System and method for a distributed graphical user interface

• US 9,170,716 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Greenspan, Steven L., Abrams, Howard A., Mitranic, Stanislav, Silberman, Gabriel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US13/797,888
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A management server in a communications network receives information for display at a plurality of user devices. The information includes multiple user interface components for display on the user devices. Upon receiving the information, the management server identifies the different components and selectively distributes the components to different ones of the user devices based on predefined routing data stored in a memory accessible to the management server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a management server in a communications network, a plurality of user interface components for display at first and second user devices, each user interface component comprising a corresponding component identifier;

accessing a registry comprising one or more predefined views, each view mapping one or more user interface component identifiers to a corresponding address of one of the first and second user devices; and

distributing a first user interface component to the first user device, and a second user interface component to the second user device, based on respective component identifier mappings of the first and second user interface components in the registry.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a currently active view for displaying the first and second user interface components at the first and second user devices;

determining whether to send the first user interface component to the first user device or to the second user device based on the component identifier mapping for the first user interface component for the currently active view; and

determining whether to send the second user interface component to the first user device or to the second user device based on the component identifier mapping for the second user interface component for the currently active view.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing a registry comprising one or more predefined views comprises:

extracting the first user interface component from information received at the management server; and

querying the registry using the component identifier associated with the first user interface component as a key.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein distributing a first user interface component to the first user device comprises:

if the component identifier associated with the first user interface component is found in the registry, routing the first user interface component to the address associated with the component identifier located in the registry; and

if the component identifier associated with the first user interface component is not found in the registry, routing the first user interface component to the address associated with a default user device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

formatting the first user interface component for display on the first user device based on predefined display settings for the first user device; and

formatting the second user interface component for display on the second user device based on predefined display settings for the second user device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a default user interface to one of the plurality of user devices for display to the user;

receiving user input from the default user interface modifying a selected view in the registry;

distributing the first and second user interface component to corresponding user devices in accordance with the modified view.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining which of the plurality of user devices are currently logged into the management server;

distributing the plurality of user interface components to corresponding user devices based on at least one of;

a known display size for the plurality of user devices;

an application executing on at least one of the plurality of user devices; and

user preferences received from the user.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

monitoring the distribution of the plurality of user interface components over a time period; and

updating the views in the registry based on the monitored distribution.

9. A network-based management server comprising:

a communications interface circuit configured to receive a plurality of user interface components for display at first and second user devices, each user interface component comprising a corresponding component identifier; and

a processing circuit configured to;

access a registry comprising one or more predefined views, each view mapping one or more user interface component identifiers to a corresponding address of one of the first and second user devices; and

distribute a first user interface component to the first user device, and a second user interface component to the second user device, based on respective component identifier mappings of the first and second user interface components in the registry.

10. The management server of claim 9 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

determine a currently active view for displaying the first and second user interface components at the first and second user devices;

determine whether to send the first user interface component to the first user device or to the second user device based on the component identifier mapping for the first user interface component for the currently active view; and

determine whether to send the second user interface component to the first user device or to the second user device based on the component identifier mapping for the second user interface component for the currently active view.

11. The management server of claim 9 wherein to access a registry comprising one or more predefined views, the processing circuit is configured to:

extract the first user interface component from information received at the management server; and

query the registry using the component identifier associated with the first user interface component as a key.

12. The management server of claim 11 wherein to distribute a first user interface component to the first user device, the processing circuit is configured to:

determine whether the component identifier associated with the first user interface component is found in the registry;

route the first user interface component to the address associated with the component identifier in the registry if the component identifier is found in the registry; and

route the first user interface component to an address of a default device if the component identifier is not found in the registry.

13. The management server of claim 9 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

format the first user interface component for display on the first user device based on predefined display settings for the first user device; and

format the second user interface component for display on the second user device based on predefined display settings for the second user device.

14. The management server of claim 9 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

provide a default user interface to one of the plurality of user devices for display to the user;

receive user input from the default user interface modifying a selected view in the registry;

distribute the first and second user interface component to corresponding user devices in accordance with the modified view.

15. The management server of claim 9 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

determine which of the plurality of user devices are currently logged into the management server;

distribute the plurality of user interface components to corresponding user devices based on at least one of;

a known display size for the plurality of user devices;

an application executing on at least one of the plurality of user devices; and

user preferences received from the user.

16. The management server of claim 15 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

monitor the distribution of the plurality of user interface components over a time period; and

update the views in the registry based on the monitored distribution.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store a control application that, when executed on a management server in a communications network, configures a processing circuit to;

receive a plurality of user interface components for display at first and second user devices, each user interface component comprising a corresponding component identifier;

access a registry comprising one or more predefined views, each view mapping one or more user interface component identifiers to a corresponding address of one of the first and second user devices; and

distribute a first user interface component to the first user device, and a second user interface component to the second user device, based on respective component identifier mappings of the first and second user interface components in the registry.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the control application further configures the processing circuit to:

identify a currently active view for displaying the first and second user interface components at the first and second user devices;

send the first user interface component to the first user device based on the component identifier mapping for the first user interface component for the currently active view; and

send the second user interface component to the second user device based on the component identifier mapping for the second user interface component for the currently active view.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the control application further configures the processing circuit to:

extract the first user interface component from information received at the management server; and

query the registry using the component identifier associated with the first user interface component as a key.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the control application further configures the processing circuit to:

determine whether the component identifier associated with the first user interface component is found in the registry;

if the component identifier associated with the first user interface component is found in the registry;

format the first user interface component for display on the first user device based on predefined display settings for the first user device; and

route the formatted first user interface component to the address associated with the component identifier located in the registry; and

if the component identifier associated with the first user interface component is not found in the registry;

format the second user interface component for display on the second user device based on predefined display settings for the second user device; and

route the first user interface component to the address associated with a default user device.