Methods for managing authority designation of graphical user interfaces

• US 8,752,070 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Krstic, Ivan, Holland, Philip J., Martel, Pierre-Oliver J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US13/748,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20130139064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• 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-readable non-transitory storage medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method for accessing a region displayed in the 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 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 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 server to restrict the access of the window by the second application.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the 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 server to restrict the access of the window by the second application based on the one or more rights.

3. The medium of claim 2, wherein the 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.

4. The medium of claim 2, wherein the 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.

5. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method for accessing a region displayed in the 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 manager running within a data processing system, the manager managing a plurality of windows 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 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 manager to restrict access of the first window by the first program.

6. The medium of claim 5, 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.

7. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method for accessing a window displayed in the 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.

8. The medium of claim 7, 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.

9. The medium of claim 8, 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.

10. The medium of claim 8, 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.

11. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method for accessing a window displayed in the 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.

12. The medium of claim 11, 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.