Remote Seamless Windows Host-Client Desktop Conformance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote desktop solutions face challenges in bandwidth constraints and managing multiple virtual applications, particularly in coordinating application state and using multiple frame buffers to capture virtual application information for seamless windowing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an interactive streaming protocol that maintains conformance between the host and client desktops using a single frame buffer, where occluded portions are omitted or represented with placeholder content, allowing seamless windowing without dedicated buffers for each window.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple frame buffers are used to capture virtual application information for seamless windowing, then the quality and completeness of displayed content is improved, but the memory usage and system resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple frame buffer operations into a single shared frame buffer. Instead of allocating separate frame buffers for each virtual application window, the system uses one shared frame buffer that is cooperatively updated by multiple virtual display drivers. This combining approach maintains the ability to capture and display content from multiple applications while significantly reducing memory consumption compared to the traditional multi-buffer approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The single frame buffer is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously - it acts as the display buffer for multiple virtual applications, the scanout target for the virtual display driver, and the coordination point for occlusion management. This multi-functional design allows the system to maintain seamless windowing capabilities for multiple applications without requiring dedicated buffers for each one.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple frame buffers are maintained for each window, then seamless windowing functionality is improved, but the device complexity and management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple window management operations into a single coordinate system managed by one virtual display driver. Instead of each virtual application having its own frame buffer and coordinate system, all applications share a common coordinate space where windows are positioned and sized relative to a single desktop origin. This merging of coordinate systems simplifies the management of multiple windows while maintaining seamless windowing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual display driver acts as an intermediary between multiple virtual applications and the single frame buffer. It receives window management requests from multiple applications, coordinates their positions and sizes within the shared coordinate system, and manages occlusion relationships. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of multi-window management while enabling seamless windowing without requiring complex per-window buffer management.
3Loss of information
If occluded portions are included in frame buffer content, then complete application state information is maintained, but the data transmission bandwidth increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the visible portions of application content from the frame buffer for transmission to the client. The virtual display driver determines which regions of the frame buffer are currently visible (not occluded by other windows) and extracts only those portions for encoding and transmission. This extraction approach maintains complete application state information in the frame buffer while reducing the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over the network.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting the complete frame buffer content including all occluded portions, the system transmits only the necessary partial content that is currently visible. This partial action approach sends just enough data to maintain the visual display and application state information while avoiding the bandwidth consumption that would result from transmitting redundant occluded regions.
4Quantity of substance
If a single frame buffer is used for multiple windows, then memory efficiency is improved, but the coordination of application state between client and host becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frame buffer management into distinct functional components: the virtual display driver handles coordinate system management and occlusion detection, individual virtual application drivers handle their respective application state, and the single frame buffer serves as a shared resource. This segmentation of responsibilities allows efficient memory usage while distributing the coordination complexity across multiple specialized components rather than requiring one system to handle all aspects.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing access to remotely hosted applications obtains information indicative of the resolution of a client desktop and an arrangement of windows on the client desktop. A host of the applications is made to conform its desktop resolution and arrangement of windows to that of the client desktop, such that the occluded window portions correspond between the client and host. Visible content of the hosted application windows is tracked and streamed to the client.