System and method for remote control of software and an attached device
First Claim
1. In a communications network, a system for enabling both a host computer and a remote computer to view and control a software application controlling a hardware or software device running on the host computer, said system comprising:
- a) a host computer running a software application, said software application having;
i) a core component controlling both the operation of the software application and a device attached to the computer;
ii) a graphical user interface presenting output from and accepting input to the software application;
iii) a communication module handling messages passed between the core component and the graphical user interface;
iv) a client/server module having a socket allowing bi-directional communications with other instances of said software application running on other computers in a network; and
v) a thread to monitor whether the core component has responded to a wait command; and
b) a remote computer running another instance of the software application, said software application connected to the host computer'"'"'s software application by a TCP/IP connection;
wherein the host computer'"'"'s software application and the remote computer'"'"'s software application share information and control of both the software application running on the host computer and the hardware or software device connected to the host computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for remotely controlling a software application and, where applicable, a hardware or software device attached to the host computer. An internet connection native to the application is established between a host and one or more remote computers running the same software application. This connection enables a remote viewer to view and control the host user'"'"'s application via the application'"'"'s graphical user interface. The host user retains control of the application at all times.
65 Citations
82 Claims
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1. In a communications network, a system for enabling both a host computer and a remote computer to view and control a software application controlling a hardware or software device running on the host computer, said system comprising:
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a) a host computer running a software application, said software application having;
i) a core component controlling both the operation of the software application and a device attached to the computer;
ii) a graphical user interface presenting output from and accepting input to the software application;
iii) a communication module handling messages passed between the core component and the graphical user interface;
iv) a client/server module having a socket allowing bi-directional communications with other instances of said software application running on other computers in a network; and
v) a thread to monitor whether the core component has responded to a wait command; and
b) a remote computer running another instance of the software application, said software application connected to the host computer'"'"'s software application by a TCP/IP connection;
wherein the host computer'"'"'s software application and the remote computer'"'"'s software application share information and control of both the software application running on the host computer and the hardware or software device connected to the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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27. In a communications network, a method for enabling both a host computer and a remote computer to view and control a hardware or software device connected to the host computer and a software application controlling a hardware or software device running on the host computer, said method comprising:
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a) connecting a device to a host computer;
b) running the same software application on both a remote computer and the host computer, said software application capable of controlling the device attached to the host computer and having;
i) a core component controlling both the operation of the software application and a device attached to the computer;
ii) a graphical user interface presenting output from and accepting input to the software application;
iii) a communication module handling messages passed between the core component and the graphical user interface; and
iv) a client/server module having a socket allowing bi-directional communications with other instances of said software application running other on other computers in a network; and
v) a thread to monitor whether the core component has responded to a wait command;
c) establishing a TCP/IP connection between the remote software application and the host software application;
d) transmitting commands and events specific to the software application and/or the device over said connection;
e) sharing graphical user interface information between the remote software application and the host software application such that a remote user and host user may provide input to and view output from the software application and the device connected to the host computer which is controlled by said software application running on the host computer; and
f) closing said TCP/IP connection between the remote computer and the host computer at the end of each session.
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34. In a communications network, a system for allowing both a host computer and remote computer to view and control a software application running on the host computer, said system comprising:
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a) a host computer running a software application, said software application having;
i) a core component controlling the operation of the software application;
ii) a graphical user interface presenting output from and accepting input to the software application;
iii) a communication module handling messages passed between the core component and the graphical user interface;
iv) a client/server module having a socket allowing bi-directional communications with other instances of said software application running on other computers in a network; and
v) a thread to monitor whether the core component has responded to a wait command; and
b) a remote computer running another instance of the software application, said software application connected to the host computer'"'"'s software application by a TCP/IP connection;
wherein the host computer and the remote computer share the graphical user interface providing information and control of the software application running on the host computer.
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48. In a communications network, a method for allowing both a host computer and a remote computer to view and control a software application on the host computer, said method comprising:
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a) running the same software application on both a remote computer and a host computer, said software application having;
i) a core component controlling the operation of the software application;
ii) a graphical user interface presenting output from and accepting input to the software application;
iii) a communication module handling messages passed between the core component and the graphical user interface; and
iv) a client/server module having a socket allowing bi-directional communications with other computers in a network running other instances of said software application; and
v) a thread to monitor whether the core component has responded to a wait command; and
b) establishing a TCP/IP connection between the remote software application and the host software application;
c) transmitting commands and events specific to the software application and/or the device over said connection;
d) sharing graphical user interface information between the remote software application and the host software application such that a remote user and a host user may provide input to and view output from the software application running on the host computer;
e) shutting down said TCP/IP connection between the remote computer and the host computer at the end of each session.
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55. In a communications network, a system for enabling a plurality of software applications to remotely control and monitor a software application running on a host computer, said system comprising:
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a) a plurality of computers; and
b) a plurality of identical software applications running on each of said computers, each instance of said software application having;
i) a core component controlling the operation of the software application;
ii) a graphical user interface presenting output from and accepting input to the software application;
iii) a communication module handling messages passed between the core component and the graphical user interface; and
iv) a client/server module having a socket allowing bi-directional communications with other instances of said software application running on other computers in a network; and
v) a thread to monitor whether the core component has responded to a wait command;
each software application connected to the other software applications via a TCP/IP connection;
wherein each software application can view and control the software application running on a chosen computer. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification