Methods and systems for facilitating a remote desktop redrawing session utilizing HTML

• US 9,244,912 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Marketing Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wyse Technology L.L.C. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kominac, Stevan, Stanley, Jeremy Michael, Schwebke, Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Titcomb, William
• Application Number:
  US13/557,160
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740, 715/744, 715/760
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• 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 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Examples of methods, systems, apparatus, and machine-readable storage media are provided to facilitate access and control of a remote desktop of a remote machine by a windows web browser of a client device through a web server without installing proprietary plug-ins or protocols on the client device. A web server may translate user input requests from a web browser into input calls compatible with a remote desktop display protocol. The web server may receive remote desktop drawing commands from the remote machine and translate the remote desktop drawing commands into web browser drawing updates compatible with the windows web browser. A web server may communicate with the windows web browser via HTTP and communicate with the remote machine via a remote desktop display protocol.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating conducting a remote desktop session between a web browser of a client device and a remote machine via a web server in real time and utilizing hypertext markup language (HTML) that supports a two-dimensional (2D) canvas and dynamic drawing, the method comprising:

receiving, at the web server, a user input request from the web browser of the client device for access and control of the remote machine, wherein the web browser supports a 2D canvas and dynamic drawing;

translating, at the web server, the user input request into an input command compatible with a remote desktop display protocol to be utilized by the web server for facilitating communication with the remote machine;

receiving, at the web server, a remote desktop drawing command from the remote machine in response to the input command;

translating, at the web server, the remote desktop drawing command into a windows graphics drawing command by executing the windows graphics drawing command to update a portion of a windows graphics application programming interface (API) memory bitmap, wherein the windows graphics API memory bitmap represents a portion of an image of a remote desktop of the remote machine that has changed relative to a previous graphics drawing command; and

providing the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the web browser;

wherein the web server is an intermediary between the remote machine and the client device, and wherein the web server comprises a windows web server and is physically separate from the remote machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the web browser comprises a windows web browser and wherein the translating the remote desktop drawing command comprises:

generating coordinates for the windows graphics API memory bitmap based on the windows graphics drawing command;

forming an image file including a windows image file based on the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the image file is compatible with HTML5; and

obtaining drawing coordinates for the image file based on the coordinates for the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the drawing coordinates are compatible with HTML5,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command comprises the image file and the drawing coordinates for the image file,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command represents a portion of the image of the remote desktop,

wherein the web browser comprises client script code;

wherein the method comprises receiving, at the web server, drawing requests from the client script code of the web browser,

wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises providing the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the client script code of the web browser in response to one of the drawing requests from the client script code of the web browser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating the remote desktop drawing command comprises:

generating coordinates for the windows graphics API memory bitmap;

forming an image file including a windows image file based on the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the image file is HTML5 compatible; and

obtaining drawing coordinates for the image file, wherein the drawing coordinates are compatible with HTML5,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command comprises the image file and the drawing coordinates for the image file,

wherein the method comprises receiving, at the web server, drawing requests from the web browser,

wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises providing the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the web browser in response to one of the drawing requests from the web browser.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the web server comprises a remote desktop client wrapper configured to translate the user input request into the input command compatible with the remote desktop display protocol and to translate the remote desktop drawing command into the windows graphics drawing command compatible with a windows web browser.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving long asynchronous HTTP requests from the web browser, wherein the asynchronous HTTP requests comprise drawing requests and the web browser comprises a windows web browser.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving from the web browser an initial HTTP request comprising a uniform resource locator (URL) of the remote machine.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising providing a script client code to the web browser in response to the initial HTTP request for the URL of the remote machine, wherein the script client code is compatible with HTML5.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote desktop drawing command is compatible with the remote desktop display protocol, wherein the remote desktop display protocol is a push protocol, and wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises providing the windows graphics drawing command using HTTP that is a pull protocol.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamic drawing comprises drawing in real time a portion of the 2D canvas, rather than drawing the entire 2D canvas, in response to one or more drawing requests of a script client of the web browser.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the 2D canvas is updatable by a portion at a time according to a set of coordinates.

11. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions executable by one or more processors, the instructions comprising code for causing a processor to:

receive a user input request from a web browser of a client device for access and control of a remote machine, wherein the web browser supports a 2D canvas and dynamic drawing;

translate the user input request into an input command compatible with a remote desktop display protocol to be utilized for facilitating communication with the remote machine;

receive a remote desktop drawing command from the remote machine in response to the input command;

translate the remote desktop drawing command into a windows graphics drawing command by executing the windows graphics drawing command to update a portion of a windows graphics application programming interface (API) memory bitmap, wherein the windows graphics API memory bitmap represents a portion of an image of a remote desktop of the remote machine that has changed relative to a previous graphics drawing command; and

provide the windows graphics drawing command to the web browser.

12. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the web browser comprises a windows web browser and wherein translating the remote desktop drawing command comprises code for causing the processor to:

generate coordinates for the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap based on the windows graphics drawing command;

form an image file including a windows image file based on the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the image file is compatible with HTML5; and

obtain drawing coordinates for the image file based on the coordinates for the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the drawing coordinates are compatible with HTML5,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command comprises the image file and the drawing coordinates for the image file,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command represents a portion of the image of the remote desktop, wherein the web browser comprises client script code;

wherein the instructions further comprise code for causing the processor to receive, at a web server, drawing requests from the client script code of the web browser,

wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises code for causing the processor to provide the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the client script code of the web browser in response to one of the drawing requests from the client script code of the web browser.

13. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein translating the remote desktop drawing command comprises code for causing the processor to:

generate coordinates for the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap;

form an image file including a windows image file based on the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the image file is HTML5 compatible; and

obtain drawing coordinates for the image file, wherein the drawing coordinates are compatible with HTML5,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command comprises the image file and the drawing coordinates for the image file,

wherein the instructions further comprise code for causing the processor to receive, at the web server, drawing requests from the web browser, and

wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises providing the windows graphics drawing command to the web browser in response to one of the drawing requests from the web browser.

14. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the remote desktop display protocol is to be utilized by a web server, wherein the web server is an intermediary between the remote machine and the client device, wherein the web server comprises a windows web server and is physically separate from the remote machine, wherein the web server comprises a remote desktop client wrapper configured to translate the user input request into the input command compatible with the remote desktop display protocol and to translate the remote desktop drawing command into the windows graphics drawing command compatible with a windows web browser.

15. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions comprise code for causing the processor receive asynchronous HTTP requests from the web browser, wherein the asynchronous HTTP requests comprise drawing requests and the web browser comprises a windows web browser.

16. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions comprise code for causing the processor to receive from the web browser an initial HTTP request comprising a uniform resource locator (URL) of the remote machine.

17. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions comprise code for causing the processor to provide a script client code to the web browser in response to the initial HTTP request for the URL of the remote machine, wherein the script client code is compatible with HTML5.

18. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the remote desktop drawing command is compatible with the remote desktop display protocol, wherein the remote desktop display protocol is a push protocol, and wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises code for causing the processor to provide the windows graphics drawing command using HTTP that is a pull protocol.

19. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein dynamic drawing comprises drawing in real time a portion of the 2D canvas, rather than drawing the entire 2D canvas, in response to one or more drawing requests of a script client of the web browser.

20. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the 2D canvas is updatable by a portion at a time according to a set of coordinates.

21. A computing machine comprising the machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computing machine is a web server.

22. A system for facilitating conducting a remote desktop session between a web browser of a client device and a remote machine via a web server in real time and utilizing hypertext markup language that supports a two-dimensional (2D) canvas and dynamic drawing, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a user input request from the web browser of the client device for access and control of the remote machine, wherein the web browser supports a 2D canvas and dynamic drawing;

translate the user input request into an input command compatible with a remote desktop display protocol to be utilized by the web server for facilitating communication with the remote machine;

receive a remote desktop drawing command from the remote machine in response to the input command;

translate the remote desktop drawing command into a windows graphics drawing command by executing the windows graphics drawing command to update a portion of a windows graphics application programming interface (API) memory bitmap, wherein the windows graphics API memory bitmap represents a portion of an image of a remote desktop of the remote machine that has changed relative to a previous graphics drawing command; and

provide the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the web browser;

wherein the web server is an intermediary between the remote machine and the client device, and wherein the web server comprises a windows web server and is physically separate from the remote machine.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the web browser comprises a windows web browser and translating the remote desktop drawing command comprises:

generating coordinates for the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap based on the windows graphics drawing command;

forming an image file including a windows image file based on the updated portion of the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the image file is compatible with HTML5; and

obtaining drawing coordinates for the image file based on the coordinates for the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the drawing coordinates are compatible with HTML5;

wherein the windows graphics drawing command comprises the image file and the drawing coordinates for the image file,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command represents a portion of the image of the remote desktop,

wherein the web browser temporarily comprises client script code during the remote desktop session while the remote desktop session persists;

wherein the processor is further configured to receive drawing requests from the client script code of the web browser,

wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises providing the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the client script code of the web browser in response to one of the drawing requests from the client script code of the web browser.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein translating the remote desktop drawing command comprises:

generating coordinates for the windows graphics API memory bitmap;

forming an image file including a windows image file based on the windows graphics API memory bitmap, wherein the image file is HTML5 compatible; and

obtaining drawing coordinates for the image file, wherein the drawing coordinates are compatible with HTML5,

wherein the windows graphics drawing command comprises the image file and the drawing coordinates for the image file,

wherein the processor is further configured to receive drawing requests from the web browser,

wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command providing the windows graphics drawing command from the web server to the web browser in response to one of the drawing requests from the web browser.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the web server comprises a remote desktop client wrapper configured to translate the user input request into the input command compatible with the remote desktop display protocol and to translate the remote desktop drawing command into the windows graphics drawing command compatible with a windows web browser.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to receive asynchronous HTTP requests from the web browser, wherein the asynchronous HTTP requests comprise drawing requests and the web browser comprises a windows web browser.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the web browser an initial HTTP request comprising a uniform resource locator (URL) of the remote machine.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a script client code to the web browser in response to the initial HTTP request for the URL of the remote machine, wherein the script client code is compatible with HTML5.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the remote desktop drawing command is compatible with the remote desktop display protocol, wherein the remote desktop display protocol is a push protocol, wherein providing the windows graphics drawing command comprises providing the windows graphics drawing command using HTTP that is a pull protocol, and wherein the windows graphics drawing command is compatible with a windows web browser.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein dynamic drawing comprises drawing in real time a portion of the 2D canvas, rather than drawing the entire 2D canvas, in response to one or more drawing requests of a script client of the web browser.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the 2D canvas is updatable by a portion at a time according to a set of coordinates.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the system is the windows web server.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises a processing system and a memory.