Method and apparatus for controlling execution of an application

• US 20060112181A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Affaki, John Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A terminal server receives a request from a client to execute an application program on the terminal server. The terminal server identifies information associated with the application program and determines whether the client is permitted to access the application program based on the information associated with the application program. If the client is permitted to access the application program, the application program is launched within an application launcher on the terminal server, which sends data to be rendered to the client and instructs the client to begin rendering the data after successfully launching the application program.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user name;

establishing a connection with a terminal server;

requesting execution of an application program by the terminal server;

receiving data to be rendered from the terminal server; and

delaying rendering of the data until rendering instructions are received from the terminal server.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising terminating communication with the terminal server if an error message is received from the terminal server.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising displaying an indication that the application program is loading prior to receiving rendering instructions from the terminal server.

4. A method-as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a password associated with the user name; and

verifying the password.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a video display device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein rendering of the data includes generating a video image for display on a display device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein rendering of the data includes playing audio data through an audio device.

8. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim

9. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client to access an application program;

identifying information associated with the application program;

determining whether the client is permitted to access the application program based on the information associated with the application program;

if the client is permitted to access the application program;

launching the application program within an application launcher;

sending data to be rendered to the client; and

instructing the client to begin rendering the data.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising preventing execution of the application program if the client is not permitted to access the application program.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the application launcher maintains control of the application program during execution of the application program.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the information associated with the application program identifies at least one uniform resource locator that can be accessed by the application program.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising intercepting security-related events identified by the application launcher during execution of the application program.

14. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising intercepting web-related events identified by the application launcher during execution of the application program.

15. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising restricting access to at least one network location based on information associated with the application program.

16. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising generating an error message if launching the application program is unsuccessful.

17. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising terminating communication with the client if launching the application program is unsuccessful.

18. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising instructing the client to display an indication that the application program is loading prior to instructing the client to begin rendering the data.

19. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein instructing the client to begin rendering occurs after the application program is successfully launched by the application launcher.

20. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 9.

21. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

establish communication with a client;

identify application programs available to the client;

receive a selected application program from the client;

identify information associated with the selected application program;

determine whether the client is permitted to access the selected application program based on the information associated with the selected application program;

if the client is permitted to access the selected application program;

launch the selected application program within an application launcher;

send data to be rendered to the client; and

instruct the client to begin rendering the data.

22. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors further prevent execution of the selected-application program if the client is not permitted to access the selected application program.

23. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the information associated with the selected application program identifies a web proxy to use with the selected application program.

24. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors further intercept security-related events generated during execution of the selected application program.

25. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors further intercept web-related events generated during execution of the selected application program.

26. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the application launcher maintains control of the selected application program during execution of the selected application program.

27. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors further generate an error message if launch of the selected application program is unsuccessful.

28. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors further terminate communication with the client if launch of the selected application program is unsuccessful.

29. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors further instruct the client to display an indication that the selected application program is loading prior to instructing the client to begin rendering the data.

30. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the one or more processors instruct the client to begin rendering the data after the selected application program is successfully launched.

31. A system comprising:

a memory device; and

a processor coupled to the memory device, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a request from a client to execute an application program;

identify information associated with the application program;

determine whether the client is permitted to access the application program based on the information associated with the application program;

if the client is permitted to access the application program;

launch the application program within an application launcher, wherein the application launcher maintains control of the application program during execution of the application program;

send data to be rendered to the client; and

instruct the client to begin rendering the data after the application program is successfully launched by the application launcher.

32. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the client to display an indication that the application program is loading prior to instructing the client to begin rendering the data.

33. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the processor is further configured to prevent execution of the application program if the client is not permitted to access the application program.

34. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein if the launch of the application program is unsuccessful, the processor is further configured to:

generate an error message; and

terminate communication with the client.