Separate Plug-In Processes In Browsers and Applications Thereof

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to browser plug-ins. In one embodiment, a system browses web content using a plug-in. The system includes at least one renderer process that detects plug-in content in the web content. Separate from the at least one renderer process, the system also includes a plug-in process that includes the plug-in and communicates with the at least one renderer process to interpret the plug-in content using an inter-process communication channel.

1 . A system for browsing web content using a plug-in, comprising:
 at least one renderer process that detects plug-in content in the web content; and   a plug-in process, separate from the at least one renderer process, that includes the plug-in and communicates with the at least one renderer process to interpret the plug-in content using an inter-process communication channel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one renderer process sends a request for a handle used to communicate with the plug-in process, further comprising:
 a browser process that receives the request, instantiates the plug-in process if the plug-in process is not already instantiated, and sends the handle to the at least one renderer process.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inter-process communication channel is a named pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inter-process communication channel includes a shared memory. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one renderer process comprises:
 a webpage rendering module that renders a portion of the web content and includes an interface adapted to access a plug-in;   a web plug-in module that implements the interface; and   a web plug-in delegate proxy module that uses the inter-process communication channel to communicate with the plug-in process.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plug-in process includes two or more plug-in instances coupled to the plug-in, wherein each plug-in instance is used to interpret at least a portion of plug-in content in the web content. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plug-in process includes two or more plug-ins. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processor, and   a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor executes instructions to instantiate the at least one renderer process and the plug-in process.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a process host module that instantiates the at least one renderer process and the plug-in process.   
     
     
         10 . A method for browsing web content using a plug-in on a computing device, comprising:
 (a) instantiating, on the computing device, at least one renderer process that detects plug-in content in the web content;   (b) instantiating, on the computing device, a plug-in process, separate from the at least one renderer process, that includes the plug-in; and   (c) sending data on an inter-process communication channel from the at least one renderer process to the plug-in process.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 (d) calling a function of the plug-in, the function determined based on the data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 (e) sending a request to a browser process for a handle to the plug-in process; and   (f) sending the handle to the plug-in process in response to the request in (e).   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising instantiating two or more plug-in instances coupled to the plug-in. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising instantiating two or more plug-ins in the plug-in process. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the sending of step (c) comprises sending data on a named pipe to the plug-in process. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the sending of step (c) comprises storing data on a shared memory coupled to the plug-in process. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product having control logic stored therein, said control logic for causing a computer to browse web content using a plug-in, said control logic comprising:
 a first computer readable program code that causes the computer to instantiate at least one renderer process that detects plug-in content in the web content;   a second computer readable program code that causes the computer to instantiate a plug-in process, separate from the at least one renderer process, that includes the plug-in; and   a third computer readable program code that causes the computer to send data on an inter-process communication channel from the at least one renderer process to the plug-in process.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a fourth computer readable program code that causes the computer to call a function of the plug-in, the function determined based on the data.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a fifth computer readable program code that causes the computer to send a request to a browser process for a handle to the plug-in process;   a sixth computer readable program code that causes the computer to send the handle to the plug-in process in response to the request.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a seventh computer readable program code that causes the computer to render a portion of the web content and including an interface adapted to access a plug-in; and   an eighth computer readable program code that causes the computer to communicate with the plug-in process via the inter-process communication channel.   
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a fourth computer readable program code that causes the computer to instantiate two or more plug-in instances in the plug-in process, wherein each plug-in instances is coupled to the plug-in and is used to interpret at least a portion of plug-in content in the web content.