Virtualizing and controlling input and output of computer programs

• US 6,782,411 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tarantella, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Navare, Prashant, Menna, Randall G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US10/141,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 709/238, 709/229, 709/227, 709/203, 709/245, 718/1, 718/100, 718/105, 719/302, 719/310, 719/316, 719/317, 719/319, 719/328, 719/329, 719/333, 719/400
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45537 Provision of facilities of other operating environments, e.g. WINE I/O emulation G06F13/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes

Abstract

Networked processors application provide and operating system in one machine, application proxy and operating system on another machine, and virtualized input or output coupling to operating system of the another machine. Client responds to applied input and executes application proxy to apply output, while server executes application, and proxy interface sends applied input to server so server executes application per applied input and generates applied output. Proxy interface sends generated output for virtual display by client.

Claims

1. A network computing system comprising:

a first processing unit comprising a first processor, a first storage, a first input device, a first output device, a first operating system and an application proxy, the first operating system being provided in the first storage for execution by the first processor; and

a second processing unit comprising a second processor, a second storage, a second input device, a second output device, a second operating system, an application, and a proxy interface, the second operating system being provided in the second storage for execution by the second processor;

wherein the first processing unit couples through a network connection to the second processing unit for distributed processing of the application therebetween, the application being executable by the second processor;

the application proxy being executable by the first processor;

the proxy interface being coupled effectively to the application proxy,

such that when the second processor executes the application, the proxy interface causes an input signal from the first input device, instead of second input device, to be applied to the second processor executing the application, and an output signal generated by the second processor executing the application to be applied to the first output device, instead of the second output device,

wherein control of, interconnection with or access to input, output or other observable or detectable media instructions, commands, messages, primitives, data streams, signals or other functionally comparable digital information flow is effectively redirected, substantially filtered or functionally switched, by software and/or equivalent or associated hardware functionality, from being coupled, channeled or monitored by any I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to a server processor to a substantially equivalent I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to one or more client processors.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein same application program and associated data and states are provided,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein multiple application programs and proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto, and

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients I/O are provided to multiple server wherein multiple application programs an proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein server proxy interface operates in the context of the server application.

4. A client/server computing system for virtualized input/output comprising:

a client processor, in response to an input applied thereto, executing an application proxy and applying an output; and

a server processor for executing an application, a proxy interface being coupled to the application for sending the applied input to the server processor,

such that the server processor executes the application in response to such applied input and generates therefrom the applied output, the proxy interface sending such generated output for application to the client processor,

wherein control of, interconnection with or access to input, output or other observable or detectable media instructions, commands, messages, primitives, data streams, signals or other functionally comparable digital information flow is effectively redirected, substantially filtered or functionally switched, by software and/or equivalent or associated hardware functionality, from being coupled, channeled or monitored by any I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to a server processor to a substantially equivalent I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to one or more client processors.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

an other client processor, in response to an other input applied thereto, executing the application proxy and applying an other output.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

an other client processor, in response to an other input applied thereto, executing an other application proxy and applying an other output.

7. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

an other server processor for executing the application, an other proxy interface being coupled to the application for sending the applied input to the other server processor,

such that the other server process or executes the application in response to such applied input and generates therefrom the applied output, the other proxy interface sending such generated output for application to the client processor.

8. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

an other server processor for executing an other application, an other proxy interface being coupled to the other application for sending the applied input to the other server processor,

such that the other server processor executes the other application in response to such applied input and generates therefrom the applied output, the other proxy interface sending such generated output for application to the client processor.

9. The method of claim 4,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein same application program and associated data and states are provided,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein multiple application programs and proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto, and

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients I/O are provided to multiple server wherein multiple application programs an proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein server proxy interface operates in the context of the server application.

11. In a networked computing system comprising a client processor coupled to a server processor, a method for virtualizing input and output comprising:

a client processor executing a proxy application;

the client processor establishing connection to a server processor;

the server processor executing a proxy interface;

the server processor executing a application;

an output generated by the serve processor when executing the application being provided to the client processor for virtual processing therefrom;

and an input applied to the serve processor when executing the application being provided from the client processor for virtual processing therefrom,

wherein control of, interconnection with or access to input, output or other observable or detectable media instructions, commands, messages, primitives, data streams, signals or other functionally comparable digital information flow is effectively redirected, substantially filtered or functionally switched, by software and/or equivalent or associated hardware functionality, from being coupled, channeled or monitored by any I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to a server processor to a substantially equivalent I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to one or more client processors.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein same application program and associated data and states are provided,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein multiple application programs and proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto, and

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients I/O are provided to multiple server wherein multiple application programs an proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein server proxy interface operates in the context of the server application.

14. In a computing system coupled to a network, a method for virtualizing signal output comprising:

executing by a computer a proxy application;

establishing by the computer a connection to a network;

receiving by the computer a signal from the network;

determining by the computer whether the signal comprises a media signal; and

processing by the computer according to the proxy application the media signal to generate a virtual output,

wherein control of, interconnection with or access to input, output or other observable or detectable media instructions, commands, messages, primitives, data streams, signals or other functionally comparable digital information flow is effectively redirected, substantially filtered or functionally switched, by software and/or equivalent or associated hardware functionality, from being coupled, channeled or monitored by any I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to a server processor to a substantially equivalent I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to one or more client processors.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein same application program and associated data and states are provided,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein multiple application programs and proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto, and

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients I/O are provided to multiple server wherein multiple application programs an proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein server proxy interface operates in the context of the server application.

17. In a computing system coupled to a network, a method for virtualizing signal input comprising:

executing by a computer couple to a network a proxy interface and an application;

receiving by the computer a signal from the network;

determining by the computer whether the signal comprises a media signal;

and processing by the computer according to the proxy interface and the application the media signal to use the media signal as a virtual input,

wherein control of, interconnection with or access to input, output or other observable or detectable media instructions, commands, messages, primitives, data streams, signals or other functionally comparable digital information flow is effectively redirected, substantially filtered or functionally switched, by software and/or equivalent or associated hardware functionality, from being coupled, channeled or monitored by any I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to a server processor to a substantially equivalent I/O function or associated media facilities locally resident or functionally peripheral to one or more client processors.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein same application program and associated data and states are provided,

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients are provided to server, wherein multiple application programs and proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto, and

wherein I/O streams from multiple clients I/O are provided to multiple server wherein multiple application programs and proxy interfaces are provided for access thereto.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein server proxy interface operates in the context of the server application.