Web-Based Interaction With A Local System

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating web-based interaction with a local system are disclosed. Such systems, methods, and computer program products provide an approach that allows a web client within in a web browser environment to access local hardware and local software—via a web server contained in the local system—in a local computer system. In response to a user input, the web client directs local hardware and local software to perform actions (e.g., writing files and taking pictures). Information related to such actions is returned to the web client via the local web server. The local computer system may be remotely located from the web client and such returned information may be stored and/or executed at a remote site (e.g., cloud database). Security layers may be provided to authenticate the user as well as user permissions for accessing the local computer system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . At a computer system, the computer system including a local web client operating within a web browser environment at the computer system and including a local web server operating in association with an operating system of the computer system, the web browser environment in a sandbox, the sandbox preventing issuance of local resource commands to directly control local resources at the computer system, a method for web-based acquisition of data from a local resource at the computer system, the method executing on at least one processor of the computer system, the method comprising:
 using a selected portion of a communication Application Programming Interface (API) to communicate a web protocol request signal to the local web server, the local web server including an interface for translating between web protocol signals and corresponding local resource commands, the local resource commands for controlling the local resource to acquire data in accordance with received web protocol request signals; and   receiving a web protocol response signal from the local web server, the web protocol response signal responsive to the web protocol request, the web protocol response signal containing acquired data that was acquired by the local web server, the local web server having acquired the acquired data by issuing the corresponding local resource commands to the local resource to control the local resource to perform the specified action at the local resource.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input, the input directed to a web-based service running within the web browser environment, the input instructing the web-based service to acquire data from the local resource by performing a specified action, the web-based service including the selected portion of the communication Application Programming Interface (API).   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving input comprises receiving input requesting that data be acquired from a local resource for delivery to a remote server; and further comprising:
 a local system interface transferring the acquired data within the sandbox to a remote system interface of the web client, the remote system interface configured to exchange data with remote servers; and   the remote system interface sending the acquired data to the remote server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising presenting, at a user interface screen, an output based upon the input and at least a portion of the information contained in the web protocol response signal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the web client desires to communicate with a remote server remotely located from web browser environment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a local system interface transmitting the web protocol response signal to a remote server interface operating within the web browser environment; and   the remote server interface sending the web protocol response signal, from the web client, to the remote server so as to supplement the functionality of the remote server with the functionality of the local resource.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a web protocol response signal comprises receiving a web protocol response containing data acquire by issuing a local resource command to a local hardware resource. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a web protocol response signal comprises receiving a web protocol response containing data acquire by issuing a local resource command to a local software resource. 
     
     
         9 . At a computer system, the computer system including a local web client operating within a web browser environment at the computer system and including a local web server operating in association with an operating system of the computer system, the web browser environment in a sandbox, the sandbox preventing issuance of local resource commands to directly control local resources at the computer system, a method for web-based acquisition of data from a local resource at the computer system, the method executing on at least one processor of the computer system, the method comprising:
 receiving a web protocol request signal from the local web client, the web protocol request communicated using a selected portion of a communication Application Programming Interface (API);   using an interface to translate between the web protocol request signal and a corresponding local resource command, the local resource command for controlling the local resource to acquire data in accordance with received web protocol request signals;   acquiring the data by issuing the corresponding local resource command to the local resource to control the local resource to perform a specified action at the local resource; and   sending a web protocol response signal containing the acquired data to the local web client, the web protocol response signal responsive to the web protocol request signal.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining that the local web client has permission to access the local resource. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining that the local web server is capable of accessing the local resource. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein acquiring the data comprises issuing a local resource command to a local hardware resource to control the local hardware resource to perform a specified action. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein acquiring the data comprises issuing a local resource command to a local software resource to control the local software resource to perform a specified action. 
     
     
         14 . A system, the system comprising
 one or more processors;   system memory;   one or more additional local resources;   a web browser environment in a sandbox, the sandbox preventing issuance of local resource commands to directly control the one or more additional local resources;   a local web server operating in association with an operating system of the system; and   a local web client operating within the web browser environment, the local web client configured to:
 use a selected portion of a communication Application Programming Interface (API) to communicate a web protocol request signal to the local web server, the local web server including an interface for translating between web protocol signals and corresponding local resource commands, the local resource commands for controlling a local resource to acquire data in accordance with received web protocol request signals, the local resource from among the one or more additional local resources; and 
 receive a web protocol response signal from the local web server, the web protocol response signal responsive to the web protocol request, the web protocol response signal containing acquired data that was acquired by the local web server, the local web server having acquired the acquired data by issuing the corresponding local resource commands to the local resource to control the local resource to perform the specified action at the local resource. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the local web client is further configured to receive input from a remote server interface within the web browser environment, the input indicating that a remote server is requesting data from the local resource. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the local web client is further configured to receive forward the acquired data to the remote server. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the local web client is further configured to, subsequent to receiving the web protocol response signal, present output based upon the acquired data at a user interface screen. 
     
     
         18 . A system, the system comprising
 one or more processors;   system memory;   one or more additional local resources;   a web browser environment in a sandbox, the sandbox preventing issuance of local resource commands to directly control the one or more additional local resources;   a local web client operating within the web browser environment;   a local web server operating in association with an operating system of the system, the local web server configured to:
 receive a web protocol request signal from the local web client 
 use an interface to translate between the web protocol request signal and a corresponding local resource command, the local resource command for controlling a local resource to acquire data in accordance with received web protocol request signals, the local resource selected from among the one or more additional local resources; 
 acquire data by issuing the corresponding local resource command to the local resource to control the local resource to perform a specified action at the local resource; and 
 send a web protocol response signal containing the acquired data to the local web client, the web protocol response signal responsive to the web protocol request signal. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the local web server being configured to acquire data comprises the local web server being configured to acquire data by issuing a local resource command to a local hardware resource to control the local hardware resource to perform a specified action. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the local web server being configured to acquire data comprises the local web server being configured to acquire data by issuing a local resource command to a local software resource to control the local software resource to perform a specified action.