Managing active GUI elements remotely

• US 9,195,367 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chakra, Al, Feller, John A., Hewitt, Trudy L., Schembari, Francesco C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nabi, Reza
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/565,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20140040763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 715/748
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method, system or computer usable program product for selectively forwarding activated graphical user interface (GUI) elements from a source system to a remote device for user interaction including configuring the source system for selectively forwarding to the remote device activated GUI elements that are for front of screen display on the source system, receiving user preferences for GUI elements to forward to the remote device, in response to a user request, identifying an activated GUI element for front of screen display on the source system and related information that meets the user preferences, and forwarding only the identified GUI element and related information to the remote device for interaction with the user.

Claims

1. A method of selectively forwarding activated graphical user interface (GUI) elements from a source system to a remote device for user interaction comprising:

configuring the source system for forwarding to the remote device a subset of activated GUI elements that are for front of screen display on the source system based on user preferences;

receiving the user preferences from the user for determining which GUI elements to forward to the remote device;

in response to a user request from the user, identifying an activated GUI element for front of screen display on the source system and related information that meets the user preferences; and

subsequent to the user request, forwarding only the identified GUI element and related information that meet the user preferences to the remote device for interaction with the user when the user is remote from the source system wherein interaction with the user includes receiving a user response through the forwarded GUI element at the remote device for processing by the source system;

wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from at least a first one from a set of window, dialog box and icon to a voice message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the activated GUI element includes at least one from the set of a new GUI element and a newly activated previously active GUI element but does not include GUI elements displayed on the source system that were not activated subsequent to the user request other than the most front of screen current active window.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the related information includes at least one of the set of an identification of an application that motivated display of the GUI element on the source system and a prior displayed GUI element motivated by the application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user preferences include at least one from the set of GUI element type, GUI element mode, and GUI element application.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user preferences includes a time limit for the source system to identify and forward the activated GUI element.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising awaiting a response from the user through the forwarded GUI element meeting the user preferences at the remote device, receiving the response from the user from the remote device, and utilizing the response as if it was from the activated GUI element on the source system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying an activated GUI element on the source system includes monitoring an operating system on the source system, detecting any GUI element activated by the operating system, and determining whether the activated GUI element meets user preferences.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from a first format not suitable for processing by the remote system to a second format suitable for processing by the remote system for interaction with the user on the remote system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising installing a program onto the source system;

wherein configuring the source system includes configuring the source system for forwarding to the remote device a subset of activated GUI elements regarding the installation of the program forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from at least a first one from a set of window, email, text, instant message and voice message to at least a different one from the set of window, email, text, instant message, and voice message.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

awaiting a response from the user through the forwarded GUI element at the remote device;

receiving the response from the user from the remote device; and

utilizing the response as if it was from the activated GUI element on the source system;

wherein the activated GUI element includes at least one from the set of a new GUI element and a newly activated previously active GUI element;

wherein the related information includes at least one of the set of an identification of an application that motivated display of the GUI element on the source system and a prior displayed GUI element motivated by the application;

wherein the user preferences include at least one from the set of GUI element type, GUI element mode, and GUI element application;

wherein identifying an activated GUI element on the source system includes monitoring an operating system on the source system, detecting any GUI element activated by the operating system, and determining whether the activated GUI element meets user preferences; and

wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from a first format not suitable for processing by the remote system to a second format suitable for processing by the remote system for interaction with the user on the remote system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the identified GUI element is a dialog box.

12. A data processing system for selectively forwarding activated graphical user interface (GUI) elements from a source system to a remote device for user interaction, the data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions which when executed by the processor execute the steps of;

configuring the source system for forwarding to the remote device a subset of activated GUI elements that are for front of screen display on the source system based on user preferences;

receiving the user preferences from the user for determining which GUI elements to forward to the remote device;

in response to a user request from the user, identifying an activated GUI element for front of screen display on the source system and related information that meets the user preferences; and

subsequent to the user request, forwarding only the identified GUI element and related information that meet the user preferences to the remote device for interaction with the user when the user is remote from the source system wherein interaction with the user includes receiving a user response through the forwarded GUI element at the remote device for processing by the source system;

wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from at least a first one from a set of window, dialog box and icon to a voice message.

13. The data processing system of claim 12 wherein the activated GUI element includes at least one from the set of a new GUI element and a newly activated previously active GUI element but does not include GUI elements displayed on the source system that were not activated subsequent to the user request other than the most front of screen current active window.

14. The data processing system of claim 12 further comprising awaiting a response from the user through the forwarded GUI element meeting the user preferences at the remote device, receiving the response from the user from the remote device, and utilizing the response as if it was from the activated GUI element on the source system.

15. The data processing system of claim 12 wherein identifying an activated GUI element on the source system includes monitoring an operating system on the source system, detecting any GUI element activated by the operating system, and determining whether the activated GUI element meets user preferences.

16. The data processing system of claim 12 wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from a first format not suitable for processing by the remote system to a second format suitable for processing by the remote system for interaction with the user on the remote system.

17. A computer usable program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for use in selectively forwarding activated graphical user interface (GUI) elements from a source system to a remote device for user interaction, the computer usable program product comprising code for performing the steps of:

configuring the source system for forwarding to the remote device a subset of activated GUI elements that are for front of screen display on the source system based on user preferences;

receiving the user preferences for determining which GUI elements to forward to the remote device;

in response to a user request, identifying an activated GUI element for front of screen display on the source system and related information that meets the user preferences; and

subsequent to the user request, forwarding only the identified GUI element and related information that meet the user preferences to the remote device for interaction with the user when the user is remote from the source system wherein interaction with the user includes receiving a user response through the forwarded GUI element at the remote device for processing by the source system;

wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from at least a first one from a set of window, dialog box and icon to a voice message.

18. The computer usable program product of claim 17 wherein the activated GUI element includes at least one from the set of a new GUI element and a newly activated previously active GUI element but does not include GUI elements displayed on the source system that were not activated subsequent to the user request other than the most front of screen current active window.

19. The computer usable program product of claim 17 further comprising awaiting a response from the user through the forwarded GUI element meeting the user preferences at the remote device, receiving the response from the user from the remote device, and utilizing the response as if it was from the activated GUI element on the source system.

20. The computer usable program product of claim 17 wherein identifying an activated GUI element on the source system includes monitoring an operating system on the source system, detecting any GUI element activated by the operating system, and determining whether the activated GUI element meets user preferences.

21. The computer usable program product of claim 17 wherein forwarding the identified GUI element includes transforming the identified GUI element from a first format not suitable for processing by the remote system to a second format suitable for processing by the remote system for interaction with the user on the remote system.