Display multi-layers list item in web-browser with supporting of concurrent multi-users

• US 7,945,652 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STT WebOS, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sheng Tai Tsao
• Inventors: Tsao, Sheng (Ted) Tai, Zou, Ying (Sarah)
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia; Rupal D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Tom Y
• Application Number:
  US11/374,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

This invention takes the course of evolution and creating a web based computer user work environment for a control management station and its associated systems on the network crossing Intranet, Internet or LAN. Therefore, users can access and manage the control management station and all its associated system through web browser on any other systems or devices. To establish a web based computer user work environment, the resources information on control management station and on associated systems on network need to be collected and convert them to standard structured format for web based communication and further displaying them in web browser. These information need to be collected by control management station at its and the associated systems'"'"' boot up time or at the time when a user logins and requests to access and manage these resources.

Claims

1. A virtual server providing web based multi-layered item lists accessing and managing resources, which comprises:

one or more system units, each one-system unit having service agent providing web services,

at least a console system having web browser for operating the virtual server,

and a control system comprising

multi-layered item lists (“

MLIL”

) memories;

wherein the control system controls the operations of the virtual server which includes automatically forming the virtual server with one or more service pools via communication to each system unit across a communication network, organizing resources information on the control system and from each system unit into one or more MLIL, and

providing the web services and a web for UI displaying information of the virtual server including displaying in one or more MLIL;

wherein the control system performs the following acts in response to each of one or more concurrent users from a web browser requests accessing the resources of the virtual server related to each specific MLIL;

a) creating a mirrored MLIL object in memory with one or more resource nodes;

b) encoding and including the mirrored MLIL in web UI to be vertically displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser with one or more sub nodes, which are vertically aligned, right indented and displayed into one or more layers according to each node'"'"'s level; and

c) updating the mirrored MLIL in the memory and in the user'"'"'s web browser by updating the web UI in response to the user'"'"'s interaction with the MLIL, displayed to perform one or more tasks during the user'"'"'s entire session;

wherein the control system controls each web browser submitted one or more tasks to be run without blocking the web browser screen; and

wherein each system unit receives, executes and responds to each requested task transmitted from the control system.

2. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said act b) further comprises:

organizing and displaying each node of the MLIL to represent a physical resource and each node'"'"'s next layer of one or more sub nodes to represent a sub type of resource.

3. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said act a) of creating a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

binding each node of the mirrored MLIL with the resource'"'"'s information including graphic image, web operation menu, and resource attributes, which including the name description, type, level and size.

4. The virtual server of claim 3, wherein said web operating menu further comprises:

linking the same type of resource nodes of a mirrored MLIL with the same type of operation menu and different type of resource nodes of a mirrored MLIL with different type of operation menu in response to a resource operating requirement.

5. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said act c) of updating mirrored MLIL further comprises:

expanding a mirrored MLIL in memory by adding one or more nodes to represent one or more physical resources at a designated level of the MLIL, and displaying the updated MLIL in the user'"'"'s web browser to include the expanded one or more nodes via an updated web UI, in response to the user'"'"'s interaction that requires expanding the mirrored MLIL.

6. The virtual server of claim 5 also comprising reducing a mirrored MLIL in memory by deleting one or more nodes at one or more designated levels of the MLIL, and displaying the updated MLIL in the user'"'"'s web browser that not includes the deleted nodes via an updated web UI in response to the user'"'"'s interacting that requires reducing the mirrored MLIL.

7. the virtual server of claim 5 also comprising:

for each mirrored MLIL, tracking the memory usage and the status, and translating logical memory address of a mirrored MLIL for each process/thread created during a user session, therefore, each process/thread of said user session consistently accesses the same instantly updated mirrored MLIL object in memory in response to the user'"'"'s each interaction and requested task.

8. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said act c) of updating mirrored MLIL further comprises:

deleting a mirrored MLIL in memory in response to a corresponding user exiting from current user session or in response to the user accessing a resource that associated to another MLIL.

9. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said each user from a web browser requests accessing the resources of the virtual server further comprises:

displaying one or more said resources information including MLIL into each user'"'"'s web browser via the web UI in response to the user logging onto the control system from a web browser on the user'"'"'s local system and accessing said resources of the virtual server, wherein said user'"'"'s local system is one of the control system, client system, console system, or system unit.

