System and method for launching a resource in a network

• US 7,912,822 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Desktopsites Inc. (f/k/a CityCites.com Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Desktopsites Inc. (f/k/a CityCites.com Corp.)
• Inventors: Bethlehem, Alex, Armstrong, Laura, Chen, Yan, Li, Zhenwu, Zhou, Paul Zhiyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Khanh B
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEEMA, AZAM M
• Application Number:
  US11/291,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for a client connected to a server in a computer network to access a resource, such as an application, database (either local, server, or web-based), service and/or a file, stored in the network. The system comprises: the client in the network; the server in the network; an instance of the resource stored in at least one of the server and the client; a file associated with the application stored in at least one of the server and the client; and an access module operating to provide the client with access to the server. In the system at the client, a first icon associated with a said resource is provided and if the instance of the resource is stored at the server, the application is automatically accessed when the icon at the client is activated.

Claims

1. An access system providing access for clients in a computer network to resources stored in said network, said system comprising:

an instance of a file stored in at least one of a server and a client in said network;

an instance of an application that uses said file, said application operating on said client and said server;

an authentication module in said client providing instructions to a microprocessor in said client operating to provide access to a directory structure stored on a server in said network using Active Directory (AD) protocols to authenticate said client with said server;

an access module in said client providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to provide said client with communication access to said server and to provide secure access using a secure gateway tunnel to said application that uses said file using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) commands;

a first module in said client providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to generate a first icon associated with said file and a second icon associated with said application in a graphical user interface (GUI) on said client; and

a second module in said client providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to monitor for activation of said first icon at said client;

to initiate execution of said application either on said client or said server for said client depending on whether said application is to be accessed on said client first or said server first and to cause said application to access said file through either said client or said server depending on whether said file is to be accessed on either said client first or said server first;

to update a registry containing activation information on said application, said registry being accessible by other processes operating on devices in said network;

and to initiate an access of said application on said client after attempting to access said application on said server, if said server is not accessible,

wherein said client provides a terminal-based environment for accessing said application that uses said file in the network through said RDP commands.

2. The access system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

when said file is stored on said server, said first icon is provided with visual attributes indicating that said file is located on said server; and

when said file resides on said client, said first icon indicates that said file resides on said client.

3. The access system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a configuration management interface accessing user profile data defining logical data interfaces relating to said file, said application and a relationship between said file and said application, said user data providing privilege and sharing rights for said file and said application.

4. The access system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a virtual drive map of files relating to said file on said client, said drive map utilizing said user profile data and providing access to said file from said server to said client and from said client to said server.

5. The access system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a mapping of icon files and application files resident relating to said first and second icons is provided to said client, wherein icons relating to said icon files are generated in said GUI on said client.

6. The access system as claimed in claim 4, wherein when said application is activated through said server, said server presents a GUI window on said client relating to activation of said application that is frameless and has a transparent background to provide a seamless graphical user interface environment at said client.

7. The access system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said icons are generated in a dedicated start application area or a system tray area in said GUI.

8. The access system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a third module to synchronize instances of said file between said client and said server, said third module synchronizing said file at any of when said application on said server is accessed, after access to said application on said server is completed or after said client is authenticated.

9. A method for presenting information to a client in a network where resources are stored in at least said client or a server in said network, said network having an instance of a file in at least one of said server and said client and said network having an instance of an application that uses file in at least one of said server and said client, said network providing said client with access to said server using Active Directory (AD) protocols, said network providing secure access to said application for said client using a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), said method comprising:

providing instructions for execution on a microprocessor in said client to generate a first icon associated with said file and a second icon associated with said application in a graphical user interface (GUI) on said client;

providing instructions to said microprocessor in said client to monitor for activation of said first icon at said client;

when a request for said file is initiated on said client, providing instructions for execution on said microprocessor;

to initiate execution of said application either on said client or said server for said client depending on whether said application is to be accessed on said client first or said server first;

to cause said application to access said file through either said client or said server depending on whether said file is to be accessed on either said client first or said server first; and

to update a registry containing activation information on said application, said registry being accessible by other processes operating on devices in said network;

utilizing a secure access through a secure gateway tunnel to said application using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) commands when accessing said application through said server; and

initiating an access of said application on said client after attempting to access said application on said server, when said application is to be initiated on said server first and said server is not accessible,

wherein said client provides a terminal-based environment for accessing said application that uses said file in the network through said RDP commands.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising providing user profile data relating to a user at said client in said network, said user profile data defining rights and access privileges for said file assigned to said client and said application access by said client.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising providing a configuration management interface defining logical data interfaces to said file assigned to said client utilizing user profile data.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising providing a virtual drive map of files relating to said file on said client, said drive map utilizing information from said user profile data and providing access of said file from said server to said client and from said client to said server.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

when said file resides on said client, said first icon indicates that said file resides on said client; and

when said file resides on said server, said first icon indicates that said file resides on said server.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein when said file resides on said server, at said client said first icon is configured to present said file to said user as a client-based file through said client.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising :

performing load balancing of a gateway tunnel between said client and said server when launching said application from said server,

wherein

if a secure gateway between said client and said server is activated, application data relating to said application is transmitted through a specific port connecting said client to said server; and

if no secure gateway between said client and said server has been activated, an additional port connecting said client to said server is opened if necessary to carry said application data relating to said application.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising synchronizing instances of said file between said client and said server at any of when said application on said server is accessed, when access to said application on said server is completed or when said client is authenticated.