Techniques for providing accessibility options in remote terminal sessions

• US 20060271637A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Patwardhan, Makarand V., Abdo, Nadim Y., McKeon, Brendan
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet

Abstract

Techniques relating to enabling accessibility functionality in remote terminal session scenarios are described. In one instance, a process detects a request from an accessibility functionality regarding a display element in a remote terminal session. The process sends a query relating to the request to a component located on a computing device which generated the display element. The process also receives a response to the query.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a request from an accessibility functionality regarding a display element in a remote terminal session;

sending a query relating to the request to a component located on a computing device which generated the display element; and

,

receiving a response to the query.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display element comprises a portion of a remote desktop generated for the remote terminal session.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the accessibility functionality comprises an accessibility aid-user-interface-interface (AA-UI-interface) functionality.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said sending comprises exposing an interface configured to allow the accessibility functionality to establish a virtual channel with the component.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising enabling the accessibility functionality to establish communications with an accessibility functionality representative component located on the computing device generating the display element.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said enabling comprises providing interfaces configured to allow the accessibility functionality to communicate with the accessibility functionality representative component.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said enabling comprises providing interfaces for the accessibility functionality to launch one or more components configured to allow the accessibility functionality to communicate with the accessibility functionality representative component.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display element comprises a single user-interface (UI) object, and further comprising presenting the response to the accessibility functionality as nodes of an object tree reflecting the UI object.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said presenting comprises processing the response to compensate for at least one factor relating to the remote terminal session.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one factor comprises adjusting location data obtained from a source of the display element to reflect a location of the display element relative to a client display.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said sending comprises sending the request over a virtual channel enabled by the remote terminal session.

12. A computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts, comprising:

generating a user-interface (UI);

sending a representation of the UI to a remote terminal session client;

receiving a query relating to the UI; and

,

accessing UI information responsive to the query.

13. The computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the accessing is accomplished by an accessibility aid-user-interface (AA-UI) interface component which is started responsive to said receiving.

14. The computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the receiving is accomplished by a component which is started responsive to receiving a start-up request from the remote terminal session client.

15. The computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein said UI comprises a sub-tree of UI elements.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 12 further comprising sending the UI information to the client over a communication means enabled by a terminal services session with the terminal services client.

17. A system, comprising:

means for requesting accessibility related information relative to a display element displayed in a remote terminal session; and

,

means for determining if the display element is remotely generated.

18. A system as recited in claim 17 further comprising means for enabling communication with a remote source of the display element through which accessibility related information can be obtained.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the means for enabling communication provides at least one interface through which the means for requesting can access a communication means for communicating with the remote source.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein the interface allows the means for requesting to launch a component within a process boundary of the means for enabling communication.