Composite View Rendering for Thin Client GUI Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In client/server configurations, existing technologies face challenges in providing a satisfactory user experience on client devices with varying graphics and processor capabilities, as current methods require significant effort to customize applications, and porting applications to new devices is resource-intensive, leading to impractical portability and difficulty in creating personalized GUIs.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows a server to remotely provide a composite view to a client device, including a local GUI optimized for the client's display and a remote application view, enabling users to interact with server-based applications using native client interface elements, without requiring extensive rewriting or porting of applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an application is designed to run on a server platform with minimal customization for client devices, then development effort is reduced, but user experience on small displays deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The display output is segmented into multiple views: a first view showing a portion of the application output and a second view showing another portion. This allows the server to provide different display regions to the client device, enabling effective use of small display screens while maintaining server-centric architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by dividing the display output into multiple views that can be positioned at different locations. The client device can switch between or combine these views, effectively expanding the usable display space beyond the physical screen limitations.
2Extent of automation
If graphical control objects are displayed on a small client device screen, then server application control is enabled, but the objects become too small for effective manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical user interface is segmented into multiple control regions corresponding to different views. Each view can have its own set of control objects, allowing users to access and manipulate controls that would otherwise be too small or crowded on a single small screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces view switching mechanisms and display management as intermediaries between the user and the graphical control objects. These intermediaries allow users to navigate between different portions of the interface and access controls in a more manageable way.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an application is ported to a new client device with different software and hardware environment, then device compatibility is improved, but resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of porting the application from server to client (traditional approach), the patent inverts the architecture by running the application on the server and streaming the display output to the client. This eliminates the need for application porting while maintaining compatibility across different client devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the application display output and transmits it to the client device. The client device receives and displays this copy without needing to execute the application locally, thereby avoiding the complexity of porting while achieving universal compatibility.
4Productivity
If the client GUI is compiled and built before shipping the device, then device performance is optimized, but GUI personalization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the GUI dynamic by allowing the client device to receive and display different views of the server application output based on user needs. The first view and second view can be switched or combined dynamically, providing personalization capabilities without requiring recompilation or reconfiguration of the client device.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C~1E
AI summary
Examples of systems and methods are provided for rendering a composite view of an application. A system may display a local graphical user interface (GUI) and a remote application view associated with a remote application running at a remote server. The system may provide a message directed to a remote server to launch a remote application at the remote server. The system may receive a configuration file from the remote server. The system may register a GUI event listed in the configuration file. The system may display a local GUI based on the configuration file. The system may receive display output data of the remote application running on the remote server. The system may render a composite view including the local GUI based on the configuration file and a remote application view based on the display output data.