Web Browser RDP Client Transcoding for Cross-Platform Compatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

In desktop virtualization and remote working environments, the need for native Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) clients on each device is costly and inefficient, as it requires maintaining and testing multiple incompatible software variants across different computing platforms.

Innovation Solution

Implementing RDP client functionality within a standards-based web browser using cross-platform scripting languages like JAVASCRIPT and HTML5 Canvas, which transcodes RDP packets for native display and handles user interface events, eliminating the need for native RDP clients on each device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If native RDP clients are installed on each device to support multiple computing platforms, then platform compatibility is improved, but maintenance and testing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplatform compatibilityVSAvoidmaintenance and testing costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal RDP client using cross-platform scripting languages (JavaScript, HTML5, Canvas) that can run on any device with a web browser, eliminating the need for platform-specific native clients. This single universal implementation serves all computing platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile devices) simultaneously, achieving multi-functionality across diverse environments while reducing maintenance and testing overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a web browser as an intermediary layer between the user and the RDP protocol. Instead of requiring direct native RDP client installations on each device, the browser acts as a universal mediator that handles RDP packet processing, transcoding, and display through web technologies. This intermediary approach allows standardization while maintaining broad platform compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple native RDP client variants are maintained for different platforms, then platform-specific optimization is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplatform-specific optimizationVSAvoidnumber of client variants

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple platform-specific client variants into a single universal web-based RDP client implementation. By using cross-platform scripting languages and web standards (HTML5, Canvas, JavaScript), the same codebase runs across all devices without requiring separate native client developments for each platform, thereby reducing the number of client variants from many to one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent leverages the existing web browser environment as a copy of a universal computing platform. Instead of creating and maintaining separate native clients for each device type, the solution copies the RDP client functionality into the already-deployed web browser environment, which is universally available across all modern devices. This eliminates the need to manage multiple native client variants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of manufacture

If RDP client functionality is implemented using cross-platform scripting languages, then maintenance costs are reduced, but processing performance may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance costsVSAvoidprocessing performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/native RDP client system (written in platform-specific languages like C/C++) with a web-based scripting system (JavaScript, HTML5, Canvas). This substitution maintains ease of maintenance through standardized web technologies while leveraging the browser's optimized rendering engine to handle the processing requirements of RDP packet transcoding and display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The web browser acts as an intermediary that handles the performance-intensive tasks of RDP packet processing, transcoding, and rendering. By offloading these operations to the browser's optimized JavaScript engine and Canvas rendering system, the solution achieves acceptable processing performance while maintaining the maintenance advantages of cross-platform scripting languages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10015228B2Remote desktop protocol client for a standards-based web browser

Publication Date: 2018.07.03 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Many challenges exist for supporting computing devices over a network where the computing devices are incompatible with one another. Instead of providing a native remote desktop protocol (RDP) client for each device, RDP client functionality may be provided by a cross-platform scripting language client or agent. A cross-platform scripting language client of an RDP client transcodes any received RDP-compatible packets to a format supported by a cross-platform or standards-based web browser of the RDP client.