FR3077905A1 - METHOD FOR BROADCASTING USER SESSIONS, HOST COMPUTER FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO A USER - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for broadcasting user sessions (3), said user sessions (3) being executed on servers (2) of a host computer (1), the method comprising transmitting information sessions derived from user sessions (3) selected at a broadcast platform (5). The invention also relates to a host computer (1) comprising a broadcast platform (5) in communication with the servers (2), for collecting session information from at least some of the user sessions (3) and for transmit session information from selected user sessions (3) to remote subscribers (4, 4 ', 4 ").

Description

METHOD FOR BROADCASTING USER SESSIONS, HOST COMPUTER FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO A USER.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for managing user sessions, said user sessions being executed on servers of a host computer. Each user session can be associated with a remote client, and display and control information can be communicated between each user session and its associated client.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The documents US2017228851 and FR3047576 describe a configuration of a computer system, in which user interface devices (display, keyboard, etc.) are separated from the processing part of the application. The user interface devices are located on the user's desktop (also referred to as the client) while the processing and storage components of the computer are located in a remote hosting location. The user interface devices then have access, at the level of the host computer, to a dedicated virtual machine via a network (most often the Internet), the virtual machine emulating processing, storage and other resources. IT requirements. The host computer hosts the operating system and used by clients, this processing on the client side.

software applications which limits the resources of

User interface devices therefore depend heavily on the host computer that performs computing functions for customers.

It is usual for the host computer to consist of a plurality of physical computer systems (servers), each hosting a plurality of virtual machines. Each virtual machine is connected to a client, and provides a dedicated virtual environment to emulate the functions of a physical personal computer, including processing of graphics data, and to provide user session display information on the screen client. The data to be displayed is transferred to the client via the network. The customer has sufficient IT resources to receive the data flow and display it. The client also has input / output devices (keyboard, mouse, etc.) for exchanging information or instructions with the virtual machine, via the network.

In this computer system configuration, user sessions (that is, the isolated virtual environment that emulates the user's physical personal computers) are all in the same host or distributed over a limited number of Breakfast. This configuration allows users to access services that are not available in a typical physical computer network configuration.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is therefore to propose methods activating these services. More particularly, the invention proposes a method for managing user sessions, such that a user or a group of users can broadcast their IT environment. Broadcast sessions can be processed to provide services to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the invention relates to a method of broadcasting user sessions, said user sessions being executed on servers of a host computer, the method comprising the transmission of session information.

from platform sessions broadcast of selected users towards a according to other characteristics no restrictive of 1'invention , taken either individually is in a

any technically possible combination:

the method further comprises the routing, in a selective manner, of session information between the reception ports of the broadcasting platform and the sending ports of the broadcasting platform;

the method further comprises the transmission of session information between the transmission ports of the broadcasting platform and the remote subscribers;

- the transmission ports and the reception ports are transmission-reception ports, and the method also comprises the transmission of information relating to the subscriber coming from at least one remote subscriber to at least one of the sessions selected users;

~ each user session is associated with a remote client, and the method includes transmitting session information between each user session and its associated client;

- the transmission of session information to the broadcasting platform is carried out at the same time as the transmission of session information to the remote client;

the session information includes display information of the user session, and optionally control information of the user session;

- each user session emulates a computer;

- the distribution platform is at the host's.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a host computer comprising a plurality of servers, each configured to execute a plurality of user sessions, and a broadcasting platform in communication with the servers, to retrieve session information from of some of the user sessions and transmit session information to remote subscribers from the selected user sessions.

According to another non-limiting characteristic of this aspect of the invention, the broadcasting platform comprises:

a stream receiver for temporarily retrieving and storing session information in respective receive ports;

a stream transmitter making it possible to transmit, from respective transmission ports, respective session information, intended for remote subscribers;

- a flow router making it possible to selectively transfer session information from the reception ports to the transmission ports.

Likewise, the transmit ports and the receive ports are transmit-receive ports, and the flow router is also configured to selectively transfer subscriber information from the transmit ports. reception of the stream transmitter, to the transmit-receive ports of the stream receiver.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method making it possible to provide services to a user of a user session on a server of a host computer, said method comprising:

- connection to a broadcasting platform of the host f

- receiving session information from the determined user session, from the broadcasting platform;

- processing session information to provide service information;

- communication to the user of service information.

According to another non-restrictive characteristic of this aspect of the invention, the method making it possible to provide a service to a user comprises connection to the host and the subscription, in order to receive the session information of the determined user session .

Likewise, the communication of service information to the user may include the transmission of service information to the user session via the broadcast platform.

FIGURES

Many other advantages and functions of the present invention will become more apparent after reading the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, among which:

- Figure 1 shows a computer architecture for implementing the present invention; - Figure 2 schematically shows a broadcasting platform of a host computer;

- Figure 3 shows a computer architecture comprising a plurality of host computers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, detailed descriptions of known functions and elements, which could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, will be omitted.

Server IT architecture 2.

In FIG. 1, a computer architecture comprises a host computer 1 which has a plurality

As is well known, the configured to host one or at the same time servers 2 can be several machine (s) 3 that its / their operating system allows that hosted in and its / their applications. The virtualization plurality of virtual machines 3 are each server 2 while providing a plurality of virtual environments totally isolated in a single server 2. We can cite, among the well known virtualization technologies Citrix XenServer, Microsoft HyperV, VMware ESXi, Oracle Virtual box, Quick Emulator under GNU open license (QEMU), etc.

