Transparent user interface integration between local and remote computing environments

• US 8,866,701 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Momchilov, Georgy, Mir, Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le H
• Application Number:
  US13/410,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/247, 709/203, 709/201, 709/205, 709/217, 709/218, 709/229, 345/158, 345/73, 345/2.2, 345/2.1, 345/1.1, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 345/2.2
• 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 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

Methods and systems for transparent user interface integration between remote (“published”) applications and their local counterparts are described, providing a seamless, unified user experience, and allowing integration of a start menu, dock, taskbar, desktop shortcuts, windows, window and application switching, system tray elements, client-to-host and host-to-client file type association, URL redirection, browser cookie redirection, token redirection, status message interception and redirection, and other elements. These methods and systems further enhance theme-integration between a client and remote desktop or virtual machine by remoting all UI elements to a recipient for generation, including text controls, buttons, progress bars, radio buttons, list boxes, or other elements; presenting them with the receiver'"'"'s product and OS-specific UI; and returning status back to the sender. This may achieve a more unified and transparent UI integration. Furthermore, international text may be correctly received in cross-language environments, or translated into the language of the presenting environment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a connection between a client device and a remote host, said remote host providing access to one or more applications executing remotely within a virtual machine executing on the remote host;

receiving, at the client device, first information from the remote host about a first application executing within the virtual machine executing on the remote host; and

rendering, within a user interface associated with the client device and with a graphical appearance based on at least one user interface component of said user interface associated with the client device, a first user interface component based on a corresponding user interface component of the first application executing within the virtual machine executing on the remote host.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface component comprises an application window rendered directly within the user interface associated with the client device without an intervening application window associated with the remote host.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising hiding a corresponding user interface element generated by the remote host, and rendering the locally generated first user interface component in its place.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface component comprises an icon specific to the first application, and said method further comprises rendering said icon in the user interface associated with the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote host has a first plurality of user interface components, and the client device has a second plurality of user interface components, each of the first plurality of user interface components corresponding to a different one of the second plurality of user interface components, said method further comprising:

substituting, by the client device, one of the second plurality of user interface components for a corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components received from the remote host; and

sending user input to the remote host responsive to the corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components based on user input received via the corresponding one of the second plurality of user interface components.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein substituting the one of the second plurality of user interface components comprises altering a language of content within the corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components to a language associated with the client device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first user interface component comprises status information about the first application, said status information intended for presentation in a dialog box, and said method further comprises intercepting the status information and presenting the status information in a dialog box rendered in a style of the user interface associated with the client device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said status information comprises login status information, and said rendering comprises redirecting text comprising the login status information to a dialog box originating from the user interface associated with the client device.

9. One or more non-transitory computer readable media comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:

establish a connection between a client device and a remote host, said remote host providing access to one or more applications executing remotely within a virtual machine executing on the remote host;

receive, at the client device, first information from the remote host about a first application executing within the virtual machine executing on the remote host; and

render, within a user interface associated with the client device and with a graphical appearance based on at least one user interface component of said user interface associated with the client device, a first user interface component based on a corresponding user interface component of the first application executing within the virtual machine executing on the remote host.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first user interface component comprises an application window rendered directly within the user interface associated with the client device without an intervening application window associated with the remote host.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to hide a corresponding user interface element generated by the remote host, and to render the locally generated first user interface component in its place.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first user interface component comprises an icon specific to the first application, and wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to render said icon in the user interface associated with the client device.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the remote host has a first plurality of user interface components, and the client device has a second plurality of user interface components, each of the first plurality of user interface components corresponding to a different one of the second plurality of user interface components, and wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to:

substitute, by the client device, one of the second plurality of user interface components for a corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components received from the remote host; and

send user input to the remote host responsive to the corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components based on user input received via the corresponding one of the second plurality of user interface components.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to alter a language of content within the corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components to a language associated with the client device.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the first user interface component comprises status information about the first application, said status information intended for presentation in a dialog box, and wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to intercept the status information and present the status information in a dialog box rendered in a style of the user interface associated with the client device.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein said status information comprises login status information, and wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to redirect text comprising the login status information to a dialog box originating from the user interface associated with the client device.

17. A client device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to;

establish a connection between the client device and a remote host, said remote host providing access to one or more applications executing remotely within a virtual machine executing on the remote host;

receive, at the client device, first information from the remote host about a first application executing within the virtual machine executing on the remote host; and

render, within a user interface associated with the client device and with a graphical appearance based on at least one user interface component of said user interface associated with the client device, a first user interface component based on a corresponding user interface component of the first application executing within the virtual machine executing on the remote host.

18. The client device of claim 17, wherein the first user interface component comprises an application window rendered directly within the user interface associated with the client device without an intervening application window associated with the remote host.

19. The client device of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to hide a corresponding user interface element generated by the remote host, and render the locally generated first user interface component in its place.

20. The client device of claim 17, wherein the first user interface component comprises an icon specific to the first application, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to render said icon in the user interface associated with the client device.

21. The client device of claim 17, wherein the remote host has a first plurality of user interface components, and the client device has a second plurality of user interface components, each of the first plurality of user interface components corresponding to a different one of the second plurality of user interface components, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to:

substitute one of the second plurality of user interface components for a corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components received from the remote host; and

send user input to the remote host responsive to the corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components based on user input received via the corresponding one of the second plurality of user interface components.

22. The client device of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to alter a language of content within the corresponding one of the first plurality of user interface components to a language associated with the client device.

23. The client device of claim 21, wherein the first user interface component comprises status information about the first application, said status information intended for presentation in a dialog box, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to intercept the status information and present the status information in a dialog box rendered in a style of the user interface associated with the client device.

24. The client device of claim 23, wherein said status information comprises login status information, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the client device to redirect text comprising the login status information to a dialog box originating from the user interface associated with the client device.