WO2001063421A1

WO2001063421A1 - Method and apparatus for application resource sharing

Info

Publication number: WO2001063421A1
Application number: PCT/IL2001/000171
Authority: WO
Inventors: Meir Zohar
Original assignee: Cydoor Technologies Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-02-23
Filing date: 2001-02-22
Publication date: 2001-08-30
Also published as: AU3593901A

Abstract

A semi-autonomous software application (29) that could function when attached to a host application (18) without having being controlled by said host application (18) and could share the resources of a computing environment (15, 12, 28) with said host application.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLICATION RESOURCE

SHARING

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of using shared application resources in an operational computerized system, in general, and to a method for a mutual sharing of a graphical interface by semi-autonomously operating mutually exclusive software processing modules, in particular.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART Application interfaces being owned and utilized concurrently by more than one information processing modules are known in the art. In a typical personal computer system running a characteristic multi-processing operating system environment such as Windows NT manufactured and sold by Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington, USA, hardware and software interface devices are potentially shared between operative software modules active at a time. The most conspicuous example of the mutual possession and utilization of the application interface resource is a typical personal computer display device which is controlled and employed to use by a number of software modules as long as the computer system is operating. The typical application interface that is incorporated in the computer display device consists of resources in terms of display area size and the display time duration of the information content. It is self-evident that these resources must be controlled and allocated among the various software modules mutually applied to the interface. The control usually operates on a number of levels. The lowest control level is the operating system that allocates the resources among the competing applications. Within a single application control is associated with a master application comprising a number of sub-applications. The master application then allocates the resources and regulates access to the application interface resources.

One of the problems arising out of the above-described situation involves the installation of a newly developed sub-application into an existing master application. For the master application to be operative in controlling the sub-application steps must be taken that are not always routinely possible or convenient. Such steps may include recompiling and re-linking the master application with the new sub-application and the operation of the newly linked common code should be vigorously tested as to make sure that the new sub-application is not detrimental to the master application operation. Additionally, incorporation of the sub-application might involve administrative, commercial or legal difficulties (for example: the master application rights may not belong to the sub-application developer, no source language module is available, etc).

Therefore it would be desirable to have a semi-autonomous software application that would be developed, compiled, linked and tested independently but would operate as a subset of the master application and without having being controlled by the master application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention regards the sharing of application resources by at least two semi-autonomously operating independent computer programs executed simultaneously in a computing environment where each program is running in a distinct and separate sub-environment said environment contains an operating system controlling said computing environment, a storage device enabled to hold said at least two independently executing programs and related data, a channel of communication through which the said at least programs communicate with each other, a client program responsive to the behavior of a host program, and a resource to be utilized concurrently by at least two said programs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the computerized environment in which the application resource sharing apparatus is operating in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the configuration of the application resource sharing apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a simplified block diagram of the configuration of the services component in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3A is a high level flowchart illustrating the operation of the loader module as related to the services component, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3B is a high level flowchart illustrating the operation of the application rider as related to the services component, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4A is a high level flowchart illustrating the operation of the loader module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4B and Fig. 5 are high level flowcharts illustrating the operation of the application rider in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The objective of the present invention is to provide a semi-autonomous software application that could be developed, compiled, linked and tested independently and would function attached to a host application but without having being controlled by the host application. The semi-autonomous software application could share the resources of a computerized environment with the host application such as a graphical user interface but could execute as a separate process in a distinct process space of its own.

For purposes of illustration only, the present invention will be described in the context of Windows operating system, manufactured and sold by Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington, USA. It will be obvious to the person skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in conjunction with other operating systems, such as the Linux operating system and others.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown the computerized environment in which the application resource sharing apparatus is operating according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

An application resource sharing apparatus is described in this document as an Application rider. An Application rider is defined as an independent computer program designed to run in parallel with another independent computer program, defined as the host application, for the purpose of application resource sharing. The Application rider is designed to attach itself to the host application by means external to both applications, which means will be described hereunder. The Application rider may be enabled to control certain aspects of the host application behavior to achieve orderly and useful division of the application resources.

