Methods for managing authority designation of graphical user interfaces

• US 8,365,192 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Holland, Philip J., Martel, Pierre-Olivier J., Krsti, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US13/007,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 719/313
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6281 at program execution time, where the protection is within the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

According to one aspect, a graphics management system receives a first message from a first process for granting one or more rights to a second process for accessing a GUI element owned by the first process. In response, the graphics management system transmits a second message to the second process, the second message offering the one or more rights to the second process. The graphics management system receives a third message from the second process indicating an acceptance of the offer. Thereafter, the graphics management system restricts access of the GUI element by the second process based on the one or more rights accepted by the second process.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing graphical user interface (GUI) elements, the method comprising:

receiving, at a graphics management system, a first message from a first process for granting one or more rights to a second process for accessing a GUI element owned by the first process;

transmitting a second message from the graphics management system to the second process, the second message offering the one or more rights to the second process; and

restricting, by the graphics management system, access of the GUI element by the second process based on the one or more rights accepted by the second process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third message from the second process in response to the second message, the third message including one of an acceptance and rejection of the one or more rights by the second process; and

transmitting a fourth message to the first process indicating whether the offer has been accepted by the second process, wherein the graphics management system allows the access of the GUI element by the second process only if the offer of the one or more rights have been accepted by the second process.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising creating a record associated with the GUI element within the graphics management system, the record including information indicating current ownerships of the rights associated with the GUI element, wherein the record is used by the graphics management system to enforce the rights for accessing the GUI element by the second process.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

destroying the record if the third message indicates that the second process has rejected the offer of the one or more rights presented by the second message; and

preventing the second process from accessing the GUI element if the offer has been rejected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message includes information describing all rights associated with the GUI element, including one or more rights of the GUI element currently owned by a third process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message was initiated by the first process in response to a request for accessing the GUI element received from the second process via an inter-process call (IPC).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the GUI element represents a window displayed on a display device of a data processing system, wherein the graphics management system represents a window server managing a plurality of windows for a plurality of processes, and wherein the window server operates as a part of an operating system (OS) running within the data processing system.

8. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, cause a computer to perform a method for managing graphical user interface (GUI) elements, the method comprising:

receiving, at a graphics management system, a first message from a first process for granting one or more rights to a second process for accessing a GUI element owned by the first process;

transmitting a second message from the graphics management system to the second process, the second message offering the one or more rights to the second process; and

restricting, by the graphics management system, access of the GUI element by the second process based on the one or more rights accepted by the second process.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a third message from the second process in response to the second message, the third message including one of an acceptance and rejection of the one or more rights by the second process; and

transmitting a fourth message to the first process indicating whether the offer has been accepted by the second process, wherein the graphics management system allows the access of the GUI element by the second process only if the offer of the one or more rights have been accepted by the second process.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises creating a record associated with the GUI element within the graphics management system, the record including information indicating current ownerships of the rights associated with the GUI element, wherein the record is used by the graphics management system to enforce the rights for accessing the GUI element by the second process.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

destroying the record if the third message indicates that the second process has rejected the offer of the one or more rights presented by the second message; and

preventing the second process from accessing the GUI element if the offer has been rejected.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the second message includes information describing all rights associated with the GUI element, including one or more rights of the GUI element currently owned by a third process.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first message was initiated by the first process in response to a request for accessing the GUI element received from the second process via an inter-process call (IPC).

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the GUI element represents a window displayed on a display device of a data processing system, wherein the graphics management system represents a window server managing a plurality of windows for a plurality of processes, and wherein the window server operates as a part of an operating system (OS) running within the data processing system.

15. A data processing system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory having a first process and a second process executed therein by the processor; and

a graphics management system executed from the memory and configured to

receive a first message from a first process for granting one or more rights to a second process for accessing a GUI element owned by the first process,

transmit a second message from the graphics management system to the second process, the second message offering the one or more rights to the second process, and

restrict access of the GUI element by the second process based on the one or more rights accepted by the second process.

16. A computer-implemented method for accessing a window displayed in a data processing system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first application, a first message from a second application to request accessing a window created by the first application;

transmitting a second message from the first application to a window server running within a data processing system, the second message including one or more rights offered to the second application for accessing the window; and

receiving a third message from the window server indicating one of an acceptance and rejection of the one or more rights by the second application, wherein the one or more rights, when accepted, are used by the window server to restrict the access of the window by the second application.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the window server is configured to create a record associated with the second application including information concerning the one or more rights granted to the second application, and wherein the record is used by the window server to restrict the access of the window by the second application based on the one or more rights.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the window server is configured to transmit a fourth message to the second application offering the one or more rights to the second application on behalf of the first application, and wherein the fourth message further includes information describing other rights of the window that have been granted to other applications by the first application.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the window server allows the second application accessing the window based on the one or more rights if the second application accepts the offer, and wherein the record is destroyed and the second application is prevented from accessing the window if the second application rejects the offer.

20. A computer-implemented method for accessing a window displayed in a data processing system, the method comprising:

transmitting a first message from a first program to a second program via an inter-process call (IPC) to request accessing at least a portion of a first window hosted by the second program;

receiving a second message from a window manager running within a data processing system, the window manager managing a plurality of windows displayed on a display device of the data processing system, wherein the second message includes one or more access rights of the first window offered by the second program; and

in response to the second message, transmitting a third message from the first program to the window manager including one of an acceptance and rejection of the offer of the one or more access rights, wherein the one or more access rights, when accepted by the first program, are used by the window manager to restrict access of the first window by the first program.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first program is allowed by the window manager to access the window only if the first program accepts the offer of one or more access rights.