METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VIRTUALIZATION OF SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

• US 20130247070A1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Code Systems Incorporated (VOXX International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Code Systems Incorporated (VOXX International Corporation)
• Inventors: Larimore, Stefan I., Murphey, C. Michael, Obata, Kenji C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,207,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/312
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0813 with a network or matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/48 Program initiating; Program switching, e.g. by interrupt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes

Abstract

A method of virtualizing an application to execute on a plurality of operating systems without installation. The method includes creating an input configuration file for each operating system. The templates each include a collection of configurations that were made by the application during installation on a computing device executing the operating system. The templates are combined into a single application template having a layer including the collection of configurations for each operating system. The collection of configurations includes files and registry entries. The collections also identifies and configures environmental variables, systems, and the like. Files in the collection of configurations and references to those files may be replaced with references to files stored on installation media. The application template is used to build an executable of the virtualized application. The application template may be incorporated into a manifest listing other application templates and made available to users from a website.

Claims

1. A method of executing one or more virtual applications from a single executable file, the method comprising:

receiving a character string comprising a parameter and an identification of an executable file implementing a plurality of virtual applications, the executable file comprising a plurality of startup files each corresponding to one of the plurality of virtual applications;

executing a process of the executable file;

determining whether the executing process is a first process of the executable file to be executed based on the presence or absence of a data structure associated with the executable file in a shared memory;

allocating a data structure in a shared memory associated with the executing process;

parsing the character string to obtain the parameter;

identifying which of the plurality of startup files to execute based on the parameter; and

executing the identified startup file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the executing process is determined to be the first process of the executable file to be executed:

identifying one or more additional startup files to be executed; and

executing the one or more additional startup files.

3. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method of executing one or more virtual applications from a single executable file, the method comprising:

receiving a character string comprising a parameter and an identification of an executable file implementing a plurality of virtual applications, the executable file comprising a plurality of startup files each corresponding to one of the plurality of virtual applications;

executing a process of the executable file;

determining whether the executing process is a first process of the executable file to be executed based on the presence or absence of a data structure associated with the executable file in a shared memory;

allocating a data structure in a shared memory associated with the executing process;

parsing the character string to obtain the parameter;

identifying which of the plurality of startup files to execute based on the parameter; and

executing the identified startup file.

4-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method of executing a virtual application in a virtual operating system executing on a host operating system, the virtual application executing in at least partial isolation from the host operating system, the method comprising:

constructing a data structure identifying a plurality of shims and for each shim, associating the shim with at least one virtual application;

establishing an activation criteria for each shim, the activation criteria identifying circumstances under which the shim is to be activated;

receiving a request to execute the virtual application;

using the data structure to identify at least one of the plurality of shims associated with the virtual application;

for each of the at least one of the plurality of shims associated with the virtual application, determining when the activation criteria is satisfied; and

for each of the at least one of the plurality of shims associated with the virtual application, when the activation criteria is satisfied, activating the shim associated with the virtual application, the activation of the shim facilitating the execution of the virtual application in the virtual operating system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the activation criteria for a first shim of the plurality of shims comprises an identification of a first operating system,

determining when the activation criteria for the first shim is satisfied comprises determining the host operating system is the first operating system, and

when activated, the first shim returns information to the virtual application required by the virtual application to continue execution in the virtual operating system.

15. A method of incorporating software components into a virtual application isolated from other processes executing on a computing device, the software components being accessible by the other processes executing on the computing device, the software components being identified in a manifest including a public key token associated with the software components, the manifest being configured to receive calls to the software components and direct them to the software components, the method comprising:

creating a private memory cache for the virtual application;

storing copies of the software components in the private memory cache;

creating a private copy of the manifest, the private copy of the manifest omitting the public key token associated with the software components, the private copy of the manifest being configured to direct calls to the software components to the copies of the software components stored in the private memory cache;

intercepting calls by the virtual application to the software components; and

directing the intercepted calls to the private copy of the manifest.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

mapping a location on the computing device in which the software components are stored to a location in the private memory cache in which the copies of the software components are stored;

receiving a request from the virtual application for the location on the computing device in which the software components are stored;

intercepting the request; and

after intercepting the request, returning the location on the computing device in which the software components are stored instead of the location in the private memory cache in which the copies of the software components are stored.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

mapping a location on the computing device in which the manifest is stored to a location in which the private copy of the manifest is stored;

receiving a request from the virtual application for the location on the computing device in which the manifest is stored;

intercepting the request; and

after intercepting the request, returning the location on the computing device in which the manifest is stored instead of the location in which the private copy of the manifest is stored.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method of incorporating software components into a virtual application isolated from other processes executing on a computing device, the software components being accessible by the other processes executing on the computing device, the software components being identified in a manifest including a public key token associated with the software components, the manifest being configured to receive calls to the software components and direct them to the software components, the method comprising:

creating a private memory cache for the virtual application;

storing copies of the software components in the private memory cache;

creating a private copy of the manifest, the private copy of the manifest omitting the public key token associated with the software components, the private copy of the manifest being configured to direct calls to the software components to the copies of the software components stored in the private memory cache;

intercepting calls by the virtual application to the software components; and

directing the intercepted calls to the private copy of the manifest.