Borrow and give back of windows

• US 20070113190A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Clark, Bryan, Nickell, Seth
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and system for “borrowing” and giving back a window from one computer to another. Borrowing refers to actions performed by one computer to temporarily obtain and control a window from another computer.

Claims

1. A method of borrowing a window from a host computer, said method comprising:

opening a connection to the host computer;

determining windows at the host computer that are eligible to be borrowed;

selecting at least one of the eligible windows; and

borrowing the selected window from the host computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining windows at the host computer that are eligible to be borrowed comprises:

determining windows that currently displayed the host computer; and

displaying a list of the windows that are currently displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein borrowing the selected window from the host computer comprises obtaining exclusive control over the selected window from the host computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein borrowing the selected window from the host computer comprises polling a local operating system for changes to the selected window.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a button into the selected window that triggers a return of the selected window to the host computer.

6. An apparatus for borrowing a window from a host computer according to the method of claim 1, said apparatus comprising:

means for opening a connection to the host computer;

means for determining windows at the host computer that are eligible to be borrowed;

means for selecting at least one of the eligible windows; and

means for borrowing the selected window from the host computer.

7. A computer readable medium containing program code having instructions for performing the method of claim 1, said medium comprising:

program code for opening a connection to the host computer;

program code for determining windows at the host computer that are eligible to be borrowed;

program code for selecting at least one of the eligible windows; and

program code for borrowing the selected window from the host computer.

8. A method of allowing a window to be borrowed by a remote computer, said method comprising:

receiving a request to borrow a window from the remote computer;

providing information that indicates windows that are eligible for borrowing;

receiving information that indicates a window that has been selected for borrowing;

intercepting display data for the selected window; and

sending the display data for the selected window to the remote computer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing information that indicates windows that are eligible for borrowing comprises transmitting a window to the remote computer that includes thumbnails of the windows that are eligible for borrowing.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein intercepting display data for the selected window comprises:

identifying display data that corresponds to the selected window; and

routing only the display data that corresponds to the selected window.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising relinquishing control of the selected window to the remote computer.

12. An apparatus for allowing a window to be borrowed by a remote computer according to the method of claim 8, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request to borrow a window from the remote computer;

means for providing information that indicates windows that are eligible for borrowing;

means for receiving information that indicates a window that has been selected for borrowing;

means for intercepting display data for the selected window; and

means for sending the display data for the selected window to the remote computer.

13. A computer readable medium containing program code having instructions for performing the method of claim 8, said medium comprising:

program code for receiving a request to borrow a window from the remote computer;

program code for providing information that indicates windows that are eligible for borrowing;

program code for receiving information that indicates a window that has been selected for borrowing;

program code for intercepting display data for the selected window; and

program code for sending the display data for the selected window to the remote computer.

14. A system configured to allow a user operating from a first processor to move a window for an application running on a second processor to the first processor, wherein the user is authorized on the second processor, said system comprising:

a first processor currently in use by the user and configured to open a connection to the second processor, determine windows at the second processor that are eligible to be borrowed, selecting an eligible window, and borrowing the selected window; and

a second processor, coupled to the first processor, and configured to receive a request to borrow a window, provide information that indicates windows that are eligible for borrowing, determine an eligible window that has been selected for borrowing, intercept display data for the selected window, and redirect the display data for the selected window to the first processor.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first processor is configured to recognize changes to the borrowed window and transmit the changes back to the second processor.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first processor is configured to confirm that the user is logged in to the second processor.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second processor is configured to close the window that has been selected for borrowing when the display data is being redirected.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the second processor is configured to display information that indicates the window that has been selected for borrowing when the display data is being redirected.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the second processor is configured to take back the window selected for borrowing in response to a user input.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the second processor is configured to take back the window selected for borrowing when the connection between the first and second processors has failed.