10. The virtual server of claim 9, wherein said accessing resources of the virtual server further comprises:

facilitating said web UI for providing each user a web based user working operating environment regardless of whether the user from a web browser either on a remote system across world wide web or on the control system to log on the control system once and further access the resources of the virtual server.

11. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored file-folder MLIL in a web UI to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user interactively accessing and managing the actual file-folder.

12. The virtual server of claim 11, wherein said accessing and managing the actual file-folder further comprises:

permitting the user creating sub folders and accessing and managing files and folders via web operating menu options including renaming, deleting, adding (new), and moving files and file-folders.

13. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more file system nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user interactively accessing each actual file system.

14. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more storage device nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user interactively managing each actual storage device including its next layer one or more storage volumes.

15. The virtual server of claim 14 wherein said managing each storage device further comprises:

permitting the user to manage storage via web menu options including creating one or more storage volumes on each storage device;

displaying, deleting, splitting, or combining storage volumes and creating a file system on corresponding storage volume.

16. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more hardware device nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing each actual hardware device of the virtual server which including network, wireless, CPU, and memory devices.

17. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more file nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user interactively accessing and managing actual files which including data and application program files.

18. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more record nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing and managing records for a database of the virtual server which includes user security profile record.

19. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more message nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing and managing messages on the virtual server.

20. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or more system unit nodes of a service pool to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing each system unit including accessing its next layers'"'"' hardware and data resources.

21. The virtual server of claim 20, wherein said accessing each system unit further comprises:

permitting the user to manage each system unit via web menu options including monitoring status, reboot and shutdown each system unit, and managing

each system unit'"'"'s next one or more layers of resources including file systems, files, file-folders, and hardware devices.

22. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said including a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in a web UI containing one or multiple service pool (group) nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing each service pool of the virtual server and accessing the service pool'"'"'s next layer one or more system units, and each system unit'"'"'s next multiple layers of said resources.

23. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said providing user web based access further comprises:

facilitating a privileged user from web browser via the web UI to manage user account profiles including creating, listing, updating and deleting user profile, where each profile includes specified security attributes controlling each user'"'"'s secure accessing to the virtual server.

24. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said controlling each web browser submitted one or multiple tasks to be run without blocking the web browser screen further comprises:

configuring the control system of the virtual server to perform the following acts supporting web based multi-tasking including;

a) deploying a lock protecting a user space task list; and

b) repeatedly receiving and parsing one or more requested tasks from each user'"'"'s web browser, and each parsed task performing acts of;

c) acquiring the lock that protecting the user space task list;

storing the task information into a not used entry of the user space task list;

then releasing the lock;

d) executing the task in background on the control system and to be distributed and executed on one or more targeted systems of the virtual server;

e) providing a response web page including the task'"'"'s status back to the corresponding user'"'"'s web browser without waiting the completion of the task; and

f) cleaning up the task information in the corresponding entry of the user space task list in response to the completion of the task.

25. The virtual server of claim 24, wherein said act e) of providing a response web page including the task status further comprises act:

obtaining the task status from the control system if the control system is a targeted system and obtaining status from each system unit if the system unit is a targeted system.

26. The virtual server of claim 24, wherein said act d) further comprises the act:

updating the MLIL structure and its corresponding mirrored MLIL in memory in response to the changes of a physical resource related to the MLIL during the task execution.

27. The virtual server of claim 24, wherein said providing a response web page including the task status further comprises:

facilitating the user from a web browser via said response web page to check the task status and perform one or more tasks regardless of whether the previously submitted one or more tasks are finished or not.

28. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises:

configuring a computer system to function as the control system of said virtual server, wherein said computer system is one of server system, laptop system, desktop system, or personal wireless communication device which includes cell phone.

29. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said automatically forming of the virtual server with one or more service pools further comprises:

automatically discovering and collecting identification and resources information from each system unit across said communication network to form the virtual server which includes assigning each system unit into a corresponding service pool (group) based on the functionality of the system unit, and storing the information of the virtual server into a list on the control system,

wherein said communication network is one of corporate Intranet, Internet, LAN, or WAN.

30. The virtual server of claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises:

a control management controlling the operations of the virtual server which includes communicating to the service agent of each system unit to control each system unit across a communication network that includes automatically forming the virtual server with one or more service pools,

organizing resources information on the control system and from each system unit into one or more MLIL, and

distributing requested tasks to each targeted systems of the virtual server; and

a web server interface operatively coupled to the control management providing web services and user interfaces (“

UI”

) and transmitting and displaying information of the virtual server including the web UI, displaying the MLIL into each user'"'"'s web browser, and receiving, distributing and executing each request transmitted from each web browser.

