Interacting with software applications displayed in a web page

• US 20020196279A1
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Panasyuk, Anatoliy, Muir, Jeff, Bloomfield, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 6,950,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention enables the display of application-output data within application-output windows embedded in a web browser window. The application-output windows can be dynamically moved, resized and otherwise manipulated within the web browser window even when the application program providing the source of the application-output data is non-web enabled (e.g., legacy applications). The invention receives window attribute information associated with the application-output windows via a first virtual channel and displays application-output data received via a second virtual channel within the application-output windows, which are formed and/or modified using the window attribute information.

Claims

1. A method of displaying application-output data in a web browser, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a web browser window;

providing at least one application-output window positioned within the web browser window;

receiving window attribute information corresponding to the application-output window via a first virtual channel coupled to the application-output window, the window attribute information being modifiable independently of the web browser;

receiving the application-output data via a second virtual channel coupled to the application-output window;

displaying the application-output window in accordance with the window attribute information; and

displaying the application-output data in the application-output window.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a client agent monitoring and responding to events associated with the application-output window, independently of the web browser.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of resizing, by the client agent, the application-output window in response to an input received by the client agent.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing, independently of the web browser, the first and second virtual channels.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving application-output data generated by an unmodified application program.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a client agent in response to an application object embedded in a web page displayed in the web browser window, the client agent establishing the first and second virtual channels independently of the web browser.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of using the received window attribute information to modify at least one property of the application object, the modified property of the application object triggering a corresponding change in the application-output window.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a client agent in response to an ActiveX control embedded in a web page displayed in the web browser window, the client agent establishing the first and second virtual channels independently of the web browser.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a plurality of application-output windows positioned within the web browser window, each of the application-output windows displaying application-output data received from a different application server.

10. A system for displaying application-output data in a web browser, the system comprising:

a web browser window;

at least one application-output window displaying the application-output data and positioned within the web browser window;

a first virtual channel receiving window attribute information corresponding to the application-output window, the window attribute information being modifiable independently of the web browser; and

a second virtual channel receiving the application-output data, wherein the application-output data is displayed in the application-output window in accordance with the window attribute information.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a client agent monitoring and responding to events associated with the application-output window.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the client agent resizes the application-output window in response to an input received by the client agent.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the client agent forms the first and second virtual channels independently of the web browser.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising an unmodified application program generating the application-output data.

15. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

an application object embedded in a web page displayed in the web browser window, the application object including at least one property affecting the application-output window; and

a client agent instantiated in response to the application object and capable of modifying the property of the application object upon receipt of the window attribute information from the second virtual channel.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the application object is an ActiveX control.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the application-output window is a child window of the web browser window.

18. The system of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of application-output windows positioned within the web browser window, each of the application-output windows displaying application-output data received from a different application server.