Transparent user interface integration between local and remote computing environments

• US 9,588,637 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• 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:
  US14/492,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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:

receiving, by a client device and from a remote host, data associated with a user interface component of an application executing within a virtual machine hosted by the remote host; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data identifies the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component comprises rendering an application icon corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises an image of the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component comprises utilizing the image to render a thumbnail preview of the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises at least one of an appointment notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine or a task notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component comprises rendering a user interface component corresponding to the at least one of the appointment notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine or the task notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component comprises at least one of:

rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in a taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device,

rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in a dock of the user interface associated with the client device, or

rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component on a desktop of the user interface associated with the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component comprises rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in at least one of a taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device or a dock of the user interface associated with the client device, the method comprising:

determining, based on an identifier associated with the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine and a plurality of identifiers associated with the at least one of the taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device or the dock of the user interface associated with the client device, whether the at least one of the taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device or the dock of the user interface associated with the client device includes a group corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising, responsive to determining that the at least one of the taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device or the dock of the user interface associated with the client device does not include a group corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine:

rendering, in the at least one of the taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device or the dock of the user interface associated with the client device, a group for the application executing within the virtual machine; and

rendering, in the group for the application executing within the virtual machine, the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising, responsive to determining that the at least one of the taskbar of the user interface associated with the client device or the dock of the user interface associated with the client device includes a group corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine, rendering, in the group corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine, the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the group corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine comprises a thumbnail preview of a user interface component of an application executing on the client device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein rendering the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component comprises rendering, in the group corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine and adjacent to the thumbnail preview, an application icon corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine.

11. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the system to;

communicate, to a remotely located client device, data associated with a user interface component of an application executing within a virtual machine hosted by the system; and

instruct the remotely located client device to render, within a user interface associated with the remotely located client device and with a graphical appearance based on at least one user interface component of the user interface associated with the remotely located client device, a user interface component corresponding to the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine hosted by the system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data identifies the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to instruct the remotely located client device to render an application icon corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the data comprises an image of the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to instruct the remotely located client device to utilize the image to render a thumbnail preview of the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the data comprises at least one of an appointment notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine or a task notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to instruct the remotely located client device to render a user interface component corresponding to the at least one of the appointment notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine or the task notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to instruct the remotely located client device to at least one of:

render the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in a taskbar of the user interface associated with the remotely located client device,

render the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in a dock of the user interface associated with the remotely located client device, or

render the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component on a desktop of the user interface associated with the remotely located client device.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to:

receive, from a remote host, data associated with a user interface component of an application executing within a virtual machine hosted by the remote host; and

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

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the data identifies the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to render an application icon corresponding to the application executing within the virtual machine.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the data comprises an image of the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to utilize the image to render a thumbnail preview of the user interface component of the application executing within the virtual machine.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the data comprises at least one of an appointment notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine or a task notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to render a user interface component corresponding to the at least one of the appointment notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine or the task notification generated by the application executing within the virtual machine.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to at least one of:

render the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in a taskbar of the user interface associated with the computing device,

render the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component in a dock of the user interface associated with the computing device, or

render the user interface component corresponding to the user interface component on a desktop of the user interface associated with the computing device.