Methods and systems for providing responses to software commands

• US 7,950,021 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imprivata Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Imprivata Incorporated
• Inventors: Kekeh, Charles, Ting, David M. T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough; Hyung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun; Carina
• Application Number:
  US11/392,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20070240055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00

Abstract

Software processes are automated by storing predetermined responses and recognizing the screens of server and/or web-based applications that require data to continue operating.

Claims

1. A method for providing a response, without user interactivity, to a software program executed by a processor, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of template screen images;

monitoring system commands issued by a software program during processor execution thereof;

intercepting system commands relating to an application event and comprising one or more screen-rendering commands;

generating a virtual screen image based on the intercepted screen-rendering commands;

identifying a template screen image that matches the generated virtual screen image; and

providing, to the executing software program, responses attributed to the identified matching screen template as if the screen-rendering commands had been executed and user input obtained in response thereto.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the software program issues system commands to a procedure assigned to a first memory address on a client computer and further comprising reassigning memory allocations on the client computer such that the procedure is allocated to a second memory address of the client computer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the procedure comprises an operating system procedure.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the procedure comprises an application procedure.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first memory address refers to a memory address in random access memory.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the reassigning step occurs prior to the issuance of a command from the software program.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a response to the software program is provided by inserting the response into a message queue.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the intercepted commands comprise one or more parameters.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising modifying at least one of the one or more parameters.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the system commands comprise screen draw commands.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the responses comprise user authentication information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the responses comprise transaction response information.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the software program resides on a server.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the software program issues system commands to a procedure assigned to a memory address on a client computer and the client and the server are in communications over a network.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the network comprises one or more of a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, and a virtual private network.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the client computer comprises a remote access server.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for:

providing a plurality of template screen images;

monitoring system commands issued by a software program during processor execution thereof;

intercepting system commands relating to an application event and comprising one or more screen-rendering commands;

generating a virtual screen image based on the intercepted screen-rendering commands;

identifying a template screen image that matches the generated virtual screen image; and

providing, to the executing software program, responses attributed to the identified matching screen template as if the screen-rendering commands had been executed and user input obtained in response thereto.

18. A system for providing a response to a software program, the system comprising:

a processor;

a template database for storing a plurality of template screen images;

a system call filter, executable by the processor, for (i) monitoring system commands issued by a software program during processor execution thereof, (ii) intercepting system commands relating to an application event, the commands comprising one or more screen-rendering commands, and (iii) generating a virtual screen image based on the intercepted screen-rendering commands;

a recognition engine, executable by the processor, for recognizing the screen-rendering commands and identifying a template screen image that matches a screen corresponding to the screen-rendering commands; and

a client agent for providing, to the executing software program, responses attributed to the identified matching screen template as if the screen-rendering commands had been executed and user input obtained in response thereto.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a template database for storing a plurality of templates, each template representing one or more screen images.