Hierarchical display-server system and method

Abstract

A computing system includes a hierarchical set of servers. The hierarchical set includes a master server and one or more slave server. The master server and slave servers communicate with at least one non-intelligent user system over a communications network. The master server has full access to each non-intelligent user system. The master server controls access permissions for each slave server to the non-intelligent user system(s). Each higher level slave server can control access permissions for sub-level slave server(s) to the non-intelligent user system(s). A master or, if permitted access, a slave server, creates a window in a display of the non-intelligent user system, and can provide access to the window to any lower-level slave server to send pixels to fill that window. The pixels can be the graphics output of an application such as a browser or spreadsheet or the pixels can be video (either live or read from a hard drive). In other applications of the servers, the server system can control output on components of the user system, and receive input from components and peripherals of the user system, all via communications over the network. Access to respective non-intelligent user systems is dictated by the master server and each higher level slave server of the hierarchical set of servers. Data representing input of components and peripherals is multiplexed and communicated over the network by the user system, and data representing output of components of the user system is received by the user system over the network and demultiplexed and delivered to the component for output on the user system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing system, comprising:
 a hierarchical set of servers, including a master server and one or more slave server;   at least one non-intelligent user system; and   a network connecting the master server and the at least one non-intelligent user system.   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the at least one non-intelligent user system includes one or more low-level component selected from the group consisting of: camera, microphone, speaker, printer, flash drive, GPS receiver, and display for displaying windows;   wherein data representing input of each low-level component of each user system is multiplexed and communicated by the user system over the network to the hierarchical set;   wherein data representing output of each low-level component of each user system received by the user system from the hierarchical set over the network is demultiplexed and delivered to the low-level component;   wherein each of the at least one non-intelligent user system includes limited processing capability for the data representing input and the data representing output.   
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein communicative access over the network by respective slave servers is controlled by the master server and any slave server with priority in the hierarchical set granted applicable permission by either of the master server and another slave server with priority in the hierarchical set. 
     
     
         4 . A server system for communicating over a network with a user system of at least one input/output component, comprising:
 a master server;   at least one first level slave server connected to the master server;   wherein the master server is capable of permitting any one or more of the first level server to access the user system over the network to selectively control one or more of the input/output component of the user system.   
     
     
         5 . The server system of  claim 4 , wherein a traditional desktop style window user interface is interactively displayed on the user system via, alone or in combination, the master server and any of the at least one first level slave server permitted to access the user system by the master server;
 wherein a window frame is respectively created in the window user interface of the user system for selective operations of the user system in communication with the master server and any of the at least one first level slave server permitted to access the user system by the master server; and   wherein one or more application unit of any of the master server and, if and as permitted by the master server, any of the at least one first level slave server, respectively, is respectively displayed in the window frame of the user system via communications with the master server and, if applicable, the at least one first level slave server permitted to access the user system by the master server.   
     
     
         6 . The server system of  claim 4 , wherein the server system can service a plurality of the user system of a same user, and the server system automatically adjusts operation based on the user system then being employed for communications by the user. 
     
     
         7 . The server system of  claim 4 , wherein the server system dispenses with any requirement for an Application Programming Interface (API) between the master server and the at least one first level slave server connected to the master server. 
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a file system connected to at least one of the group consisting of: the master server, one or more slave server, and the hierarchical set;   wherein the master server can access all files of the file system and any one or more slave server can be permitted access to select files of the file system by the master server and any higher priority slave server of the hierarchical set having permitted access to the select files.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the select ones of hierarchical set communicate across a firewall with the user system, on initiation by the user system of communication across the firewall to the master server and any respective one or more slave server;
 wherein the master server, in conjunction with communications with the user system, controls permitting for communicative accessibility by each of the one or more slave server to the user system through the firewall.   
     
     
         10 . The computing system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hypervisor;   wherein the hierarchical set master server and one or more of the slave server is a unitary device comprising a virtual master server and at least one virtual slave server, connected to the hypervisor.   
     
     
         11 . A method of serving a message to a window of a user device over a communications network, comprising the steps of:
 controlling access rights of a plurality of slave servers by a master server, wherein the master server has full access to the user device over the network; and   controlling access rights of at least one of the slave servers, as a sub-level slave server, by at least one other of the slave servers, as a higher level slave server, wherein each of the at least one sub-level slave servers has access to the user device over the network only if and as permitted by the master server and the higher level slave server.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 creating, via communications of the master server with the user device over the communications network, at least one of the window of the user device for the master server; and   creating, via communications over the communications network of each slave server permitted access to the user device, a respective one of the window of the user device for each slave server, respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
 communicating by the user device over the network, a data representing input of a component of the user device, to either of the master server and at least one slave servers permitted access to the user device;   wherein an application program stored on either of the master server and the at least one slave server of the communication, processes the data representing input of the component of the user device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 communicating to the user device over the network, a data representing output of a component of the user device, by either of the master server and at least one slave server of the step of communicating by the user device;   wherein the data representing output is an output by the user device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the master server and the slave servers each include respective units for applications output by the user device;
 wherein the user device communicates with the respective master server and slave servers for the operation of each one of the respective unit, via communications over the network; and   wherein a distinct window is created for each respective unit by corresponding one of the master server and slave servers, as applicable, of the unit.   
     
     
         16 . The server system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a window of the user system, respective ones of the window are uniquely created on the user system by the master server for each respective one of the at least first level slave server permitted access to the user system by the master server;   wherein the first level slave server, via communicated data representing pixels for display in the window, to the user system, fills the window of the user system with pixels.   
     
     
         17 . The server system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 at least one higher level server selected from the group of: the master server, the first level slave server, another slave server to the first level slave server, and another slave server to any other slave server of greater hierarchy;   at least one lower level server selected from the group of: the first level slave server, another slave server to the first level slave server, and another slave server to any other slave server of greater hierarchy; and   a window of the user system, a respective one of the window is uniquely created on the user system by any higher level server for each respective one of the lower level server permitted access to the user system by the higher level server and, if the master server is not the higher level server, the master server;   wherein the lower level slave server, via communicated data representing pixels for display in the window, to the user system, fills the window of the user system with pixels.   
     
     
         18 . The server system of  claim 17 , wherein the pixels are selected from the group of:
 a typical desktop style frame, graphics output of an application program of the lower level server, a browser, spreadsheet, live video, and video stored in the lower level server.   
     
     
         19 . The server system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a second window created by the higher level server on the user system within the window;   wherein the higher level server permits access to the second window by any of the lower level servers.   
     
     
         20 . The server system of  claim 19 , wherein the lower level server permitted access to the second window is not permitted access to the window and can fill the second window with pixels at the user system.