Client system 10 comprises an operating system 26, a loader module 12, a content database 14, a host application 18, an application rider 16, a browser module 15 and a user interface 20. Host application

18 and application rider 16 are discrete computer programs running under the supervision of operating system 26 as separate processes in separate address spaces of the storage device of client system 10. A computer program is a static set of executable instructions whereas a process is a set of resources reserved for the programs executing. An address space is a set of storage addresses that a process can use. A storage device in a computer includes transient storage devices such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), external magnetic disk apparatus, external optical disk apparatus or the like. Typically, host application 18 is an application program such as Word, manufactured and sold by Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington, USA. Host application 18 is invoked by user request, created as a process by operating system 26 and utilizes user interface 20. Typically user interface 20 is a display device such as a monitor device. As host application 18 communicates with the user via a

Graphical User Interface (GUI), a host application window 22 is created. A GUI window is a metaphor for a graphical structure displayed on user interface 20. A GUI window is used to spatially circumscribe the visual representations of the user-application interfacing means.

Typically the user communicates with host application 18 by conceptually manipulating the GUI graphical structures on host application interface 22 which is on user interface 20. The manipulation is accomplished via the use of appropriate standard interfacing means such as a mouse or a keyboard. Each action such as pressing a key on the keyboard or clicking a mouse button induce operating system 26 to send a message to host application 18 in order to notify host application 18 of what has occurred. Such a message manifests itself as a record that is passed to host application 18 by operating system 26. The record contains information such as what application sent the message, what type of event occurred and additional message-specific information. A detailed description of the operating system 26 message-handling mechanism will be set forth hereunder. Application rider 16 is attached to host application 18 by utilizing operating system 26 message-handling mechanism. Host application 18 may be unaware of application rider 16. Some of host application 18 operations are executed in compliance with application rider 16 sent via operating system 26 message-handling mechanism queues. Application rider 16 also sends to host application 18 macro instructions such as a sequence of predefined keystrokes.

Application rider 16 is also an application program running under the control of operating system 26. Application rider 16 could be invoked by different means. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention application rider 16 is invoked by loader module 12 when loader module 12 identifies the activation of host application 18. Loader module 12 is activated when the operating system 26 is initialized or in other words by the "system boot". In another embodiment of the invention, application rider 16 could be invoked by the server system 20 via the operating system 26 of the client system

10 or by host application 18.

Application rider 16 utilizes user interface 20 and manifesting itself to the user via rider application window 24 on user interface 20. Rider application window 24 shares user interface 20 with host application window 22. Detailed description of the sharing process will be presented hereunder in association with the accompanying drawings.

Loader module 12 is a computer program linked by means of standard communication hardware devices such as a modem and appropriate communication software via a data network to an

Application rider control component 30 on Server system 29. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the data network is the Internet. Loader module 12 is also linked via the Internet to Information provider 36. Information provider 36 is an Internet site with an IP address and a URL such as "www.yahoo.com", an advertisement server or some other type of information supplier. Information handling component 32 on Server system 29 is linked to application rider control component 30 on Server system 29.

Following requests of loader module 12 for specific information units to application rider control component 30 on server system 29, rider control component 30 forwards said requests to information handling component 32 on server system 29. Information handling component 32 in association with control database 31 and user profile table 34 transmits either the requested information units or the appropriate addresses of information provider 36 simultaneously with control data that indicates how to process and display the data via application rider control component 30 to loader module 12 on client system 10.

After receiving the suitable information units, loader module 12 stores the information units received into content database

14. Application rider 16 on client system 12 fetches the information units from content database 14.

Browser module 15 on client system 10 is activated by user request. Browser module 15 fetches information units from content database 14 opens a window on user interface 20 and displays said information units in said window.

User profile table 34 on server system 29 consists of user characteristic records built and maintained among other sources by feedback from loader module 12 on client system 10. The profile records comprise of useful information concerning the users of client system 10 such as name, age, profession, recorded on-line behavior and the like. Application rider control 30 maintains control database 31. System operators via Data Update Unit 38 also maintain control database 31. Control database 31 holds control information such as the type of information unit to be provided to client system 10, the number of times said information unit is to be repeatedly displayed, the duration of display and the like.

It will be easily perceived to one skilled in the art that there could be different control tables and diverse other methods of maintenance thereof that could be used achieving similar operative results. For example, in another embodiment of the present invention the user profile table could have been incorporated into the control database.

Referring now to Fig. 2 there is shown in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention a configuration of application rider 16. Application rider 16 consists of a loader interface component 40, a database handler component 42, a host application interface component 44 and a user interface component 46.

