Local service access within a web based application framework

• US 9,384,346 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dayan, Tal
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US11/647,674
• Time in Patent Office: 3,476 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• 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 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45529 Embedded in an application, e.g. JavaScript in a Web browser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]

Abstract

A container application is a native application that allows a web based application to access a computer'"'"'s system resources and windowing system. Web based applications are downloaded from application servers and run inside container applications. The container application provides the web based application with the information required for accessing system resources or can act as an intermediary between the web based application and the operating system, windowing system, or native applications. If a container application is associated with a window, then the web based application can alter or control many, or all, aspects of the container application'"'"'s content area and meta user interfaces (UIs).

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an application server, running on a first computer, that serves a web based application to a container application, the container application running on a second computer comprising system resources,

wherein the web based application runs inside the container application and uses the container application to access the system resources of the second computer without being installed to become part of the container application,

wherein permission information specifies which of the system resources of the second computer the web based application can access,

wherein the container application, in response to receipt of the web based application from the application server, launches the web based application,

wherein the container application maintains a meta UI area associated with the container application and displayed on the second computer,

wherein the web based application alters or controls the meta UI area.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the container application passes at least one entry point to the web based application such that the web based application directly accesses at least one system resource.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the container application uses the permission information to determine the entry points to pass to the web based application.

4. The system of claim 3:

wherein the web based application comprises an interrupt call back; and

wherein the web based application registers the interrupt call back with an interrupt handler.

5. The system of claim 1:

wherein the container application comprises at least one redirected entry point;

wherein the web based application has direct access to the at least one redirected entry point; and

wherein the web based application has redirected access to the system resources.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the container application uses the permission information to determine which of the at least one redirected entry point is redirected to which of the system resources.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the web based application registers an interrupt call back with the container application and wherein the container application registers a container call back with an interrupt handler such that an interrupt is redirected through the container application to the web based application.

8. The system of claim 1:

wherein a window manager comprises at least one window service and an event handler;

wherein at least one window entry point is used to access the at least one window service;

wherein the container application comprises a redirected entry point that provides the web based application with redirected access to the at least one window entry point;

wherein the container application uses the permission information to determine which of the at least one redirected entry point is redirected to which of the at least one window entry point; and

wherein the web based application registers an event call back with the container application and wherein the container application registers a container call back with the event handler such that an event is redirected through the container application to the web based application.

9. A method comprising:

providing, from a first computer, a web based application to a container application, the container application running on a second computer comprising at least one system resource,

wherein the container application uses a locator to obtain the web based application and launches the web based application to run inside the container application in response to receipt of the web based application,

wherein the web based application uses the container application to access the at least one system resource of the second computer without being installed to become part of the container application,

wherein the container application maintains a meta UI area associated with the container application that is displayed on the second computer,

wherein the web based application alters or controls the meta UI area.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a container security tag is used to authenticate the container application.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein an application security tag is used to authenticate the web based application.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein permission information is used to restrict access from the web based application to the at least one system resource.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the permission information is based on a publisher that publishes the web based application.

14. The method of claim 12:

wherein the permission information is based on a web of trust;

wherein the web of trust is used to identify at least one trusted source; and

wherein an application server, running on the first computer, is a trusted source.

15. A method comprising:

providing, from a first computer, a web based application to a container application, the container application running on a computer comprising at least one system resource,

wherein permission information is associated with the web based application,

wherein the web based application runs inside the container application and uses the container application to access the at least one system resource of a second computer without being installed to become part of the container application,

wherein the container application, in response to receipt of the web based application, launches the web based application,

wherein the container application maintains a meta UI area associated with the container application and displayed on the second computer,

wherein the web based application alters or controls the meta UI area.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the web based application directly accesses the at least one system resource.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the permission information is used to restrict the web based application from access to the at least one system resource.

18. The method of claim 15:

wherein the container application comprises at least one redirected entry point;

wherein the web based application has direct access to the at least one redirected entry point; and

wherein the web based application has redirected access to the at least one system resource.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the permission information is used to restrict the web based application from access to the at least one system resource.

20. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a first remote computer, a web based application at a container application, the container application running on a second computer comprising at least one system resource;

launching the web based application in response to receipt of the web based application; and

restricting access from the web based application to the at least one system resource,

wherein the web based application runs inside the container application and uses the container application to access the at least one system resource without being installed to become part of the container application,

wherein the container application maintains a meta UI area associated with the container application and displayed on the second computer,

wherein the web based application alters or controls the meta UI area.