User interface for interaction with virtual machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9286088-B2
Application number	US-40003309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2009
Priority date	Mar 9, 2009
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are described that provide a user interface to a user of a first operating system to enable the user to interact with a second operating system executing in a virtual machine. If the first and second operating systems are in communication in accordance with an operating system remote terminal (OSRT) protocol, such as Remote Desktop Protocol, a first user interface is provided as the user interface. If the first and second operating systems are not in communication in accordance with the OSRT protocol, a second user interface is provided as the user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing a user interface to a user of a first operating system, the user interface for interacting with a second operating system configured to execute in a virtual machine, the method comprising:
determining whether a first user interface or a second user interface, which is different from the first user interface, is to be provided as the user interface based on whether the first operating system and the second operating system are in communication in accordance with an operating system remote terminal protocol;
providing the first user interface, which provides software-based operational capabilities that are premised on communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol between the first operating system and software that runs within a context of the second operating system, when the first operating system and the second operating system are in communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol; and
providing the second user interface, which provides hardware-based operational capabilities for interacting with the virtual machine based on communication between the first operating system and at least one emulated hardware component of the virtual machine without providing the software-based operational capabilities, when the first operating system and the second operating system are not in communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
automatically switching from providing the first user interface to providing the second user interface in response to the communication between the first and second operating systems in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol being terminated.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing communication between the first and second operating systems in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol; and
automatically switching from providing the second user interface to providing the first user interface in response to establishing the communication.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
switching from providing the first user interface to providing the second user interface or from providing the second user interface to providing the first user interface in response to receiving a command from the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the second user interface comprises:
providing the second user interface, which provides the hardware-based operational capabilities including at least one of:
enabling the user to view video output of the virtual machine,
enabling the user to provide mouse input to the virtual machine,
enabling the user to provide keyboard input to the virtual machine, or
enabling the user to play audio output of the virtual machine.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the first user interface comprises:
providing the first user interface, which provides the software-based operational capabilities including at least one of:
enabling the user to share at least one folder of the first operating system with the second operating system,
enabling the user to share clipboard data among the first and second operating systems,
providing smart card support to the second operating system, or
providing user verification support to the second operating system.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: redirecting hardware-specific commands, by the software that runs within the context of the second operating system, to hardware devices associated with the first operating system rather than to emulated hardware devices associated with the second operating system when the first operating system and the second operating system are in communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium, which is not a signal, having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor-based system to provide a user interface to a user of a first operating system, the user interface for interacting with a second operating system configured to execute in a virtual machine, the computer program product comprising:
a first program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to determine whether a first user interface or a second user interface, which is different from the first user interface, is to be provided as the user interface based on whether the first operating system and the second operating system are in communication in accordance with an operating system remote terminal protocol;
a second program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to provide the first user interface, which provides software-based operational capabilities that are premised on communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol between the first operating system and software that runs within a context of the second operating system, when the first operating system and the second operating system are in communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol; and
a third program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to provide the second user interface, which provides hardware-based operational capabilities for interacting with the virtual machine based on communication between the first operating system and at least one emulated hardware component of the virtual machine without providing the software-based operational capabilities, when the first operating system and the second operating system are not in communication in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
a fourth program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to automatically switch from providing the first user interface to providing the second user interface in response to the communication between the first and second operating systems in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol being terminated.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
a fourth program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to establish communication between the first and second operating systems in accordance with the operating system remote terminal protocol; and
a fifth program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to automatically switch from providing the second user interface to providing the first user interface in response to the communication being established.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
a fourth program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to switch from providing the first user interface to providing the second user interface or from providing the second user interface to providing the first user interface in response to a command from the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the second user interface provides at least one of:
a hardware-based operational capability that enables the user to view video output of the virtual machine,
a hardware-based operational capability that enables the user to provide mouse input to the virtual machine,
a hardware-based operational capability that enables the user to provide keyboard input to the virtual machine, or
a hardware-based operational capability that enables the user to play audio output of the virtual machine.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the first user interface provides at least one of:
a software-based operati

Assignees

• Thiruveedu Prasad
• Newaskar Rahul S
• Traut Eric P
• Pammi Hari Krishna
• Sharma Yogesh K
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Thiruveedu Prasad
• Newaskar Rahul S
• Traut Eric P
• Pammi Hari Krishna
• Sharma Yogesh K

Classifications

• G06F9/4418

  Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake · CPC title

• H04L67/36

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F9/442

  Shutdown · CPC title

• G06F9/45504 Primary

  Abstract machines for programme code execution, e.g. Java virtual machine [JVM], interpreters, emulators · CPC title

• H04L67/75

  Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display · CPC title