Method, system, and program for using a remotely accessed desktop interface and network drive to access a shared file system

• US 6,725,238 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Auvenshine, John Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/478,941
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 345/733-739, 345/751-753, 345/757-759, 345/760-763, 345/775, 345/749, 345/748, 345/790, 707/200, 707/205, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for accessing a shared file system that is accessible to a first computer. The shared file system includes files in at least one file format compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer. A request is received from an Internet browser program executing on a second computer for an applet over the Internet. The applet is transmitted to the browser program at the second computer. The applet is capable of executing in the browser program at the second computer to display a desktop interface at the second computer and establish a connection with the shared file system. The applet further provides access to at least one desktop application program through the desktop interface that is compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system. The desktop application program manipulates files in the same file format as the at least one application program installed on the first computer system.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a shared file system that is accessible to a first computer, wherein the shared file system includes files in at least one file format compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer, comprising:

receiving a request from an Internet browser program executing on a second computer for an applet over the Internet;

transmitting the applet to the browser program at the second computer, wherein the applet is a distinct computer program from the browser program, wherein the applet is capable of executing in the browser program at the second computer to perform;

(i) displaying a desktop interface at the second computer;

(ii) establishing a connection with the shared file system; and

(iii) providing access to at least one desktop application proven through the desktop interface that is compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system, wherein the desktop application program manipulates files in the same file format as the at least one application program installed on the first computer system, wherein the applet and the desktop application program are different and distinct computer programs, wherein the applet transmitted from the first computer to the second computer is capable of providing access to a file in the shared file system to the desktop application program on the second computer, wherein the desktop application program on the second computer and the one application program on the first computer are of a same application program type, and wherein the applet allows the desktop application program the second computer to manipulate the file in the shared file system in the same file format as the one application program on the first computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the desktop application program through the desktop interface causes the applet to perform:

establishing communication with a remote application server;

providing access from the desktop interface to the desktop application program executing at the remote application server; and

accessing a file from the shared file system for use by the desktop application program executing at the remote application server, wherein the accessed file in the shared file system is accessible to the first computer and compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the desktop interface accesses the shared file system through the application server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple computers are capable of sharing files with the desktop interface through the shared file system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the desktop application programs that are compatible with the applications installed on the first computer are members of a set of application programs comprising:

word processors;

spread sheet programs;

personal information managers;

personal organizers;

e-mail clients;

presentation programs;

graphics programs; and

database application programs.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying an icon for each application program, wherein at least one application program icon appears as a sponsor logo.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the applet further performs displaying in the desktop interface an icon representing a remote network drive, wherein selection of the icon representing the remote network drive provides access from the desktop interface to files in the shared file system, wherein the first computer further displays an icon providing access to the shared file system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the icon representing the remote network drive displays a sponsor logo.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the icons displayed on the first and second computers representing access to the shared file system drive are identical.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the applet further performs presenting the remote network drive as a drive letter.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating user logon information from the browser program, wherein the applet is not transmitted to the browser program unless the user logon information is validated.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein data traffic among the first computer, second computer, and the shared file system is encrypted.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the desktop interface is customized for a user of the second computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the desktop interface is used exclusively by the user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the desktop interface, the at least one desktop application program and the applet are different computer programs.

16. A system for accessing a shared file system that is accessible to a first computer, wherein the shared file system includes files in at least one file format compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer, comprising:

means for receiving a request from an Internet browser program executing on a second computer for a desktop over the Internet;

means for transmitting the applet to the browser program at the second computer, wherein the applet is a distinct computer program from the browser program, wherein the applet is capable of executing in the browser program at the second computer and includes;

(i) means for displaying a desktop interface at the second computer;