Application rider 16 is activated through Loader interface component 40. The activation will initialize all variables necessary for the correct performance of application rider 16. Loader module 12 will pass to application rider 16 content data units, configuration data and the like. The data identifying the appropriate host applications application rider 16 is designed to run with could be compiled onto the code space of loader module 12 or could be stored in specific tables on the storage device of client system 10.

Host application interface component 44 designed to communicate with host application 18 of Fig. 1. Application interface

44 establishes communication with host application 18 by utilizing the arguments passed by loader module 12 and by hooking into operating system 26 of Fig. 1 message-handling mechanism. Host application interface 44 could also send messages via operating system 26 to host application 18 in order to control host application window 22. The detailed explanation of the above-mentioned process will be described hereunder.

Loader module 12 communicates with rider control component 30 on server system 29 of Fig. 1. Loader module 12 could transmit requests in diverse manner to rider control component 30 of

Fig. l by means of communication devices such as a modem, communication lines and standard communication software.

User interface component 46 creates and controls rider application window 24 on user interface 20 of Fig. 1. Rider application window 24 on user interface 20 is provided to display and process the information units received from information provider 36 or from rider control component 30 via the Internet either directly to loader module 12 and to content database 14. Rider application window 24 also displays and processes information entered by the user via the GUI. Database handler component 42 access content database 14 on client system 10 of Fig. 1 and receives the available information units. The information units are placed in content database 14 by loader module 12 on client system 10 of Fig. 1.

Services component 48 handles optional services designed to be utilized by client system 10 of Fig. 1. A detailed description of the operation of services component 48 and the type of services available will be presented hereunder in association with the following drawings.

Turning now to Fig. 3 there is shown the configuration of services component 28 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Services component 28 comprises Mirror configuration and Registry handler component 50, Virtual disk backup handler component 52, and technical support handler component 54, and Network browser component 56.

According to the type of service, the services provided could be activated automatically, semi-automatically or could be activated by user request only. Services component 28 could be activated by loader module 12 or by the user via rider application window 24 and application rider 16.

Services component 28 is intended to provide optional services to client system 10 of Fig. 1. Services component 28 operates by connecting via operating system 26 message-handling mechanism to host application 18 and by sharing resources with host application 18. Services component 28 may also operate stand-alone.

Fig. 3 A illustrates the operation of the loader module 12 as related to services component 28 in general, and to network browser component 56, in particular. At step 60, loader 12 fetches control records from rider control component 30. There could be control record types among the records to be retrieved, when each particular type refers to a specific type of service. Control records having network browser service type, refer to information providers or information sources such as certain pages on specific Internet web sites designated to be taken and displayed on user interface 20 of client system 10 by application rider 16. Accordingly, at step 61, loader module checks the record type received. If the record is not an network browser type then at step 69 other service types are checked such as mirror configuration and registry handling. Where the record is an network browser type, at step 63, the following data is read from the record: (a) address of the information source, (b) name or/and password needed to get the content information, (c) the type of content information to extract, and (d) a template to be used for stmcturing the content information for display. At step 64 the information source is accessed according to the control data received, at step 65 the content information is extracted from the information source. The content is structured for display and inserted into content database 14 at step 67 in order to make the content available to application rider 16 to fetch and display. Finally, at step 68, loader 12 checks the quantity of free space left in content database 14. As long as content database 14 has an amount of cached information, that exceeds a predefined amount, the loader 12 loops on step 68. When information is needed loader 12 returns to step 60 to fetch an another control information record from rider control component 30.

Referring now to Fig. 3B that illustrates the operation of application rider component 16 related to service component 28 in general, and to network browser component 56, in particular. At step 70, after establishing communication with host application 18, rider component 16 fetches a record of content information from content database 14. At step 71, the type of the service is determined and if the record is of network browser type at step 73 the record displayed on user interface 20 of client system 10. At step 74, the user is enabled to interact with the content received and rider 16 returns to step 70 to fetch an another record from content database 14. It will be easily appreciated that additional types of services could be provided in addition to the mentioned in the above description. For example in a different embodiment of the present invention, there could be an electronic mail or an electronic commerce service.

Referring now to Fig. 4A that illustrates the flow of logic of loader module 12 on client system 10. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, loader module is activated by operating system

26 initialization at step 75. The loader 12 spawns a rider activation process that checks at step 76 whether host application 18 is active. As long as host application 18 is inactive the process loops and for each loop interrogates operating system 26 in regard to the activation of host application 18. At step 77, after the application 18 was activated, the process activates rider application 16.

