Distributed hypermedia method and system for automatically invoking external application providing interaction and display of embedded objects within a hypermedia document

DC CAFC

US 7,599,985 B2
Filed: 08/09/2002
Issued: 10/06/2009
Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1994
Status: Expired due to Fees

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1. A method for running an application program in a distributed hypermedia network environment, wherein the network environment comprises at least one client workstation and one network server coupled to the network environment, the method comprising:

receiving, at the client workstation from the network server over the network environment, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;

executing the browser application on the client workstation, with the browser application;

responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats;

displaying at least a portion of the document within the browser-controlled window;

identifying an embed text format which corresponds to a first location in the document, where the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object external to the file, where the object has type information associated with it;

utilizing the type information to identify and locate an executable application external to the file; and

automatically invoking the executable application, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, to execute on the client workstation in order to display the object and enable an end-user to directly interact with the object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window.

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Abstract

A system allowing a user of a browser program on a computer connected to an open distributed hypermedia system to access and execute an embedded program object. The program object is embedded into a hypermedia document much like data objects. The user may select the program object from the screen. Once selected the program object executes on the user'"'"'s (client) computer or may execute on a remote server or additional remote computers in a distributed processing arrangement. After launching the program object, the user is able to interact with the object as the invention provides for ongoing interprocess communication between the application object (program) and the browser program. One application of the embedded program object allows a user to view large and complex multi-dimensional objects from within the browser'"'"'s window. The user can manipulate a control panel to change the viewpoint used to view the image. The invention allows a program to execute on a remote server or other computers to calculate the viewing transformations and send frame data to the client computer thus providing the user of the client computer with interactive features and allowing the user to have access to greater computing power than may be available at the user'"'"'s client computer.

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47 Claims

1. A method for running an application program in a distributed hypermedia network environment, wherein the network environment comprises at least one client workstation and one network server coupled to the network environment, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the client workstation from the network server over the network environment, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;
  
  executing the browser application on the client workstation, with the browser application;
  
  responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats;
  
  displaying at least a portion of the document within the browser-controlled window;
  
  identifying an embed text format which corresponds to a first location in the document, where the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object external to the file, where the object has type information associated with it;
  
  utilizing the type information to identify and locate an executable application external to the file; and
  
  automatically invoking the executable application, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, to execute on the client workstation in order to display the object and enable an end-user to directly interact with the object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- - 2. The method of claim 1 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 3. The method of claim 2 where the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 4. The method of claim 1 where the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.
  - 5. The method of claim 1 where the step of identifying an embed text format comprises:
    - parsing the received file to identify text formats included in the received file.
  - 6. The method of claim 5 where the parsing is by a parser in the browser.
  - 7. The method of claim 1 where the processing specified by the text formats is specified directly.
  - 8. The method of claim 1 where the correspondence is implied by the order of the text format in a set of all of the text formats.
  - 9. The method of claim 1 where the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object directly.
  - 10. The method of claim 1 where having type information associated is by including type information in the embed text format.
  - 11. The method of claim 1 where automatically invoking does not require interactive action by the user.
  - 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said executable application is a controllable application and further comprising the step of:
    - interactively controlling said controllable application on said client workstation via inter-process communications between said browser and said controllable application.
  - 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the communications to interactively control said controllable application continue to be exchanged between the controllable application and the browser even after the controllable application program has been launched.
  - 14. The method of claim 13, wherein additional instructions for controlling said controllable application reside on said network server, wherein said step of interactively controlling said controllable application includes the following substeps:
    - issuing, from the client workstation, one or more commands to the network server;
      
      executing, on the network server, one or more instructions in response to said commands;
      
      sending information from said network server to said client workstation in response to said executed instructions; and
      
      processing said information at the client workstation to interactively control said controllable application.
  - 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said additional instructions for controlling said controllable application reside on said client workstation.