(ii) means for establishing a connection with the shared file system; and

(iii) means for providing access to at least one desktop application program through the desktop interface that is compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system, wherein the desktop application program manipulates files in the same file format as the at least one application program installed on the first computer system, wherein the applet and the desktop application program are different and distinct computer programs, wherein the applet transmitted from the first computer to the second computer is capable of providing access to a file in the shared file system to the desktop application program on the second computer, wherein the desktop application program on the second computer and the one application program on the first computer are of a same application program type, and wherein the applet allows the desktop application program on the second computer to manipulate the file in the shared file system in the same file format as the one application program on the first computer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the applet further comprises:

means for establishing communication with a remote application server;

means for providing access from the desktop interface to the desktop application program executing at the remote application server; and

means for accessing a file from the shared file system for use by the desktop application program executing at the remote application server, wherein the accessed file in the shared file system is accessible to the first computer and compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the desktop interface accesses the shared file system through the application server.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein multiple computers are capable of sharing files with the desktop interface through the shared file system.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the desktop application programs that are compatible with the applications installed on the first computer are members of a set of application programs comprising:

word processors;

spread sheet programs;

personal information managers;

personal organizers;

e-mail clients;

presentation programs;

graphics programs; and

database application programs.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising displaying an icon for each application program, wherein at least one application program icon appears as a sponsor logo.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the applet further performs displaying in the desktop interface an icon representing a remote network drive, wherein selection of the icon representing the remote network drive provides access from the desktop interface to files in the shared file system, wherein the first computer further displays an icon providing access to the shared file system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the icon representing the remote network drive displays a sponsor logo.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the icons displayed on the first and second computers representing access to the shared file system are identical.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the applet further performs presenting the remote network drive as a drive letter.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

validating user logon information from the browser program, wherein the applet is not transmitted to the browser program unless the user logon information is validated.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein data traffic among the first computer, second computer, and the shared file system is encrypted.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the desktop interface is customized for a user of the second computer.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the desktop interface is used exclusively by the user.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the desktop interface, the at least one desktop application program and the applet are different computer programs.

31. An article of manufacture for accessing a shared file system that is accessible to a first computer, wherein the shared file system includes files in at least one file format compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer, the article of manufacture comprising computer useable media accessible to the computer system, wherein the computer usable media includes at least one applet program that is capable of executing in an Internet browser program to cause a second computer to perform:

displaying a desktop interface at the second computer;

establishing a connection with the shared file system; and

providing access to at least one desktop application program trough the desktop interface that is compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system, wherein the desktop application program manipulates files in the same file format as the at least one application program installed on the first computer system, wherein the applet and the desktop application program are different and distinct computer programs, wherein the applet is a distinct computer program from the browser program, wherein the applet transmitted form the first computer to the second computer is capable of providing access to a file in the shared file system to the desktop application program on the second computer, wherein the desktop application program on the second computer and the one application program on the first computer are of a same application program type, and wherein the applet allows the desktop application program on the second computer to manipulate the file in the shared file system in the same file format as the one application program on the first computer.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein accessing the desktop application program through the desktop interface causes the applet to perform:

establishing communication with a remote application server;

providing access from the desktop interface to the desktop application program executing at the remote application server; and

accessing a file from the shared file system for use by the desktop application program executing at the remote application server, wherein the accessed file in the shared file system is accessible to the first computer and compatible with at least one application program installed on the first computer system.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the desktop interface accesses the shared file system through the application server.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein multiple computers are capable of sharing files with the desktop interface through the shared file system.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the desktop application programs that are compatible with the applications installed on the first computer are members of a set of application programs comprising:

word processors;

spread sheet programs;

personal information managers;

personal organizers;

e-mail clients;

presentation programs;

graphics programs; and

database application programs.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising displaying an icon for each application program, wherein at least one application program icon appears as a sponsor logo.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the applet further performs displaying in the desktop interface an icon representing a remote network drive, wherein selection of the icon representing the remote network drive provides access from the desktop interface to files in the shared file system, wherein the first computer further displays an icon providing access to the shared file system.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 37, wherein the icon representing the remote network drive displays a sponsor logo.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 37, wherein the icons displayed on the first and second computers representing access to the shared file system are identical.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the applet further performs presenting the remote network drive as a drive letter.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the desktop interface is customized for a user of the second computer.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein the desktop interface is used exclusively by the user.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the desktop interface, the at least one desktop application program and the applet are different computer programs.