Loader 12 spawns another process that handles the communication with server 29 and the loading of information units into content database 14. At step 78, the process checks whether there is free space in content database 14. When free space is detected, at step 79 the process obtains the user's profile and at step 80 the user data is transmitted to the server 29 in order to get proper content information and the information is retrieved. At step 81, the content information is inserted into content database 14 and the process returns to step 78 to check whether there is free space in content database 14 in order to insert more information units.

Referring now to Fig. 4B that illustrates the flow of logic of application rider 16 on client system 10 of Fig. 1. Application rider 16 is activated at step 82. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention application rider 16 is invoked by loader module 12 on client device 10. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the activation of application rider 16 could be accomplished by different means. For example, application rider 16 could be invoked explicitly by the user through the execution of a GUI event via use interface 22. There are other conceivable means by which application rider 16 invocation could be achieved for example by a specific event associated with host application 18, by operating system 26 command and the like.

Application rider is activated at step 82. Following activation application rider 16 retrieves host application process handle at step 83 from operating system 26. The window handle is a unique identifier of the process. The attachment between rider 16 and host application 18 is achieved by obtaining host application 18 process handle and by utilizing operating system 26 message-handling mechanism hooks. A handle is a token that uniquely identifies a resource such as a window or a function or a process. It would be readily perceived that the attachment between rider 16 and host application 18 could be achieved by using other techniques.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is in the context of Windows operating system manufactured and sold by Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington, USA. Therefore for the purpose of illustration only we will use the designation "Windows" interchangeably with the designation "operating system" in the following text.

The linkage between application rider 16 and predefined host application 18 is achieved by utilizing Windows message-handling mechanism. Windows generates messages for each event associated with a window and inserts them into message queues. The messages are fetched from the queues by the applications that in turn dispatch said messages to an appropriate window procedure. Windows also sends some messages directly to the window procedure in the appropriate application. Typically these are messages that affect the application window only. For example, the Create Window function directs Windows to send a WM CREATE message to a window procedure of an application. Although most messages are created by Windows, an application can also create and send its own messages to another application by using the SendMessage or the PostMessage functions.

Windows messages can be hooked. A hook is a point in the Windows message-handling mechanism that an application can use to gain access to the message stream. Windows provides many types of hooks; each type provides access to a particular type or range of messages. The application can install a filter function that processes the messages associated with the hook. A filter function processes the messages before said messages reach the destination window procedure. An application passes a filter function to a system hook with a call to the SetWindowsHook function.

Consequently, after hooking the appropriate windows messages at step 84, application rider 16 attaches to host application 18 at step 86 by identifying the appropriate Windows message sent to host application window 22. Application rider 16 keeps tracking all the relevant Windows messages sent to host application 18 for the specific purpose of synchronizing the behavior of the two applications windows on the common user interface 20. For example, if a message effecting teirnination (e.g., wm Close) is sent to host application window 22, after intercepting said message rider 16 could decide to terminate itself as well.

After host application 18 window messages were hooked rider 16 begins the fetch information units from content database 14 at step 88. At step 90 application rider 16 creates the content window 24 that is a patterned graphical representation of the information units retrieved from content database 14. Application rider 16 synchronizes the use of user interface 20 with host application 18 at step 92. The detailed description of this process will be presented hereunder in association with the following drawings. Content window 24 created at step 90 is displayed alongside the host application 18 window 22 on user interface 20.

Host application 18 could activate events in association with rider application window 24 that will cause for application rider 16 to process the information units displayed thereon. For example, the user could click on application window 24 thereby causing application rider

16 to send a message via loader module 12 to server system 29. The message could update user profile table 34 or activate a type of service.

It should be apparent that in an another embodiment of the present invention rider 16 could be terminated by diverse methods. For example, termination could be achieved by user request.

Turning now to Fig. 5 which is a flowchart detailing the step of synchronizing the applications windows in regard to the mutually utilized user interface 20. At step 100 rider 16 could send window messages to host application 18. These messages could control the behavior of host application window 22 in order to allow rider application window 24 sufficient space on user interface 20. The messages could restrict host application window 22 size and position on the GUI interface 20 and could disable the resizing, the maximizing and the dragging options thereof. At step 102 rider 16 monitors the Windows message-handling mechanism queues for messages relevant to host application 18. According to the type of message intercepted, rider 16 could take the appropriate actions. For example if a message is detected that will effect host application window 22 to minimize rider 16 could also rninimize rider application window 24. It will be appreciated that a plurality of messages to host application window 22 each with different contents and functions could be detected and accordingly rider 16 could initiate a plurality of appropriate reactions to keep the mutual interface orderly.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims, which follow.

