Remote Virtualization of Mobile Apps

• US 20150081764A1
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evie Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Curious Olive, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Yu Qing, Zhao, David, D'Sa, Russ, Schwartz, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/549 Remote execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

The present invention includes various embodiments of a mobile app remote virtualization system and process that enables users of remote client devices to control mobile apps running in a host server environment. The resulting user experience is practically equivalent to running native mobile apps, even when such mobile apps require access to local client device resources, as well as when native versions of such mobile apps do not exist for the user'"'"'s client device. The functionality afforded by the mobile app remote virtualization system and process of the present invention enables a variety of novel scenarios and “use cases” that have not previously been available to mobile device users.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) an application that runs on the host server platform;

(b) a virtual application that runs on the remote client device to control the execution of the application on the host server platform;

(c) a capture engine that intercepts user-initiated events, resulting from a user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual application on the remote client device, wherein the user-initiated events are transmitted over the network to the application;

(d) an AV streamer that streams, to the virtual application over the network, screen displays and associated audio generated by the application in response to the user-initiated events; and

(e) a remote API listener/dispatcher that intercepts requests from the application for application-initiated events that require access to local resources on the remote client device, wherein the application-initiated events are transmitted over the network to the virtual application, and submitted to the native operating system on the remote client device to access the local resources.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the application runs on a physical mobile device on the host server platform.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the user-initiated events are translated into a normalized format, whereby different operating systems can be employed between the host server platform and the remote client device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the virtual application is embedded in a native application on the remote client device.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the virtual application is embodied in a standalone shell application container on the remote client device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the standalone shell application container includes a plurality of virtual applications.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein an intercepted request includes invocation of a native application on the remote client device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein data obtained from running the native application on the remote client device are returned to and utilized by the application running on the host server platform.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the user is authenticated automatically upon invocation of the native application.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein multiple instances of the virtual application can run concurrently on the remote client device.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the local resources include data generated by local hardware on the remote mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the local hardware includes GPS, gyroscope or accelerometer hardware.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the local hardware includes camera, microphone, speaker or network hardware.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein the application is preloaded on the host server platform to reduce the perceived application loading time after the virtual application is invoked.

17. The system of claim 3, wherein parameters for the encoding and streaming of the screen displays and associated audio are adjusted dynamically, based on current network conditions and/or capabilities of the remote client device.

18. The system of claim 3, wherein the screen displays and associated audio are transmitted to a remote physical device in addition to the remote client device, and wherein the remote physical device is a smartphone, tablet or television.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote physical device includes a virtual application that runs on the remote client device and concurrently controls the execution of the application on the host server platform.

20. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) an application that runs on the host server platform;

(b) a native application that runs on the remote client device;

(c) an interactive mobile advertisement, embedded within the native application, that advertises an opportunity to demo the application; and

(d) a virtual application, embedded within the native application, that controls the demo of the application upon being invoked by a user'"'"'s interaction with the interactive mobile advertisement.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a remote API listener/dispatcher that intercepts requests from the application for application-initiated events that require access to local resources on the remote client device, wherein the application-initiated events are transmitted over the network to the virtual application, and submitted to the native operating system on the remote client device to access the local resources.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein different users interact with different versions of the application, thereby enabling A-B testing of the application.

23. A remote virtualization system for running, on an app store platform, trial versions of applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) a trial version of an application that runs on the app store platform;

(b) a native application that runs on the remote client device to provide a user of the remote client device with access to the app store platform; and

(c) a virtual application that, upon being invoked by a user'"'"'s interaction with the app store platform, runs on the remote client device and controls the execution of the trial version of the application.

24. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) an application that runs on the host server platform to facilitate the performance of commercial transactions;

(b) a native application that runs on the remote client device;

(c) an interactive mobile advertisement, embedded within the native application, that advertises an opportunity to perform a commercial transaction; and

(d) a virtual application, embedded within the native application, that, upon being invoked by a user'"'"'s interaction with the interactive mobile advertisement, controls the execution of the application to enable the user to perform the commercial transaction.

25. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, a company'"'"'s business applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) a business application that runs on the host server platform; and

(b) a virtual application that runs on the remote client device and, upon being invoked by a user of the remote client device, controls the execution of the business application, wherein;

(i) the data generated by the business application are stored on the host server platform, and

(ii) the user'"'"'s access to the virtual application can be disabled from the host server platform.

26. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) an application that runs on the host server platform;

(b) a virtual application that runs on the remote client device to control the execution of the application on the host server platform; and

(c) a link to the application that, when invoked on the remote client device, results in the following actions;

(i) if the application is installed on the remote client device, the application is launched on the remote client device; and

(ii) if the application is not installed on the remote client device, the virtual application is launched, which results in the application being launched on the host server platform.

27. The system of claim 27, wherein the link is a deep link that results in the execution of the application, whether launched on the remote client device or the host server platform, being transferred to a location in the application associated with the deep link.

28. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) an application that runs on the host server platform; and

(b) a virtual application that runs on the remote client device and, when invoked, results in the application being launched on the host server platform and its execution fast-forwarded to a predefined point in the application corresponding to the point that would be reached as a result of a plurality of user interactions with the application during its runtime execution.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the predefined point in the application is determined by recording a prior user session.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the application does not include the ability to save the state of the application'"'"'s execution at that predefined point.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the predefined point in the application is a level of a game.

