Methods for managing authority designation of graphical user interfaces

• US 9,003,427 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Holland, Philip J., Krstic, Ivan, Martel, Pierre-Oliver J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US14/273,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 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 implemented within a data processing system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server operating as a system component of an operating system, a first message from a first process requesting access to a user interface (UI) element;

in response to the first message, transmitting a second message from the server to the first process, the second message offering one or more access rights for accessing the UI element that are granted by a second process; and

restricting, by the server, access of the UI element by the first process based on the one or more access rights accepted by the first process, wherein the server operates as a mediator between the first process and the second process to allow the first process to access the UI element provided by the second process based on the accepted one or more access rights.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the server, a third message from the first process in response to the second message, the third message including an acceptance of the offer of the one or more access rights; and

transmitting a fourth message to the second process indicating that the first process has accepted the offer of the one or more access rights, wherein the server allows the first process to access the UI element only if the offer of the one or more access rights has been accepted by the first process.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating in a database associated with the server a record associated with the UI element, the record including information indicating an ownership of the UI element; and

enforcing, by the server, the one or more access rights for accessing the UI element by the first process based on the record of the UI element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the second process by the server to determine whether the second process is authorized to grant the one or more access rights.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the server presents an interface to the first process and the second process to operate and communicate with each other without direct interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first process and the second process communicate with each other via an inter-process call (IPC).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first process is executed within a restricted operating environment that is configured based in part on the accepted one or more access rights.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second process is associated with a third-party application with respect to the operating system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI element comprises a window displayed on a display of the data processing system by the second process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI element provides an graphical user interface (GUI) to access a file stored in a file system of the operating system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI element comprises at least one of a keyboard and a pointing device associated with the data processing system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second process is a plugin to the first process.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server operating as a system component of an operating system, a first message from a first process requesting access to a user interface (UI) element;

in response to the first message, transmitting a second message from the server to the first process, the second message offering one or more access rights for accessing the UI element that are granted by a second process; and

restricting, by the server, access of the UI element by the first process based on the one or more access rights accepted by the first process, wherein the server operates as a mediator between the first process and the second process to allow the first process to access the UI element provided by the second process based on the accepted one or more access rights.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, at the server, a third message from the first process in response to the second message, the third message including an acceptance of the offer of the one or more access rights; and

transmitting a fourth message to the second process indicating that the first process has accepted the offer of the one or more access rights, wherein the server allows the first process to access the UI element only if the offer of the one or more access rights has been accepted by the first process.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

creating in a database associated with the server a record associated with the UI element, the record including information indicating an ownership of the UI element; and

enforcing, by the server, the one or more access rights for accessing the UI element by the first process based on the record of the UI element.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises authenticating the second process by the server to determine whether the second process is authorized to grant the one or more access rights.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the server presents an interface to the first process and the second process to operate and communicate with each other without direct interaction.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first process and the second process communicate with each other via an inter-process call (IPC).

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first process is executed within a restricted operating environment that is configured based in part on the accepted one or more access rights.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the second process is associated with a third-party application with respect to the operating system.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the UI element comprises a window displayed on a display of the data processing system by the second process.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the UI element provides an graphical user interface (GUI) to access a file stored in a file system of the operating system.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the UI element comprises at least one of a keyboard and a pointing device associated with the data processing system.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the second process is a plugin to the first process.

25. A data processing system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

an operating system executed in the memory by the processor, the operating system including a server operating as a system component, the server configured to perform operations including

receiving a first message from a first process requesting access to a user interface (UI) element,

in response to the first message, transmitting a second message from the server to the first process, the second message offering one or more access rights for accessing the UI element that are granted by a second process, and

restricting, by the server, access of the UI element by the first process based on the one or more access rights accepted by the first process, wherein the server operates as a mediator between the first process and the second process to allow the first process to access the UI element provided by the second process based on the accepted one or more access rights.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, at the server, a third message from the first process in response to the second message, the third message including an acceptance of the offer of the one or more access rights; and

transmitting a fourth message to the second process indicating that the first process has accepted the offer of the one or more access rights, wherein the server allows the first process to access the UI element only if the offer of the one or more access rights has been accepted by the first process.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

creating in a database associated with the server a record associated with the UI element, the record including information indicating an ownership of the UI element; and

enforcing, by the server, the one or more access rights for accessing the UI element by the first process based on the record of the UI element.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the second process by the server to determine whether the second process is authorized to grant the one or more access rights.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the server presents an interface to the first process and the second process to operate and communicate with each other without direct interaction.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the first process and the second process communicate with each other via an inter-process call (IPC).