31. The virtual server of claim 30, wherein said system unit further comprises

at least a network interface device and a storage device, and

a service agent receiving, executing and responding to each requested task transmitted from the control system, and

providing service to the requested one or more end users or client systems without going through the control system again and providing the service independent of other system units.

32. A control system providing web based multi-layered item lists accessing and managing resources, which comprises:

multi-layered item lists (“

MLIL”

) memories;

the control system accessing the world wide web via a web browser, and organizing resources information on the control system and from a network into one or more MLIL, and

providing web services and user interfaces (“

UI”

) displaying information of the control system which including web UI of the MLIL;

wherein

the control system performs the following acts in response to each of one or more concurrent users from a web browser on the user'"'"'s local system, requesting access to said resource information of the control system related to each specific MLIL;

a) creating a mirrored MLIL object in memory with one or more resource nodes;

b) encoding and including the mirrored MLIL in a web UI and vertically displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser with one or more sub nodes, which are vertically aligned, right indented and displayed into one or more layers according to each node'"'"'s level;

c) updating the mirrored MLIL in memory and updating the web UI for the web browser in response to the user'"'"'s interacting to the displayed MLIL for performing one or more tasks during the user'"'"'s entire session; and

wherein the control system controls each web browser submitted one or more tasks to be run without blocking the web browser screen.

33. The control system of claim 32, wherein said act b) further comprises:

organizing and displaying each node of the MLIL representing a physical resource and each node'"'"'s next layer of one or more sub nodes representing a sub type of resource.

34. The control system of claim 32, wherein said act a) of creating a mirrored MLIL further comprises:

binding each node of the mirrored MLIL with the actual resource'"'"'s information including graphic image, web operation menu, and resource attributes which includes name description, type, level and size.

35. The control system of claim 34 further comprises:

linking same type of resource nodes of a mirrored MLIL with same type of operation menu and different type of resource nodes of a mirrored MLIL with different type of operation menu in response to resource operating requirement.

36. The control system of claim 32, wherein said act c) of updating mirrored MLIL during the user session further comprises act:

expanding a mirrored MLIL in memory by adding one or more nodes to represent one or more physical resources at a designated level of the MLIL, and displaying the updated MLIL in the user'"'"'s web browser to include the expanded one or more nodes via an updated web UI in response to the user'"'"'s interacting that requires expanding the mirrored MLIL.

37. The control system of claim 36 comprising act:

reducing a mirrored MLIL in memory by deleting one or more nodes at a designated level of the MLIL, and displaying the updated MLIL in the user'"'"'s web browser that not includes the deleted nodes via an updated web UI in response to the user'"'"'s interacting that requires reducing the mirrored MLIL.

38. the control system of claim 36 comprising act:

for each mirrored MLIL, tracking the memory usage and the status, and translating logical memory address of a mirrored MLIL for each process/thread created during a user session, therefore, each process/thread of said user session consistently accesses the same instantly updated mirrored MLIL object in memory in response to the user'"'"'s each interaction and requested task.

39. The control system of claim 32, wherein said act c) of updating mirrored MLIL during the user session further comprises act:

deleting a mirrored MLIL in memory in response to a corresponding user'"'"'s exiting from current user session or in response to the user starting accessing a resource that associated to another MLIL.

40. The control system of claim 32, wherein said each user from a web browser requests accessing said resources of the control system further comprises:

displaying one or more said resources information including displaying MLIL into each user'"'"'s web browser via web UI in response to the user logging on from a web browser on the user'"'"'s local system and accessing the control systems, wherein said local system is one of either the control system or a remote client system across world wide web.

41. The control system of claim 40, further comprising:

facilitating said web UI for providing each user a web based user working (operating) environment either on the control system or on a remote client system across world wide web to log on the control system and further via said web UI to perform said accessing the control system.

42. The control system of claim 32, wherein said including mirrored MLIL in web UI further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored file-folder MLIL in web UI to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user interactively accessing and managing the actual file-folder.

43. The control system of claim 42, wherein said managing the actual file-folder further comprises:

permitting the user to create sub folders and access and manage files and folders via menu options including renaming, deleting, adding, and moving files and folders.

44. The control system of claim 32, wherein said including mirrored MLIL in web UI further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in web UI containing one or more file system nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing and managing each actual file system.