16. One or more computer readable media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions, for use in a distributed hypermedia network environment, wherein the network environment comprises at least one client workstation and one network server coupled to the network environment, and when the software is executed operable to:
- receive, at the client workstation from the network server over the network environment, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;
  
  cause the client workstation to utilize the browser to;
  
  respond to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats;
  
  display at least a portion of the document within the browser-controlled window;
  
  identify an embed text format corresponding to a first location in the document, the embed text format specifying the location of at least a portion of an object external to the file, with the object having type information associated with it;
  
  utilize the type information to identify and locate an executable application external to the file; and
  
  automatically invoke the executable application, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, to execute on the client workstation in order to display the object and enable an end-user to directly interact with the object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window.
- View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
- - 17. The computer readable media of claim 16 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 18. The computer readable media of claim 17 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 19. The computer readable media of claim 16 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

20. A method of serving digital information in a computer network environment having a network server coupled the network environment, and where the network environment is a distributed hypermedia environment, the method comprising:
- communicating via the network server with at least one client workstation over said network in order to cause said client workstation to;
  
  receive, over said network environment from said server, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;
  
  execute, at said client workstation, a browser application, with the browser application;
  
  responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats;
  
  displaying, on said client workstation, at least a portion of the document within the browser-controlled window;
  
  identifying an embed text format which corresponds to a first location in the document, where the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object external to the file, where the object has type information associated with it;
  
  utilizing the type information to identify and locate an executable application external to the file; and
  
  automatically invoking the executable application, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, to execute on the client workstation in order to display the object and enable an end-user to directly interact with the object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window.
- View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
- - 21. The method of claim 20 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 22. The method of claim 21 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 23. The method of claim 20 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

24. A method for running an executable application in a computer network environment, wherein said network environment has at least one client workstation and one network server coupled to a network environment, the method comprising:
- enabling an end-user to directly interact with an object by utilizing said executable application to interactively process said object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at a first location within a portion of a hypermedia document being displayed in a browser-controlled window, wherein said network environment is a distributed hypermedia environment, wherein said client workstation receives, over said network environment from said server, at least one file containing information to enable said browser application to display, on said client workstation, at least said portion of said distributed hypermedia document within said browser-controlled window, wherein said executable application is external to said file, wherein said client workstation executes the browser application, with the browser application responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats, wherein at least said portion of the document is displayed within the browser-controlled window, wherein an embed text format which corresponds to said first location in the document is identified by the browser, wherein the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of said object external to the file, wherein the object has type information associated with it, wherein the type information is utilized by the browser to identify and locate said executable application, and wherein the executable application is automatically invoked by the browser, in response to the identifying of the embed text format.
- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
- - 25. The method of claim 24 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 26. The method of claim 25 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 27. The method of claim 24 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

28. One or more computer readable media encoded with software comprising an executable application for use in a system having at least one client workstation and one network server coupled to a network environment, operable to:
- cause the client workstation to display an object and enable an end-user to directly interact with said object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at a first location within a portion of a hypermedia document being displayed in a browser-controlled window, wherein said network environment is a distributed hypermedia environment, wherein said client workstation receives, over said network environment from said server, at least one file containing information to enable said browser application to display, on said client workstation, at least said portion of said distributed hypermedia document within said browser-controlled window, wherein said executable application is external to said file, wherein said client workstation executes said browser application, with the browser application responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats, wherein at least said portion of the document is displayed within the browser-controlled window, wherein an embed text format which corresponds to said first location in the document is identified by the browser, wherein the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of said object external to the file, wherein the object has type information associated with it, wherein the type information is utilized by the browser to identify and locate said executable application, and wherein the executable application is automatically invoked by the browser, in response to the identifying of the embed text format.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
- - 29. The method of claim 28 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 30. The method of claim 29 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 31. The method of claim 28 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

32. A method for serving digital information in a computer network environment, said method comprising:
- communicating via a network server with at least one client workstation over said computer network environment in order to cause said client workstation to;
  
  receive at said client workstation, over said computer network environment from said server, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display, on said client workstation, at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;
  
  utilize an executable application external to said file to enable an end-user to directly interact with an object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at a first location within the portion of the distributed hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window, with said network server coupled to said computer network environment, wherein said computer network environment has at least said client workstation and said network server coupled to the computer network environment, wherein said computer network environment is a distributed hypermedia environment, wherein said client workstation executes the browser application, with the browser application responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats, wherein at least said portion of the document is displayed within the browser-controlled window, wherein an embed text format which corresponds to said first location in the document is identified by the browser, wherein the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of said object external to the file, wherein the object has type information associated with it, wherein the type information is utilized by the browser to identify and locate said executable application, and wherein the executable application is automatically invoked by the browser, in response to the identifying of the embed text format.
- View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
- - 33. The method of claim 32 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 34. The method of claim 33 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 35. The method of claim 32 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

