Method and apparatus for controlling a computer over a wide area network

• US 7,100,069 B1
• Filed: 02/12/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AI-CORE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: G&H Nevada-Tek
• Inventors: Hickman, Paul L., Gough, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US08/798,703
• Time in Patent Office: 3,485 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 709/203, 709/213, 709/216, 709/219, 709/217, 709/229, 709/208, 714/4
• US Class Current: 714/4.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention permits virtually the entire functionality of a computer system to be made accessible over a network such as the Internet or an Intranet. More particularly, the present invention permits a computer system to be run as a “virtual machine” through a web page provided at a web site on the World Wide Web (WWW). The apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of computers arranged in a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet or an Intranet. At least one of the computers has at least one unique address designating a web site. A host computer system (which may or may not be one of the computers on the Internet) can be “posted” onto an “advertising” web page at the web site to permit other computers coupled to the Internet to interact directly with the host computer system. The computer “posted” on the web page is referred to as the “host” or “advertiser” computer, and computers accessing the host computer are referred to as “client” or “user” computers. Having the host computer posted on a web page creates a “virtual computer” that can be view and/or controlled by the client computers. Once the connection has been made between the host computer and one or more client computers, the web page is bypassed, i.e. the two or more computer systems communicate through the Internet without necessarily going through the web site supporting the “advertising” web page.

Claims

1. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network comprising:

a plurality of host computers connected to a TCP/IP protocol network, each of said host computers being capable of being remotely controlled by a client computer;

an advertising publisher computer connected to said network which receives advertising information about at least the availability and capacity of said plurality of host computers on said network; and

a client computer connected to said network operable to receive said advertising information about said plurality of computers from said publisher computer and to display said advertising information on a display of said client computer to allow a selection of a host computer among said plurality of host computers, and remote control information enabling said client computer to control a selected host computer over said network such that input events to said client computer become input events to said selected host computer and such that video output information of said selected host computer become video output information of said client computer;

wherein said advertising information for said selected host computer includes information about the poster of said host computer, password information for said host computer, and collaboration information for said host computer.

2. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said network is the Internet.

3. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said advertising publisher computer is operative to make advertising information about said plurality of host computers accessible to said client computer.

4. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 3 wherein said advertising publisher computer creates a list of available host computers.

5. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 4 wherein said advertising publisher computer provides said advertising information of said available host computers on a browsing web page, where a client computer may browse through said advertising information on said browsing web page and select a suitable host computer.

6. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 4 wherein said advertising information may be received by said advertising publisher computer through a posting web page.

7. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of host computers provide said advertising publisher computer with said advertising information.

8. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 7 wherein said at least one advertiser computer provides a first web page having only HTML code to said advertising publisher and a second web page having HTML code and JAVA code to said advertising publisher computer, said first web page having a link to said second web page and said publisher computer operable to provide said first and second web page to said client computer.

9. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 7 wherein said advertising information is electronically mailed to said advertising publisher computer.

10. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as recited in claim 7 wherein said advertising information is provided to said advertising publisher computer through said advertising publisher'"'"'s web page.

11. A system for accessing a computer over a TCP/IP protocol network as claimed in claim 7 wherein said advertising information includes information allowing said client computer to establish a connection with said host computer.

12. A method for choosing a host machine coupled to a wide area network comprising:

providing advertisement information about a plurality of host computers connected to a wide area network to an advertiser machine connected to said wide area network, said advertisement information including availability information and compatibility information about said plurality of host computers;

searching said advertiser machine by a client computer connected to the wide area network to find a suitable host computer for said client computer;

sending selection information from said client computer to said advertiser machine, and receiving of said client computer connection information from said advertiser machine for a selected host computer; and

establishing a connection between said client computer and said suitable host computer such that said client computer controls the functionality of said suitable host computer wherein input events to said client computer become input events to said suitable host computer and such that video output information of said suitable host computer becomes video output information of said client computer;

wherein said advertising information for said at least one host computer includes information about the poster of said host computer, password information for said host computer, and collaboration information for said host computer.

13. A method for choosing a host machine coupled to a wide area network as claimed in claim 12 wherein said advertisement information provided to said advertiser machine is provided by said host computer.

14. A method for choosing a host machine coupled to a wide area network as claimed in claim 12 wherein searching said advertiser machine for a suitable host computer includes selecting a host computer from a list of host computers provided by said advertiser machine.

15. A method for choosing a host machine coupled to a wide area network as claimed in claim 12 wherein said connection information provided to said client computer includes a URL address.

16. A computer readable media having program instructions comprising:

a code segment providing advertisement information about a plurality of host computers connected to a wide area network to an advertiser machine connected to said wide area network, said advertisement information including availability information and compatibility information about said plurality of host computers;

a code segment searching said advertiser machine by a client computer connected to the wide area network to find a suitable host computer for said client computer;

a code segment sending selection information from said client computer to said advertiser machine, and receiving of said client computer connection information from said advertiser machine for a selected host computer; and

a code segment establishing a connection between said client computer and said suitable host computer such that said client computer controls the functionality of said suitable host computer wherein input events to said client computer become input events to said suitable host computer and such that video output information of said suitable host computer becomes video output information of said client computer;

wherein said advertising information for said at least one host computer includes information about the poster of said host computer, password information for said host computer, and collaboration information for said host computer.

17. A method of providing an advertising machine capable of advertising available host machines over a wide area network comprising:

providing an advertising machine connected to a network;

providing a list of available host computers connected to said network on said advertising machine; and

servicing a request for said list of available host computers to a client machine coupled to said network, such that said client machine may connect to a host computer selected from said list, whereby said client machine can control the functionality of said host computer over said network;

wherein said advertising information for said at least one host computer includes information about the poster of said host computer, password information for said host computer, and collaboration information for said host computer.

18. A method of providing an advertising machine capable of advertising available host machines over a wide area network as claimed in claim 17 wherein said advertising information received by said advertising machine is provided by said host computers.

19. A method of providing an advertising machine capable of advertising available host machines over a wide area network as claimed in claim 18 wherein said advertising information received by said advertising machine includes connection information for said host computer, said connection information allowing said host computer to be accessed over a TCP/IP protocol network.

20. A method of providing an advertising machine capable of advertising available host machines over a wide area network as claimed in claim 17 wherein providing information about said available host computers includes creating a web page having said advertising information for said host computers.

21. A computer readable media having program instructions comprising:

a code segment providing an advertising machine connected to a network;

a code segment providing a list of available host computers connected to said network on said advertising machine; and

a code segment servicing a request for said list of available host computers to a client machine coupled to said network, such that said client machine may connect to a host computer selected from said list, whereby said client machine can control the functionality of said host computer over said network;

wherein said advertising information for said at least one host computer includes information about the poster of said host computer, password information for said host computer, and collaboration information for said host computer.