Apparatus and accompanying methods for providing, through a centralized server site, a secure, cost-effective, web-enabled, integrated virtual office environment remotely accessible through a network-connected web browser
First Claim
1. Apparatus for providing a web-accessible virtual processing environment to a network-connected office server for a remotely connected user computer through which a user stationed at the computer can execute any of a plurality of server-based applications resident at the office server, comprising:
- a platform, capable of being situated in network communication between the user computer and the office server, having;
a processor;
a memory, connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for interfacing the platform, through the first network interface, to a wide area network (WAN) connection through which the remote user computer obtains connectivity to the platform, and, through the second network interface, to a local area network (LAN) having a server computer electrically communicative thereover, respectively, with the server computer forming the office server; and
wherein, in response to the executable instructions, the processor, for each one of the server-based applications;
provides, through a corresponding client application module implemented on the platform for each of the server-based applications, bi-directional protocol conversion of messages between the remote user computer and the office server, such that user interaction data, intended for a specific one of the server-based applications and provided by a browser executing on the remote user computer in a first protocol, is converted into a second protocol associated with said one server-based application and then applied to the server-based application at the office server, and output data, provided by said specific one server-based application, is converted from the second protocol to the first protocol for being transmitted to the user computer and graphically rendered thereat, through the browser, to the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and accompanying methods for use therein for implementing an integrated, virtual office user environment, through an office server(s), through which a remotely stationed user can access typical office network-based applications, including e-mail, file sharing and hosted thin-client programs, through a remotely located network, e.g., WAN, connected web browser. Specifically, a front end, namely a service enablement platform (SEP), to one or more office servers on a LAN is connected to both the WAN and LAN and acts both as a bridge between the user and his(her) office applications and as a protocol translator to enable bi-directional, web-based, real-time communication to occur between the browser and each such application. The SEP translates user input originating from the browser into application-specific protocols and applies a result to a corresponding office application server.
388 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing a web-accessible virtual processing environment to a network-connected office server for a remotely connected user computer through which a user stationed at the computer can execute any of a plurality of server-based applications resident at the office server, comprising:
a platform, capable of being situated in network communication between the user computer and the office server, having;
a processor;
a memory, connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for interfacing the platform, through the first network interface, to a wide area network (WAN) connection through which the remote user computer obtains connectivity to the platform, and, through the second network interface, to a local area network (LAN) having a server computer electrically communicative thereover, respectively, with the server computer forming the office server; and
wherein, in response to the executable instructions, the processor, for each one of the server-based applications;
provides, through a corresponding client application module implemented on the platform for each of the server-based applications, bi-directional protocol conversion of messages between the remote user computer and the office server, such that user interaction data, intended for a specific one of the server-based applications and provided by a browser executing on the remote user computer in a first protocol, is converted into a second protocol associated with said one server-based application and then applied to the server-based application at the office server, and output data, provided by said specific one server-based application, is converted from the second protocol to the first protocol for being transmitted to the user computer and graphically rendered thereat, through the browser, to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for use, in apparatus, which provides for providing a web-accessible virtual processing environment to a network-connected office server for a remotely connected user computer through which a user stationed at the computer can execute any of a plurality of server-based applications resident at the office server, the apparatus comprising a platform, capable of being situated in network communication between the user computer and the office server, having:
- a processor, a memory, connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for interfacing the platform, through the first network interface, to a wide area network (WAN) connection through which the remote user computer obtains connectivity to the platform, and, through the second network interface, to a local area network (LAN) having a server computer electrically communicative thereover, respectively, with the server computer forming the office server;
wherein, the method comprises the steps, performed by the processor, for each one of the server-based applications;
providing, through a corresponding client application module implemented on the platform for each of the server-based applications, bi-directional protocol conversion of messages between the remote user computer and the office server, wherein the providing step comprises the steps of;
converting user interaction data, intended for a specific one of the server-based applications and provided by a browser executing on the remote user computer from a first protocol into a second protocol associated with said one server-based application so as to yield converted user interaction data;
applying the converted user interaction data to the server-based application at the office server;
converting output data, provided by said specific one server-based application, from the second protocol to the first protocol so as to yield converted output data; and
transmitting the converted output data to the user computer to be graphically rendered thereat, through the browser, to the user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a processor, a memory, connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
Specification