Method and apparatus for adaptably providing data to a network environment

• US 6,654,806 B2
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanko, James G., Northcutt, J. Duane, Ruberg, Alan T., Wall, Gerard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kang, Paul H.
• Application Number:
  US09/289,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/206, 709/219, 709/228, 709/229, 709/231, 709/233, 709/234, 709/235, 709/246, 709/207, 709/203, 709/201, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/247, 370/230
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/748 Negotiation of resources, e.g. modification of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/806 Broadcast or multicast traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and apparatus for adaptably providing data to a virtual desktop system is described. The computational service provider is configured to prepare and transmit one or more data streams through a viable interconnection fabric to multiple HIDs. The data stream is configured by the computational service provider to adaptably meet the performance needs of the HID receiving the data stream. This enables multiple HIDs to receive variants of the same data stream that may differ in quantity, quality, and/or data format. In one embodiment of the invention, a decode module prepares data for transport by separating decoded data into individual processes. Before a HID may connect to a process the HID is authenticated. The processes are further adjusted by a resource optimization module to take into account the characteristics of each HID requesting access. The resource optimization module also takes into account the characteristics of the interconnection fabric coupling the HID and the computational service provider.

Claims

1. A method for adaptively providing data comprising:

providing user interfaces through a thin client;

sending a request for a process from said thin client to a computational service provider via a network having a bandwidth limitation for said thin client;

determining whether to allow said thin client access to said process;

decompressing a data file into a data stream for transporting across said network;

providing said data stream to said process;

communicating with said thin client to optimize said process for transport to said thin client if said thin client is allowed access to said process;

modifying said process to account for said bandwidth limitation; and

providing said process to said thin client via said network;

wherein said step of determining whether to allow said thin client access to said process further comprises;

determining whether said thin client has a first active session on said computation service provider;

granting said first active session to said thin client if said thin client has said first active session on said computation service provider;

determining whether said thin client has permission for a second active session on said computation service provider if said thin client does not have said first active session on said computation service provider; and

establishing said second active session on said computation service provider for said thin client if said thin client has permission for said second active session on said computation service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said process is associated with said first active session.

3. A method for adaptively providing data comprising:

providing user interfaces through a thin client;

sending a request for a process from said thin client to a computational service provider via a network having a bandwidth limitation for said thin client;

determining whether to allow said thin client access to said process;

decompressing a data file into a data stream for transporting across said network;

providing said data stream to said process;

communicating with said thin client to optimize said process for transport to said thin client if said thin client is allowed access to said process;

modifying said process to account for said bandwidth limitation; and

providing said process to said thin client via said network;

wherein said step of determining whether to allow said thin client access to said process further comprises;

determining whether said thin client has permission to obtain a display window;

determining whether said thin client has a first active session on said computation service provider if said thin client has permission to obtain said display window;

granting said first active session to said thin client if said thin client has said first active session on said computation service provider;

determining whether said thin client has permission for a second active session on said computation service provider if said thin client does not have said first active session on said computation service provider; and

establishing said second active session on said computation service provider for said thin client if said thin client has permission for said second active session on said computation service provider.