METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING, TO A FIRST APPLICATION EXECUTED BY A FIRST OPERATING SYSTEM, AN INTERFACE FOR COMMUNICATING WITH AT LEAST ONE APPLICATION EXECUTED BY A SECOND OPERATING SYSTEM

• US 20090183186A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Murtagh, Richard Leo
• Granted Patent: US 8,938,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/329
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for providing, to a first application executed by a first operating system, an interface for communicating with at least one application executed by a second operating system includes providing, by a first interface object executed by the first operating system, a mechanism for external communication with a first application executed by the first operating system. A second interface object executed by the second operating system provides a mechanism for external communication with a window handler executed by the second operating system. The first interface object receives an identification of a window displayed by the first operating system and generated by a second application executed by the second operating system and requests, from the second interface object, analysis of the identified window. The first interface object receives, from the second interface object, an identification of contact information displayed by the window resulting from the analysis by the window handler.

Claims

1. A method for providing, to a first application executed by a first operating system, an interface for communicating with at least one application executed by a second operating system, the method comprising:

providing, by a first interface object executed by a first operating system, a mechanism for external communication with a first application executed by the first operating system;

providing, by a second interface object executed by a second operating system, a mechanism for external communication with at least one window handler routine executed by the second operating system;

receiving, by the first interface object, an identification of a window displayed by the first operating system and generated by a second application executed by the second operating system;

requesting, by the first interface object, from the second interface object, analysis of the identified window;

directing, by second interface object, analysis of data displayed in the window by the at least one window handler routine executed by the second operating system; and

receiving, by the first interface object, from the second interface object, an identification of contact information displayed by the window resulting from the analysis by the at least one window handler routine executed by the second operating system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, by the first application, a user interface for interacting with the identified contact information, responsive to receiving the identification of the contact information from the first interface object.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, by the first interface object to an analysis component executed by the first operating system and in communication with the first application, the contact information received from the second interface object.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining, by the analysis component, that the contact information does not comprise a telephone number.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining, by the analysis component, that the contact information does not comprise a facsimile number.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting, by the analysis component, to the first application, an instruction not to display a user interface for interacting with the identified contact information.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, by the first interface object, from the second interface object, an indication that the window does not display contact information, responsive to the analysis by the at least one window handler routine.

8. A system for providing, to a first application executed by a first operating system, an interface for communicating with at least one application executed by a second operating system, comprising:

a first interface object executed by a first operating system, providing a mechanism for external communication with a first application executed by the first operating system, and receiving an identification of a window displayed by the first operating system and generated by a second application executed by a second operating system; and

at least one window handler routine executed by the second operating system and comprising;

i) a receiver receiving a request from the first interface object via a second interface object executed by the second operating system and providing a mechanism for external communication with the at least one window handler routine,

ii) an analysis engine analyzing data displayed in the window, and

iii) a transmitter sending to the first interface object via the second interface object an identification of contact information displayed by the window.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first interface object further comprises a plug-in module communicating with the first application.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one window handler routine further comprises a plug-in module communicating with the second interface object.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising a user interface generated by the first application and displaying the identified contact information.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising an analysis component, executed by the first operating system, in communication with the first application and with the first interface object, receiving the contact information, and transmitting to the first application confirmation that the data displayed by the identified window includes contact information.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising an analysis component, executed by the first operating system, in communication with the first application and with the first interface object, receiving the contact information, and transmitting to the first application an indication that the data displayed by the identified window does not include contact information.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions to display, by the first application, a user interface for interacting with the identified contact information, responsive to receiving the identification of the contact information from the first interface object.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions to transmit, by the first interface object to an analysis component executed by the first operating system and in communication with the first application, the contact information.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to determine, by the analysis component, that the contact information does not comprise a telephone number.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to determine, by the analysis component, that the contact information does not comprise a facsimile number.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to transmit, by the analysis component, to the first application, an instruction not to display a user interface for interacting with the identified contact information.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions to receive, by the first interface object, from the second interface object, an indication that the window does not display contact information, responsive to the analysis by the at least one window handler routine.

14. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed provide a method for providing, to a first application executed by a first operating system, an interface for communicating with at least one application executed by a second operating system, the computer readable media comprising:

instructions to provide, by a first interface object executed by a first operating system, a mechanism for external communication with a first application executed by the first operating system;

instructions to provide, by a second interface object executed by a second operating system, a mechanism for external communication with at least one window handler routine executed by the second operating system;

instructions to receive, by the first interface object, an identification of a window displayed by the first operating system and generated by a second application executed by the second operating system;

instructions to request, by the first interface object, from the second interface object, analysis of the identified window;

instructions to direct, by second interface object, analysis of data displayed in the window by the at least one window handler routine; and

instructions to receive, by the first interface object, from the second interface object, an identification of contact information displayed by the window resulting from the analysis by the at least one window handler routine.