32. A method for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running an application on the host server platform;

(b) running a virtual application on the remote client device to control the execution of the application on the host server platform;

(c) intercepting user-initiated events, resulting from a user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual application on the remote client device, and transmitting the user-initiated events over the network to the application;

(d) streaming screen displays and associated audio over the network to the virtual application, wherein the screen displays and associated audio are generated by the application in response to the user-initiated events; and

(e) intercepting requests from the application for application-initiated events that require access to local resources on the remote client device, and transmitting the application-initiated events over the network to the virtual application, and submitting the application-initiated events to the native operating system on the remote client device to access the local resources.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the application runs on a physical mobile device on the host server platform.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the user-initiated events are translated into a normalized format, whereby different operating systems can be employed between the host server platform and the remote client device.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the virtual application is embedded in a native application on the remote client device.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the virtual application is embodied in a standalone shell application container on the remote client device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the standalone shell application container includes a plurality of virtual applications.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein an intercepted request includes invocation of a native application on the remote client device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein data obtained from running the native application on the remote client device are returned to and utilized by the application running on the host server platform.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the user is authenticated automatically upon invocation of the native application.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein multiple instances of the virtual application can run concurrently on the remote client device.

42. The method of claim 32, wherein the local resources include data generated by local hardware on the remote mobile device.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the local hardware includes GPS, gyroscope or accelerometer hardware.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the local hardware includes camera, microphone, speaker or network hardware.

45. The method of claim 32, wherein the application is preloaded on the host server platform to reduce the perceived application loading time after the virtual application is invoked.

46. The method of claim 32, wherein parameters for the encoding and streaming of the screen displays and associated audio are adjusted dynamically, based on current network conditions and/or capabilities of the remote client device.

47. The method of claim 32, wherein the screen displays and associated audio are transmitted to a remote physical device in addition to the remote client device, and wherein the remote physical device is a smartphone, tablet or television.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the remote physical device includes a virtual application that runs on the remote client device and concurrently controls the execution of the application on the host server platform.

49. A method for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running an application on the host server platform;

(b) running a native application on the remote client device;

(c) embedding, within the native application, an interactive mobile advertisement that advertises an opportunity to demo the application; and

(d) interacting with the interactive mobile advertisement to invoke a virtual application, embedded within the native application, that controls the demo of the application.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising the step of intercepting requests from the application for application-initiated events that require access to local resources on the remote client device, wherein the application-initiated events are transmitted over the network to the virtual application, and submitted to the native operating system on the remote client device to access the local resources.

51. The method of claim 49, further comprising the step of different users interacting with different versions of the application, thereby enabling A-B testing of the application.

52. A method for running, on an app store platform, trial versions of applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running a trial version of an application on the app store platform;

(b) running a native application on the remote client device to provide a user of the remote client device with access to the app store platform; and

(c) interacting with the app store platform to invoke a virtual application on the remote client device that controls the execution of the trial version of the application.

53. A method for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running an application on the host server platform to facilitate the performance of commercial transactions;

(b) running a native application on the remote client device;

(c) embedding, within the native application, an interactive mobile advertisement that advertises an opportunity to perform a commercial transaction; and

(d) embedding, within the native application, a virtual application that controls the execution of the application to enable the user to perform the commercial transaction.

54. A method for running, on a host server platform, a company'"'"'s business applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running a business application on the host server platform; and

(b) running a virtual application on the remote client device that, upon being invoked by a user of the remote client device, controls the execution of the business application, wherein;

(i) the data generated by the business application are stored on the host server platform, and

(ii) the user'"'"'s access to the virtual application can be disabled from the host server platform.

55. A method for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running an application on the host server platform;

(b) running a virtual application on the remote client device to control the execution of the application on the host server platform; and

(c) invoking a link on the remote client device that results in the following actions;

(i) if the application is installed on the remote client device, the application is launched on the remote client device; and

(ii) if the application is not installed on the remote client device, the virtual application is launched, which results in the application being launched on the host server platform.

56. The method of claim 56, wherein the link is a deep link that results in the execution of the application, whether launched on the remote client device or the host server platform, being transferred to a location in the application associated with the deep link.

57. A method for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running an application on the host server platform; and

(b) running a virtual application on the remote client device that, when invoked, results in the application being launched on the host server platform and its execution fast-forwarded to a predefined point in the application corresponding to the point that would be reached as a result of a plurality of user interactions with the application during its runtime execution.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the predefined point in the application is determined by recording a prior user session.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the application does not include the ability to save the state of the application'"'"'s execution at that predefined point.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the predefined point in the application is a level of a game.

61. A remote virtualization system for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the system comprising:

(a) an application that runs on the host server platform;

(b) a virtual application that runs on the remote client device to control the execution of the application on the host server platform;

(c) a capture engine that intercepts user-initiated events, resulting from a user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual application on the remote client device, wherein the user-initiated events are transmitted over the network to the application;

(d) an AV streamer that streams, to the virtual application over the network, screen displays and associated audio generated by the application in response to the user-initiated events; and

(e) a specialized graphics API listener/dispatcher that intercepts and forwards GPU-centric requests from the application to a GPU rendering server for processing.

62. A method for running, on a host server platform, applications that are controlled over a network by virtual applications running on a remote client device which includes a native operating system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) running an application on the host server platform;

(b) running a virtual application on the remote client device to control the execution of the application on the host server platform;

(c) intercepting user-initiated events, resulting from a user'"'"'s interaction with the virtual application on the remote client device, and transmitting the user-initiated events over the network to the application;

(d) streaming screen displays and associated audio over the network to the virtual application, wherein the screen displays and associated audio are generated by the application in response to the user-initiated events; and

(e) intercepting and forwarding GPU-centric requests from the application to a GPU rendering server for processing.