Providing a Shared Desktop Interface of Multiple Computer Terminals

• US 20090249219A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Girouard, Janice M., Best, Steven F., Sobocinski, Brian P., Eggers, Robert J. JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/059,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249219A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, and computer-readable medium with executable code for viewing the operation of multiple client terminals from a single user interface of a server terminal. A buffer sharing logic of the server terminal and the client terminals is used to transmit and receive display data between the computers. The server terminal may use buffer sharing logic to cycle between desktop views or program windows of processes running on the connected client terminals. A user of the server terminal may select to view program windows of processes running on the connected client terminals, or a virtual extended desktop of the server terminal and connected client terminals. Once a program window or virtual extended desktop is chosen, the user of the server terminal may view the client terminal screen where the chosen desktop or window resides.

Claims

1. A method of enabling display of a client terminal on a display of a server terminal, the method comprising:

transmitting an instruction from the server terminal to a first client terminal to enable interconnection between an output display device buffer of the first client terminal to an output display device buffer of the server terminal;

in response to the server terminal connecting the output display device buffer of the server terminal to the output device buffer of the first client terminal, receiving display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, wherein the display data related to running processes is received by the server terminal, and includes one or more of;

a display data related to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the first client terminal,

a display data related to a user interface of a program currently running on the first client terminal;

in response to receiving the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, integrating the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal into a display functionality interface of the server terminal;

in response to integrating the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal into a display functionality interface of the server terminal, enabling a selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal for display on a display device at the server terminal; and

in response to selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, displaying the selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal on a display device at the server terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display data related to running processes on the first client terminal is a display data related to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the first client terminal, and the method further comprises, integrating the display data related to the desktop display of the user interface of the operating system of the first client terminal as an extension to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the server terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the view of running processes is a program user interface of a program currently running on the first client terminal, and the method further comprises, integrating the display data related to the program currently running on the first client terminal as a program running on an operating system of the server terminal.

4. A server terminal comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a connection medium to connect and exchange information with other computer terminals; and

a processing logic for;

transmitting an instruction from the server terminal to a first client terminal to enable interconnection between an output display device buffer of the first client terminal to an output display device buffer of the server terminal;

in response to the server terminal connecting the output display device buffer of the server terminal to the output device buffer of the first client terminal, receiving display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, wherein the display data related to running processes is received by the server terminal, and includes one or more of;

a display data related to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the first client terminal,

a display data related to a user interface of a program currently running on the first client terminal;

in response to receiving the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, integrating the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal into a display functionality interface of the server terminal;

in response to integrating the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal into a display functionality interface of the server terminal, enabling a selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal for display on a display device at the server terminal; and

in response to selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, displaying the selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal on a display device at the server terminal.

5. The server terminal of claim 4, wherein the display data related to running processes on the first client terminal is a display data related to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the first client terminal, and the processing logic further comprises, integrating the display data related to the desktop display of the user interface of the operating system of the first client terminal as an extension to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the server terminal.

6. The server terminal of claim 4, wherein the view of running processes is a program user interface of a program currently running on the first client terminal, and the processing logic further comprises, integrating the display data related to the program currently running on the first client terminal as a program running on an operating system of the server terminal.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored a plurality of instructions processable by a machine embodied therein, wherein the plurality of instructions, when processed by a machine, causes the machine to:

transmitting an instruction from the server terminal to a first client terminal to enable interconnection between an output display device buffer of the first client terminal to an output display device buffer of the server terminal;

in response to the server terminal connecting the output display device buffer of the server terminal to the output device buffer of the first client terminal, receiving display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, wherein the display data related to running processes is received by the server terminal, and includes one or more of;

a display data related to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the first client terminal,

a display data related to a user interface of a program currently running on the first client terminal;

in response to receiving the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, integrating the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal into a display functionality interface of the server terminal;

in response to integrating the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal into a display functionality interface of the server terminal, enabling a selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal for display on a display device at the server terminal; and

in response to selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal, displaying the selection of the display data related to running processes of the first client terminal on a display device at the server terminal.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the display data related to running processes on the first client terminal is a display data related to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the first client terminal, and the plurality of instructions further comprises, integrating the display data related to the desktop display of the user interface of the operating system of the first client terminal as an extension to a desktop display of a user interface of an operating system of the server terminal.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the view of running processes is a program user interface of a program currently running on the first client terminal, and the plurality of instructions further comprises, integrating the display data related to the program currently running on the first client terminal as a program running on an operating system of the server terminal.