Converging Desktop and Web Applications via Server Hosting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Web applications lack advanced user interaction capabilities, requiring users to switch between Web and desktop applications for tasks like photo editing, leading to fragmented user experiences, data sharing issues, and maintenance burdens.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that converges desktop and Web applications by initializing and managing desktop applications on a hosting server, allowing users to interact with them through a Web browser, with features like Single Sign-On, centralized management, and reduced installation needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Web applications are used, then ease of distribution and maintenance is improved, but advanced user interaction capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges Web applications and desktop applications into a unified architecture where desktop applications are hosted on remote servers and accessed through Web browsers. This combination allows users to benefit from the ease of Web application distribution while obtaining the advanced user interaction capabilities of desktop applications through the integrated desktop application environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a desktop application gateway and terminal server as intermediaries between the Web application and the desktop application. These intermediaries enable Web applications to leverage desktop application capabilities without requiring direct integration, thus maintaining the simplicity of Web application distribution while accessing enhanced user interaction features.
2Adaptability or versatility
If desktop application is used, then advanced user interaction capability is improved, but ease of distribution and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the desktop application from the user's local machine and relocates it to a remote server. This extraction eliminates the need for users to install and maintain desktop applications locally, restoring ease of distribution while preserving the advanced user interaction capabilities that desktop applications provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the desktop application environment on the remote server, which is then accessed by the user through the Web browser. This copying approach allows the desktop application to run in a controlled server environment while being accessible through the simplified Web interface, combining the benefits of both application types.
3Productivity
If user switches between Web application and desktop application, then task completion is enabled, but user experience integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the Web application and desktop application into a single integrated user interface. Users can access both Web application functionality and desktop application capabilities through one unified console, eliminating the need to switch between applications and maintaining continuous user experience integrity while completing complex tasks.
4Adaptability or versatility
If different plug-ins are downloaded for different applications, then application functionality is improved, but download time and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal desktop application gateway that provides access to multiple desktop applications through a single interface. Instead of requiring separate plug-ins for each application, users can access various desktop applications through one unified gateway, reducing download time and simplifying the user experience while maintaining full application functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for converging a desktop application and a web application is configured to: 1) in response to a request, cause a start of a target desktop application initialization process by the web server; 2) replicate a set of files to a directory for the client; 3) converge the target desktop application and the web application on the web server; 4) receive a target desktop application interaction using the user interface in a web browser; 5) interact with the target desktop application; 6) determine that file(s) in the set of files in the directory for the client are modified; 7) in response to determining that the file(s) are modified, replicate the file(s) determined to be modified to the web server; and 8) stop and exit the target desktop application.