VIRTUAL MEDIA WITH FOLDER-MOUNT FUNCTION AND GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR MOUNTING ONE OR MORE FILES OR FOLDERS

• US 20140101562A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Inventors: YAO, Xin, LIU, Yi-Li
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0667 at data level, e.g. file, record or object virtualisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A graphical user interface used in a virtual media system for allowing a server computer to access objects (files and folders) on storage devices of a client computer. The server is controlled by input signals from the client. The desktop of the client displays a first file management window showing objects on the storage devices, and a second window representing a desktop of the server. Using input devices connected to the client, a user selects objects in the first window and drags and drops them on the second window. In response, the client performs a virtual media mounting process to present the selected objects to the server as objects on a local drive of the server, without presenting any unselected content on the storage devices. The local drive is shown in the second window on the client'"'"'s desktop to allow the user to explore its content.

Claims

1. A virtual media operation method implemented in a client computer for allowing a server computer to access one or more storage devices of the client computer, comprising:

(a) controlling, via a network, a virtual media access control module which is connected to a USB port of the server computer;

(b) controlling the server computer via the virtual media access control module;

(c) displaying a first window on a desktop of the client computer, the first window containing one or more objects;

(d) receiving a user input, which effects a selection of one or more objects in the first window and a drag-and-drop operation of the selected objects, wherein the drag-and-drop operation drags the selected objects from the first window and drops them onto a representation of the server computer displayed on the desktop of the client computer;

(e) in response to the user input, generating a virtual media file system to present the selected objects to the server computer as objects on a local removable drive of the server computer, without presenting other unselected contents of the one or more storage devices to the server computer, and displaying on the desktop of the client computer a second window representing a desktop of the server computer, the second window containing a representation of the local removable drive which contains the objects; and

(f) allowing the server computer to access the selected objects on the client computer using the second window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each object in the first window represents a file, a folder or a drive on a storage device of the client computer

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (d), the representation of the server computer is the same as the second window representing the desktop of the server computer displayed in step (e).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein in step (d), the user input further effects an opening of the second window.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (d), the representation of the server computer is an icon which represents the server computer and which is different from the second window in step (f).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes:

receiving an image signal from the virtual media access control module, the image signal having been obtained by the virtual media access control module from the server computer via an image signal output interface of the server computer;

displaying the second window representing the desktop of the server computer based on the image signal received from the virtual media access control module; and

transmitting a user control signal to the server computer via the virtual media access control module to control the server computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input in step (d) comprises a series of input signals including:

a signal representing positioning a cursor of a pointing tool over the one or more objects to select them;

a signal representing a key press on the pointing tool;

a signal representing moving the pointing tool while the key is pressed; and

a signal representing releasing the key when the cursor is located in the second window.

8. A virtual media operation method implemented in a client computer for allowing a server computer to access one or more storage devices of the client computer, comprising:

(a) controlling, via a network, a virtual media access control module which is connected to a USB port of the server computer;

(b) controlling the server computer via the virtual media access control module;

(c) displaying a first window on a desktop of the client computer, the first window containing one or more objects;

(d) receiving a first user input which effects a selection of one or more objects in the first window;

(e) receiving a second user input which is a virtual media mount command for mounting the objects selected in step (d) on the server computer;

(f) in response to the second user input, generating a virtual media file system to present the selected objects to the server computer as objects on a local removable drive of the server computer, without presenting other unselected contents of the one or more storage devices to the server computer, and displaying on the desktop of the client computer a second window representing a desktop of the server computer, the second window containing a representation of the local removable drive which contains the objects; and

(g) allowing the server computer to access the selected objects on the client computer using the second window.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each object in the first window represents a file, a folder or a drive on a storage device of the client computer

10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) includes:

receiving an image signal from the virtual media access control module, the image signal having been obtained by the virtual media access control module from the server computer via an image signal output interface of the server computer;

displaying the second window representing the desktop of the server computer based on the image signal received from the virtual media access control module; and

transmitting a user control signal to the server computer via the virtual media access control module to control the server computer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the user input in step (e) is a selection from a popup menu displayed on the desktop of the client computer.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer usable non-transitory medium having a computer readable program code embedded therein for controlling a client computer, the client computer being connected to a server computer via a virtual media access control module over a network, the computer readable program code configured to cause the client computer to execute a virtual media operation method for allowing the server computer to access one or more storage devices of the client computer, the process comprising:

(a) controlling, via a network, a virtual media access control module which is connected to a USB port of the server computer;

(b) controlling the server computer via the virtual media access control module;

(c) displaying a first window on a desktop of the client computer, the first window containing one or more objects;

(d) receiving a user input, which effects a selection of one or more objects in the first window and a drag-and-drop operation of the selected objects, wherein the drag-and-drop operation drags the selected objects from the first window and drops them onto a representation of the server computer displayed on the desktop of the client computer;

(e) in response to the user input, generating a virtual media file system to present the selected objects to the server computer as objects on a local removable drive of the server computer, without presenting other unselected contents of the one or more storage devices to the server computer, and displaying on the desktop of the client computer a second window representing a desktop of the server computer, the second window containing a representation of the local removable drive which contains the objects; and

(f) allowing the server computer to access the selected objects on the client computer using the second window.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein each object in the first window represents a file, a folder or a drive on a storage device of the client computer

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein in step (d), the representation of the server computer is the same as the second window representing the desktop of the server computer displayed in step (e).

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein in step (d), the user input further effects an opening of the second window.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein in step (d), the representation of the server computer is an icon which represents the server computer and which is different from the second window in step (f).

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein step (b) includes:

receiving an image signal from the virtual media access control module, the image signal having been obtained by the virtual media access control module from the server computer via an image signal output interface of the server computer;

displaying the second window representing the desktop of the server computer based on the image signal received from the virtual media access control module; and

transmitting a user control signal to the server computer via the virtual media access control module to control the server computer.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the user input in step (d) comprises a series of input signals including:

a signal representing positioning a cursor of a pointing tool over the one or more objects to select them;

a signal representing a key press on the pointing tool;

a signal representing moving the pointing tool while the key is pressed; and

a signal representing releasing the key when the cursor is located in the second window.