45. The control system of claim 32, wherein said including mirrored MLIL in web UI further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in web UI containing one or more storage device nodes to be displayed into a user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing and managing each actual storage device including its next layer of one or more storage volumes.

46. The control system of claim 45 further comprising:

facilitating the user to managie storage via menu options including creating one or more storage volumes on each storage device;

displaying, deleting, splitting, or combining storage volumes and creating file system on the storage volume.

47. The control system of claim 32, wherein said including mirrored MLIL in web UI further comprises:

including an encoded mirrored MLIL in web UI containing one or more hardware device nodes to be displayed into user'"'"'s web browser in response to the user accessing, monitoring, and managing actual hardware devices including network, display, CPU, and memory devices.

48. The control system of claim 32, wherein said each of one or more concurrent users from a web browser requests accessing said resources of the control system further comprises:

facilitating a privileged user from web browser via web UI to managing user account profiles including creating, listing, updating and deleting user profile, wherein said profile includes specified security permissions performing specific tasks, and accessing specific resources on the control system.

49. The control system of claim 32, wherein said each user from a web browser requests accessing said resources of the control system further comprises:

configuring the control system to perform the following acts to support set access control;

a) facilitating a privileged user from a web browser via the web UI to select a file object on the control system to submit a task, permitting a designated user to access the selected file object;

b) receiving and parsing the task transmitted from said web browser;

c) executing the task by storing the information of the file object into the designated user'"'"'s security profile; and

d) repeating the above acts beginning at act a) assigning and permitting each designated user accessing one or more file objects, wherein said file object is one of a file or file-folder.

50. The control system of claim 49, wherein said set access control further comprises:

facilitating the privileged user performing the tasks of permitting one or more users accessing a same file.

51. The control system of claim 49, wherein said set access control further comprises:

Facilitating the privileged user performing the task of permitting one or more users accessing a same file-folder.

52. The control system of claim 32, wherein said each user from a web browser requests accessing said resources of the control system further comprises:

validating each user'"'"'s secure access to one or more files and file-folders only based on security attributes specified in the user security profile.

53. The control system of claim 32, wherein said each users from a web browser requests accessing said resources of the control system further comprises:

facilitating the user from a web browser on the user'"'"'s local system via said MLIL of the web UI to select one file at a time and further transferring the file from the control system into the web browser for viewing or editing.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said editing file further comprises:

providing said user to transmit the edited file from user'"'"'s local system back to the control system.

55. The control system of claim 53, wherein said editing file further comprises:

converting file from the original format to a viewable and editable format and displaying and viewing in the user'"'"'s web browser.

56. The control system of claim 32, wherein said each user from a web browser requests accessing said resources of the control system further comprises:

facilitating each user transferring files residing on the user'"'"'s local system via web MLIL of web UI across a network into the storage on the control system.

57. The control system of claim 32, wherein said controls each web browser submitted one or more tasks to be run without blocking the web browser screen further comprises:

configuring the control system to perform the following acts for supporting web based multi-tasking;

a) deploying a lock protecting a user space task list; and

b) repeatedly performing the receiving and parsing of one or more requested tasks from each user'"'"'s web browser, and for each parsed task performing following acts;

c) acquiring the lock that protecting the user space task list, storing the task information into a not used entry of the user space task list, then releasing the lock;

d) executing the task in the background on the control system;

e) providing a response web page including the task'"'"'s status back to the user'"'"'s web browser without waiting the completion of the task; and

f) cleaning up the task information in the corresponding entry of the user space task list in response to the completion of the task.

58. The control system of claim 57, wherein said act e) of providing a response web page further comprises:

facilitating the user from a web browser via said response web page to check the task status and perform one or more tasks regardless of whether the previously submitted one or more tasks are finished or not.

59. The control system of claim 57, wherein said act d) of distributing the task into background further comprises the act of:

updating a MLIL structure and its corresponding mirrored MLIL in memory in response to the changing of a resource related to the MLIL during the task executing.

60. The system of claim 32, wherein said control system further comprises:

configuring a computer system to function as a said control system, wherein said computer system is one of server system, desktop system, laptop system, or wireless personal communication device.

61. The control system of claim 32 further comprises:

a control management controlling the user space operations of the control system which includes organizing resources information on the control system and from network into one or more MLIL, and

a web server interface operatively coupled to the control management to provide web services and user interfaces (“

UI”

) display information of the control system including display via MLIL, and for receiving and executing each request transmitted from each web browser.