36. A method for running an application program in a distributed hypermedia network environment, wherein the distributed hypermedia network environment comprises at least one client workstation and one remote network server coupled to the distributed hypermedia network environment, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the client workstation from the network server over the distributed hypermedia network environment, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;
  
  executing the browser application on the client workstation, with the browser application;
  
  responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats;
  
  displaying at least a portion of the document within the browser-controlled window;
  
  identifying an embed text format which corresponds to a first location in the document, where the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object;
  
  identifying and locating an executable application associated with the object; and
  
  automatically invoking the executable application, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, in order to enable an end-user to directly interact with the object, while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window, wherein the executable application is part of a distributed application, and wherein at least a portion of the distributed application is for execution on a remote network server coupled to the distributed hypermedia network environment.
- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
- - 37. The method of claim 36 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 38. The method of claim 37 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 39. The method of claim 36 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

40. A method of serving digital information in a computer network environment having a network server coupled to said computer network environment, and where the network environment is a distributed hypermedia network environment, the method comprising:
- communicating via the network server with at least one remote client workstation over said computer network environment in order to cause said client workstation to;
  
  receive, over said computer network environment from the network server, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window;
  
  execute, at said client workstation, a browser application, with the browser application;
  
  responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats;
  
  displaying, on said client workstation, at least a portion of the document within the browser-controlled window;
  
  identifying an embed text format which corresponds to a first location in the document, where the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object;
  
  identifying and locating an executable application associated with the object; and
  
  automatically invoking the executable application, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, in order to enable an end-user to directly interact with the object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window, wherein the executable application is part of a distributed application, and wherein at least a portion of the distributed application is for execution on the network server.
- View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
- - 41. The method of claim 40 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 42. The method of claim 41 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 43. The method of claim 40 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

44. A method for serving digital information in a computer network environment, said method comprising:
- communicating via a network server with at least a remote client workstation over the computer network environment in order to receive commands from the client workstation, with the network server coupled to said computer network environment, wherein said computer network environment has at least said client workstation and said network server coupled to the computer network environment, wherein the computer network environment is a distributed hypermedia environment, wherein the client workstation receives, over the computer network environment from the server, at least one file containing information to enable a browser application to display, on the client workstation, at least a portion of a distributed hypermedia document within a browser-controlled window, wherein the client workstation executes the browser application, with the browser application responding to text formats to initiate processing specified by the text formats, wherein at least said portion of the document is displayed within the browser-controlled window, wherein an embed text format which corresponds to a first location in the document is identified by the browser, wherein the embed text format specifies the location of at least a portion of an object, wherein an executable application associated with the object is identified and located by the browser, wherein the executable application is automatically invoked by the browser, in response to the identifying of the embed text format, to enable an end-user to directly interact with the object while the object is being displayed within a display area created at the first location within the portion of the hypermedia document being displayed in the browser-controlled window, wherein the executable application is part of a distributed application, and wherein at least a portion of the distributed application is for execution on the network server;
  
  executing one or more instructions in response to the commands;
  
  sending information to the client workstation in response to the executed instructions, to allow processing of the information at the client workstation to enable said end-user to directly interact with said object.
- View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
- - 45. The method of claim 44 where:
    - the information to enable comprises text formats.
  - 46. The method of claim 45 where:
    - the text formats are HTML tags.
  - 47. The method of claim 44 where:
    - the information contained in the file received comprises at least one embed text format.

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Current Assignee
Eolas Technologies, Inc.
Original Assignee
Regents of the University of California (University of California)
Inventors
Martin, David, Doyle, Michael, Ang, Cheong
Primary Examiner(s)
Donaghue; Larry D

Application Number

US10/217,955
Publication Number

US 20030154261A1
Time in Patent Office

2,615 Days
Field of Search

709202-205, 709217-219, 345/738, 345744-749, 345/760, 345/804, 345/419, 345/427, 345/619, 345/638, 345/649, 345653-656, 719328-330, 719/310, 719/315, 715/501.1, 715/513, 715515-516, 715/205, 715/738, 715/760, 715/777, 715/804, 718/106, 707/E17.119
US Class Current

709/202
CPC Class Codes

G06F 16/957   Browsing optimisation, e.g....

G06F 2209/509   Offload

G06F 2209/541   Client-server

G06F 2209/549   Remote execution

G06F 9/5027   the resource being a machin...

G06F 9/5055   considering software capabi...

G06F 9/547   Remote procedure calls [RPC...

Distributed hypermedia method and system for automatically invoking external application providing interaction and display of embedded objects within a hypermedia document

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Distributed hypermedia method and system for automatically invoking external application providing interaction and display of embedded objects within a hypermedia document

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