Reverse seamless integration between local and remote computing environments

• US 9,736,221 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• 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: Ye, Ning, Tabares, Modesto, Momchilov, Georgy
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le H
• Application Number:
  US14/599,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• 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: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Methods and systems for transparent user interface integration between remote 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:

establishing a connection between a client device and a remote host, said remote host providing access to one or more applications executing remotely on the remote host;

sending, by the client device, first information to the remote host about a first application executing on the client device; and

rendering, when the first application meets one or more predefined criteria, within a user interface associated with the remote host, a first user interface component based on the first application, said first user interface component being rendered with a consistent appearance as a user interface associated with the remote host.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface component comprises an application window rendered directly within the user interface associated with the remote host without an intervening application window associated with the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising hiding a corresponding user interface element generated by the client device, and rendering the first user interface component in its place.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a predetermined published status of each client hosted application.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the published status is selected from a group comprising native applications, streamed applications, and remote applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a predetermined importance level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise the first user interface component being one of an authentication window, a warning window, and a battery meter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria comprises an association with one of a plurality of remote virtual desktops.

9. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a client device to perform:

establishing a connection between the client device and a remote host, said remote host providing access to one or more applications executing remotely on the remote host;

sending, by the client device, first information to the remote host about a first application executing on the client device; and

rendering, when the first application meets one or more predefined criteria, within a user interface associated with the remote host, a first user interface component based on the first application, said first user interface component being rendered with a consistent appearance as a user interface associated with the remote host.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9, wherein the first user interface component comprises an application window rendered directly within the user interface associated with the remote host without an intervening application window associated with the client device.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9, further comprising hiding a corresponding user interface element generated by the client device, and rendering the first user interface component in its place.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a predetermined published status of each client hosted application.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the published status is selected from a group comprising native applications, streamed applications, and remote applications.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise a predetermined importance level.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined criteria comprise the first user interface component being one of an authentication window, a warning window, and a battery meter.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9, wherein the predefined criteria comprises an association with one of a plurality of remote virtual desktops.

17. A client device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the client device to perform;

establishing a connection between the client device and a remote host, said remote host providing access to one or more applications executing remotely on the remote host;

sending, by the client device, first information to the remote host about a first application executing on the client device; and

rendering, when the first application meets one or more predefined criteria, within a user interface associated with the remote host, a first user interface component based on the first application, said first user interface component being rendered with a consistent appearance as a user interface associated with the remote host.

18. The client device of claim 17, wherein the first user interface component comprises an application window rendered directly within the user interface associated with the remote host without an intervening application window associated with the client device.

19. The client device of claim 17, said instructions further causing the client device to perform hiding a corresponding user interface element generated by the client device, and rendering the first user interface component in its place.

20. The client device of claim 17, wherein the one or more predefined criteria are selected from a group comprising a predetermined published status of each client hosted application, a predetermined importance level, and an association with one of a plurality of remote virtual desktops.