SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMPUTER SERVICES

• US 20120150992A1
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joseph Anthony Jr. Lovullo, Sandeep Cai, Stephen Mark Mays
• Original Assignee: Joseph Anthony Jr. Lovullo, Sandeep Cai, Stephen Mark Mays
• Inventors: Mays, Stephen Mark, Lovullo, Joseph Anthony Jr., Cai, Sandeep
• Application Number:
  US13/261,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150992A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A computer system and method for providing computer services to a user, comprising: a virtual computer system comprising at least one virtual computer that is created within the virtual computer system; a virtualization layer enabling the at least one virtual computer to utilize CPU, RAM and storage of a host computer within the virtual computer system; a virtual computer selector providing for the selection of the at least one virtual computer on an unscheduled basis; a storage system; and a streaming video content system for separating streaming video data into a graphical user interface component that contains data display information required by said terminal device in order to locate and draw a user interface and a video stream component that is displayed on a screen of the terminal device within the user interface.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing computer services to a user, comprising:

a) a virtual computer system comprising

at least one virtual computer that is created within the virtual computer system, said virtual computer having a virtual operating system, a unique virtual computer identifier, and with said virtual computer provided for receiving input from and sending output to a terminal and peripheral device system that is remotely connected to the virtual computer system over a network;

a virtualization layer enabling the at least one virtual computer to utilize CPU, RAM and storage of a host computer within the virtual computer system;

a virtual computer selector providing for the selection of the at least one virtual computer on an unscheduled basis;

a storage system containing at least one virtual application program with the storage system in communication with the at least one virtual computer, said storage system for the delivery of said virtual application program to said virtual computer; and

a streaming video content system for separating streaming video data into a graphical user interface component that contains data display information required by said terminal device in order to locate and draw a user interface and a video stream component that is displayed on a screen of the terminal device within the user interface.

b) the terminal and peripheral device system comprising

at least one terminal device that is remotely connected to and in communication with the virtual computer system, said terminal device having an operating system that is functionality limited to providing output to and receiving input, including streaming video data, from the virtual computer system, which system executes user application code and stores all non-streaming data, said terminal device not having an operating system capable of executing application code and not having a access to storage within the device, said terminal device for use by the user to access the virtual computer selector in order to select the at least one virtual computer on an unscheduled basis and to use said virtual computer to access the at least one virtual application program that is made substantially instantaneously available to the user; and

at least one peripheral device that is remotely connected to and in communication with the at least one virtual computer, enabling the user of the terminal device to use the peripheral device on an unscheduled basis, whereby the user of the terminal device is presented with a desktop experience while interacting with said virtual application program and said peripheral device.

2. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a statistical model for use in determining the number of virtual computers needed to service an anticipated number of users.

3. The computer system of claim 1 in which the at least one virtual computer is allocated a predetermined quantity of CPU from the host computer.

4. The computer system of claim 1 in which billing events associated with the user'"'"'s interaction with the at least one virtual application program are stored in a billing system for use in generating a bill to be sent to the user.

5. The computer system of claim 1 in which the at least one peripheral device is a local peripheral device.

6. The computer system of claim 1 in which the at least one peripheral device is a remote peripheral device.

7. A method for providing computer services to a user, comprising:

a) creating at least one virtual computer within a virtual computer system, said virtual computer having a virtual operating system, a unique virtual computer identifier, and with said virtual computer providing for receiving input from and sending output to a terminal and peripheral device system;

b) connecting the virtual computer system to the terminal and peripheral device system over a network;

c) enabling the at least one virtual computer to utilize CPU, RAM and storage of a host computer;

d) storing at least one application program in a storage system that is in communication with the at least one virtual computer;

e) limiting the functionality of a terminal device within the terminal and peripheral device system to providing output to and receiving input, including streaming video data from the virtual computer system, which system executes all application code and stores all non-streaming data, said terminal device not having an operating system capable of executing application code and not having access to storage within the device;

f) enabling the user of the terminal device within the terminal and peripheral device system to use the device to establish on an unscheduled basis a remote connection between the device and the at least one virtual computer within the virtual computer system and to use said virtual computer to access the at least one virtual application program that is made substantially instantaneously available to the user;

g) enabling the user of the terminal device to use the at least one virtual computer to establish on an unscheduled basis a remote connection between said virtual computer and at least one peripheral device;

h) presenting the user of the terminal device with a desktop experience while interacting with said virtual application program and said peripheral device; and

i) releasing the at least one virtual computer when the user terminates the connection between the terminal device and the at least one virtual computer.