Claims

CLAIM: 1. A method of sharing application resources by at least two semi-autonomously operating independent computer programs being executed in parallel in the same computerised environment each said program executing in a distinctly different and limited sub-environments, comprising: providing an operating system controlling said computerised environment in which said programs are executing;.. providing a storage device that is able to hold said programs in separate and limited storage areas, providing a one-way channel of communication between said programs; and providing a client program responsive to the behaviour of a host program; and providing a resource to be concurrently utilized by said programs.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a loader program for activating said client program.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said loader program is activated by said operating system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said client program is responsive to said host program behaviour by independently tracking an exchange of control messages between said host program and said operating system. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said client program is operatively controlling predefined aspects of said host program behaviour via said one-way channel of communication. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said one-way channel of communication is a message-handling mechanism of said operating system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said client program utilizes said resource.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said resource is a computer terminal display device. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein a user operatively interfaces with said client program.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said client program accesses and retrieves information to be communicated to said user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said information is retrieved by said client program from predefined storage locations.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said client program processes said information.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said information is stored into said predefined storage location by said loader program. 14. The method of claim 9 wherein said client program accesses and retrieves control information to be used in communication with said user. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said control information retrieved by said client program is provided by said loader program. 16. The method of claim 1 wherein said client program accesses and retrieves control information to be used in said one-way channel of communication with said host program. 17. The method of claim 1 wherein said control information retrieved by said client program is provided by said loader program. 18. The method of claim 1 wherein said client program is responsive to said user communication.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein said client program provides information concerning said user activities to said loader program. 0. The method according to claim 1 wherein said storage devices include transient storage devices.

21. The method of claim 11 further comprising a browser program to access and retrieve information from said predefined storage locations to process said information and provide said information to said user. 22. The method of claim 1 further comprising a mirror configuration and registry handler program to acquire predefined location for storing important system control information and transmit said information to said location.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said control information is relevant to the specific host program.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising a technical support program to acquire specific information related to technical problem solving.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said specific information sent by said technical support program to said application rider program is used for solving a specific technical problem.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising a network browser program to acquire specific information by user request and provide said information to a user for processing and displaying purposes. 7. The method of claim 26 in which said specific information is pre-configured and provided to said user for processing and displaying purposes. 8. An application resources sharing system having two independent computer programs in a computerised environment having an operating system, a storage device and a user interface device, the system comprising: separate storage areas in which said two independent computer programs are executing, a client program responsive to the operative activities of a host program, a one-way communication channel via which said client program is enabled to track said host program activities; and a resource to be shared among said at least two independent programs.

29. The application resources sharing system of claim 28 further comprising client program activation means for activating said client program by recognising activation of a host program through accessing operating system control information.

30. The application resources sharing system of claim 29 further comprising tracking means for enabling said client program to receive host program activities through the message-exchange mechanism of said operating system. 31. The application resources sharing system of claim 30 further comprising controlling means for allowing said client program to control predefined aspects of said host program through said message-exchange mechanism of said operating system.

32. The application resources sharing system of claim 3 1 further comprising interfacing means for allowing a user to communicate with said client program through said user interface device.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein said tracking means further comprises retrieval means for enabling said client program to access and retrieve information from predefined storage locations. 34. The system of claim 303 wherein said tracking means further comprises processing means for enabling said client program to process said information. 35. The system of claim 30 wherein said tracking means further comprises retrieval means for enabling said client program to access and retrieve control information from predefined storage locations. he system of claim 30 wherein said tracking means further comprises retrieval means for enabling said client program to retrieve information from said user by said interfacing means. The system of claim 28 further comprising communication means for said client program to transmit information collected by user-related activity to said loader program. The system of claim 28 further comprising browsing means for accessing and retrieving information from predefined storage locations and displaying said information to a user. he system of claim 28 further comprising storing means for transmitting and storing system information to specific external storage locations for backing up and restoring said system information. The system of claim 28 further comprising technical support means for retrieving and processing information related to technical problem solving. The system of claim 28 further comprising network browser means for retrieving specific information requested by a user and providing said information to the user for the purposes of display and interaction with said information.