach to receive the application.

34. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the application descriptor contains advertisement information indicating a host computer to which the target computer is to attach to receive advertisements.

35. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the server system tracks a status of the operation of the application on the target computer.

36. A system as described in claim 21, further comprising a failure server of the application server system to receives error log information from the helper application in response to improper operation of the application on the target computer.

37. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the application descriptor contains application server information indicating a host computer of application server system to which the target computer is to attach to receive the application, the host computer being selected to load balance across the application server system.

38. A system as described in claim 21, further comprising the target computer mounting the server system to access the application.

39. A system as described in claim 21, further comprising the target computer accessing the server system via port 80.