Systems and methods for integrating application windows in a virtual machine environment

• US 20060005187A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Neil, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines

Abstract

The present invention includes systems for and methods of visually integrating application windows in a virtual machine environment. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for and method of visually integrating application windows of host and guest operating system in a virtual machine environment in order to reduce difficulties that the users of computers experience in navigating between applications in a virtual machine environment. The present invention accomplishes this by using a composite window list in the virtual machine monitor (VMM) to manage the configuration, the focus, the geometry, the Z-order of the windows across guest and host operating systems, and the arrangement of doppelgangers (virtual application windows, in this case) in a way that allows host and guest application windows to appear integrated in a single display window.

Claims

1. A method for integrating a virtual machine display with a host operating system display, said virtual machine comprising a guest operating system and at least one application for execution on said guest operating system, said method comprising, upon selection for execution of an application that is native to a guest operating system, executing said application in said guest operating system running on said virtual machine and displaying said output of said application in a promoted guest application window on said host operating system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is implemented by a virtual machine monitor operating in conjunction with standard functionality of a host operating system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is implemented by a host operating system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the host operating system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the guest operating system.

6. A system for integrating a virtual machine display with a host operating system display, said virtual machine comprising a guest operating system and at least one application for execution on said guest operating system, said system comprising at least one subsystem for, upon selection for execution of an application that is native to a guest operating system, executing said application in said guest operating system running on said virtual machine and displaying said output of said application in a promoted guest application window on said host operating system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said system is a subsystem implemented by a virtual machine monitor operating in conjunction with standard functionality of a host operating system.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said system is a subsystem implemented by a host operating system.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising at least one subsystem whereby a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the host operating system.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising at least one subsystem whereby a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the guest operating system.

11. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for integrating a virtual machine display with a host operating system display, said virtual machine comprising a guest operating system and at least one application for execution on said guest operating system, said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for, upon selection for execution of an application that is native to a guest operating system, executing said application in said guest operating system running on said virtual machine and displaying said output of said application in a promoted guest application window on said host operating system.

12. The computer-readable instructions of claim 11 further comprising instructions whereby said method is implemented by a virtual machine monitor operating in conjunction with standard functionality of a host operating system.

13. The computer-readable instructions of claim 11 further comprising instructions whereby said method is implemented by a host operating system.

14. The computer-readable instructions of claim 11 further comprising instructions whereby a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the host operating system.

15. The computer-readable instructions of claim 11 further comprising instructions whereby a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the guest operating system.

16. A hardware control device for integrating a virtual machine display with a host operating system display, said virtual machine comprising a guest operating system and at least one application for execution on said guest operating system, said hardware control device comprising means for, upon selection for execution of an application that is native to a guest operating system, executing said application in said guest operating system running on said virtual machine and displaying said output of said application in a promoted guest application window on said host operating system.

17. The hardware control device of claim 16 further comprising means whereby said hardware control device is utilized by a virtual machine monitor operating in conjunction with standard functionality of a host operating system.

18. The hardware control device of claim 16 further comprising means whereby said hardware control device is utilized by a host operating system.

19. The hardware control device of claim 16 further comprising means whereby a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the host operating system.

20. The hardware control device of claim 16 further comprising means whereby a promoted window comprises a set of adornments from the guest operating system.