Orchestration framework for connected devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9774658-B2
Application number	US-201314026442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2013
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for interconnecting devices using an orchestration framework are provided herein. An orchestration framework may be provided, and the orchestration framework may interconnect multiple of devices such that the devices are available to share content and computing activities with one another. The orchestration framework may coordinate interactions between the devices that are interconnected with each other through the orchestration framework. A request to share content may be received from one of the devices. The distribution of the content to one or more of the devices may be managed using the orchestration framework. The content may be a file uploaded to a remote data store, content stored at a clipboard that is accessible to the interconnected devices, or a link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing an orchestration framework that interconnects a plurality of devices such that the plurality of devices are available to share content and computing activities, wherein the orchestration framework coordinates interactions between the plurality of devices when the plurality of devices are interconnected through the orchestration framework;
interconnecting the plurality of devices using the orchestration framework;
receiving, from one of the plurality of devices, a request to share a file having a file type; and
managing, using the orchestration framework, sharing of the file with the plurality of devices, wherein the managing comprises:
determining, based on the file type, which of the plurality of devices include a native application capable of opening the file and which of the plurality of devices do not include a native application capable of opening the file,
sending, to at least one of the plurality of devices having a native application capable of opening the file, a first notification comprising an indication of a location at which the file is stored,
establishing a virtual environment comprising a virtualized application capable of opening the file,
opening the file with the virtualized application, and
sending, to at least one of the plurality of devices lacking a native application capable of opening the file, a second notification that, when received, launches a virtual client application that connects to the virtual environment such that the file is accessible at the virtualized application via the virtual client application.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, from one of the plurality of devices, a second request to share content with a specified device of the plurality of devices; and
sending a notification only to the specified device using the orchestration framework wherein the notification indicates that the content has been shared with the specified device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selecting one of the plurality of devices as a dedicated device to receive content having a user-selected content type;
receiving, from one of the plurality of devices, a second request to share content having the user-selected content type; and
sending a notification to only the dedicated device using the orchestration framework wherein the notification indicates that the content has been shared.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, from one of the plurality of devices, a second request to share a link with one or more of the plurality of devices;
sending a notification comprising the link to at least one device of the plurality of devices using the orchestration framework; and
wherein receipt of the notification at the at least one device causes the at least one device to provide the link to an application capable of handling the link.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:
the link is a web link for a web site; and
the application capable of handling the link is a web browser.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, from one of the plurality of devices, a second request comprising content to be shared with one or more of the plurality of devices;
storing the content to be shared at a clipboard that is accessible to multiple devices of the plurality of devices; and
sending a notification indicating the content to be shared is available at the clipboard to at least one of the plurality of devices using the orchestration framework.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
receiving a paste request from a device of the plurality of devices; and
providing, to the device that provided the paste request, the content stored at the clipboard.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
storing a rule that specifies which of the plurality of devices should receive content shared by one or more of the plurality of devices; and
receiving, from one of the plurality of devices, a second request to share selected content; and
sending, using the orchestration framework, a notification to only the devices of the plurality of devices that are specified in the rule wherein the notification indicates the selected content has been shared.

9. Non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a client device, cause the client device to:
connect to a plurality of devices using an orchestration agent of an orchestration framework wherein the orchestration framework coordinates interactions between the client device and the plurality of devices interconnected with the client device through the orchestration framework;
receive a selection of a file to share with the plurality of devices, the file having a file type;
submit, to an orchestration service of the orchestration framework using the orchestration agent, a request to share the file; and
wherein receipt of the request at the orchestration service causes the orchestration service to manage sharing of the file with the plurality of devices wherein, to manage the sharing, the orchestration service:
determines, based on the file type, which of the plurality of devices include a native application capable of opening the file and which of the plurality of devices do not include a native application capable of opening the file,
sends, to at least one of the plurality of devices having a native application capable of opening the file, a first notification comprising an indication of a location at which the file is stored,
establishes a virtual environment comprising a virtualized application capable of opening the file,
opens the file with the virtualized application, and
sends, to at least one of the plurality of devices lacking a native application capable of opening the file, a second notification that, when received, launches a virtual client application that connects to the virtual environment such that the file is accessible at the virtualized application via the virtual client application.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the client device to:
display, using the orchestration agent, a list of devices indicating which of the plurality of devices that are available for selection as a selected device to receive the file; and
wherein the request to share the file specifies the selected device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 wherein the list of devices indicates at least one of:
one or more devices associated with an online meeting a user of the client device is participating in;
one or more personal devices associated with the user of the client device;
one or more devices associated with a user group the user of the client device is associated with;
one or more devices physically located near each other in the same physical space; and
combinations thereof.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the client device to:
upload the file to the location at a data store using a remote storage interface of the orchestration framework.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the client device to:
receive a share notification at the orchestration agent, the share notification indicating a shared file is available at the data store;
retrieve the shared file from the data store using the remote storage interface;
identify an application capable of opening the shared file using an application resolver of the orchestration fr

Assignees

• Citrix Systems Inc

Inventors

• Borzycki Andrew
• Deva Mallikharjuna Reddy
• Bissett Nick
• Roychoudhry Anil
• Bieber Guy
• Gajendar Uday Nandigam

Classifications

• H04L67/1095 Primary

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title

• H04L67/10 Primary

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title