Shared virtual desktop collaborative application system

Abstract

A computer system, including a processor, an input device and an output device and that executes an operating system to support the execution, is used to execute first and second sets of application programs. The operating system includes a graphical user interface coupleable through an output driver to the output device and an input interface including an input queue coupleable through an input driver to the input device. 1An environment manager program is also executed by the processor. This program includes a third list of a second set of application programs and a fourth list of application program windows corresponding to the second list of application programs. Execution of the environment manager program provides for the inclusion of the environment manager program in the first and second sets and for selectively swapping with the operating system the first and third lists and the second and fourth lists to switch between the execution of the first and second sets of application programs.

1 . An environment manager providing for the controlled execution of application programs in respective primary and alternate application execution environments within a computer system operating under the control of an operating system including a primary input queue and a primary output routine, said operating system providing for the management of a graphical user interface in support of the execution of said application programs and wherein said application programs are device independent application programs, said environment manager comprising: 
 a) an alternate input queue for storing input data for applications executing in the alternate application environment;    b) an alternate output routine for managing the processing of output data provided by applications executing in said alternate application environment; and    c) a control routine coupled to said operating system to selectively provide for the concurrent use of said primary input queue and said primary output routine or of said alternate input queue and said alternate output routine, said control routine further providing for the transfer of the output data processed by said alternate output routine to said primary output routine.    
   
   
       2 . The environment manager of  claim 1  wherein said control routine provides a display buffer area and wherein said alternate output routine provides for the processing of said output data provided by said applications executing in said alternate application environment into said display buffer area.  
   
   
       3 . The environment manager of  claim 2  wherein said alternate output routine provides for the replication of said output data provided by said applications executing said alternate application environment to a communications port for sharing with another computer system.  
   
   
       4 . The environment manager of  claim 3  wherein said alternate input queue is coupled to said control routine for storing input data received from said another computer system by way of said communications port.  
   
   
       5 . The environment manager of  claim 1  wherein said operating system provides a primary display area and wherein said control routine provides an alternate display area, wherein said operating system provides for a primary display structure defining the contents of said primary display area, including a frame of an alternate display window, and wherein said control routine provides for an alternate display structure defining the contents of said alternate display area, said control routine providing for the presentation of said alternate display area within said frame of said alternate display window.  
   
   
       6 . The environment manager of  claim 5  wherein said alternate input queue stores input data correlated to said alternate display window.  
   
   
       7 . A computer system providing for the alternate execution of first and second sets of application programs, said computer system comprising: 
 a) a processor including an input device and an output device;    b) an operating system executable by said processor to support the execution of device independent application programs, said operating system including a graphical user interface manager coupleable through an output driver to said output device and an input interface including an input queue coupleable through an input driver to said input device, said operating system including a first list of a first set of said device independent application programs executable by said processor and a second list of application program windows corresponding to said first set of said device independent application programs; and    c) an environment manager executable by said processor including a third list of a second set of said device independent application programs and a fourth list of application program windows corresponding to said second list of said device independent application programs, execution of said environment manager providing for the inclusion of said environment manager in said first and second sets and for selectively swapping with said operating system said first and third lists and said second and fourth lists to switch between the execution of said first and second sets of said device independent application programs.    
   
   
       8 . The computer system of  claim 7  wherein said environment manager determines to swap between the execution of said first and second sets of said device independent application programs based upon the relative amount of data in said input queue for said first and second sets of said device independent application programs.  
   
   
       9 . The computer system of  claim 7  wherein said environment manager determines to provide said operating system with an alternate output driver to couple said operating system to said output device, said alternate output driver providing for the processing of output data provided through the execution of said second set of said device independent application programs.  
   
   
       10 . An environment manager providing for the establishment of two or more alternate environment spaces for execution of applications within a common operating system, comprising: 
 an application list of a first environment space corresponding to an application list of a second environment space;    an input queue for storing input data for applications executing in the first environment space, the input queue being swapped with an operating system input queue upon a switch to the first environment space from the second environment space; and    an input handler for managing data received by the input queue, the input handler managing both the input queue and the operating system input queue upon a switch to the first environment space.    
   
   
       11 . The environment manager of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a display driver jump table exchange copied with a drawing jump table of the operating system upon a switch to the first environment space; and    a display device driver in communication with the display driver jump table, the display device driver being forwarded system calls from the operating system through the display driver jump table.    
   
   
       12 . The environment manager of  claim 11 , wherein the display device driver manages processing of output data from applications executing in the first environment space or the second environment space.  
   
   
       13 . The environment manager of  claim 11 , wherein the display device driver utilizes memory space for display data as a bit map based display data buffer.  
   
   
       14 . The environment manager of  claim 11 , wherein the display device driver generates an update event to the second environment space when content of a display window of the first environment space is modified.