Each of the virtual machines 3 in the host computer can be dedicated to a specific user.

The users interact with their dedicated virtual machines 3 from the remote clients 4, 4 ′, each being connected to the host computer 1 via a network such as the Internet. Since most, if not all, of the processing is done at the host computer 1, remote clients

4, 4 ′ can remain terminal, an input / output by the client and can include, by example network connector, a simple and remote basic devices (keyboard, mouse, etc.) 4 in FIG. 1.

as

Depending on the solution, it can be a personal computer with its own Central Unit, peripherals,

Figure 1 network, such

Smartphone.

resources all benefits represented by another standard, graphics card, its as represented by the 4 'remote client.

also represents a 4 '' computer connected to a tablet, a personal computer or

The computer 4 is equipped with all the necessary operating systems, so that processing is carried out locally. There are therefore no processing resources provided to them than by the servers 2 of the host 1. The computer '' can, however, provide information, the user sessions being executed on these servers 2.

Each server 2 preferably hosts less than ten virtual machines 3 to provide sufficient computer resources to each virtual machine 3 to execute high performance applications with a sufficient level of service. Each virtual machine 3 is created when the client connects and includes a virtual CPU, a virtual main memory, a virtual or physical graphics card and other resources. Each virtual machine 3 provides a high performance virtual personal computer which is controlled by a remote client 4, 5 4 ′. Each virtual machine 3 therefore constitutes, or is the equivalent of, a user session, and a large number of these user sessions 3 can be executed on the servers 2 of the host computer 1. The computer architecture may include a plurality of host computers 1, which are located in geographically separate computer data centers.

Each user session 3 is associated with a remote client. To display the images of the user session 15 on the terminal of the remote client, the host computer 1 supplies the remote system 4, 4 ′ on the network with display information (including sounds) and control information. for input / output devices installed at the remote site. In the present description, reference will also be made to the display information as session information.

Conversely, the remote clients 4, 4 ′ supply the host computer 1 with control information coming from the input / output devices which are located on the remote site (keyboard, mouse), and possibly others forms of data such as display and audio information provided by a USB device or integrated into a camera and microphone of the remote client 4, 4 ', or network devices, at the remote client, such as printers. ..

Display and control information is communicated between the host computer 1 and the remote clients 4, 4 '. They are coded to limit the use of network bandwidth. The remote clients 4, 4 ′ are supplied with appropriate hardware and / or software resources to encode / decode the information communicated before it is displayed, or more generally used on the client side, or transmitted to the host 1.

With reference to the description of FIG. 1, the host computer 1 also comprises a broadcasting platform 5. The broadcasting platform 5 is in communication with the servers 2 of the host 1, and collects display information (and (possibly also command) from at least some of the user sessions which are executed on the servers 2. Simultaneously with the transmission of display and command information between each user session and their remote clients 4, 4 'associated, the session information from certain selected user sessions are transmitted to the broadcasting platform 5. The broadcasting platform 5 is also configured to selectively transmit the session information to remote subscribers 4, 4 ', 4' '.

A remote subscriber can correspond to a 4, 4 'remote client or a 4' 'computing device, which has connected to host 1 and which has subscribed to receive session information from a session of specified user, or a group of user sessions.

The session information received by the remote subscriber 4, 4 ', 4' 'can be processed by the remote subscriber, for example to be displayed on a screen at a remote location or processed to provide other services to user session 3, to the user himself, or, more generally, to communicate the service information to any 4 '' on computing device on the network or to any user session 3 from host 1.

Diffusion program

The transmission of session information between a user session 3 and the broadcasting platform 5 can be carried out by a broadcasting program executed by the user session 3. Each user of the computer architecture can control the broadcasting or not - broadcast of its session, and configure the broadcast parameters by having access to the broadcast program. For example, a user residing in a remote site and a remote client operating 4, 4 ′ can configure the broadcasting program to authorize the broadcasting of his session 3, that is to say authorize the broadcasting program to transmit the information session (display and / or session control information) to the broadcasting platform 5. The broadcasting program executed during each user session 3 allows each user to enter, edit, modify and save the broadcast settings. By doing this, a user indicates whether at least part of his computer session can be shared with remote subscribers 4, 4 ', 4' 'or not, and under what conditions. Configuring the broadcast program can be more complex than simply authorizing or blocking the broadcast. For example, a user session can include multiple desktops or screens, and the configuration can indicate which desktop or screen to broadcast to. The configuration can also authorize or block the transmission of sound and / or control information, independently of authorizing or blocking pure display data. The configuration can also establish the list of authorized or blocked remote subscribers, that is to say remote subscribers who are individually authorized or prohibited from subscribing to the display information of the user session.

The broadcast program can also keep track of the broadcast status of user session 3 at host 1, so that it is possible to consult, at host 1, the list of user sessions broadcast available. This tracing can contain, for example, a user identification, a user session reference, the reception port of the broadcasting platform in which the corresponding session information is collected, a list of remote subscribers who are authorized to subscribe to the user session ...

Remote subscribers

As explained in general in a previous passage of the present description, a remote subscriber consists of computer resources 4, 4 ', 4' 'which subscribe to host 1 to receive at least one piece of information session.

The remote subscriber 4, 4 ', 4' 'of a determined user session 3 can correspond to another user session of computer architecture represented in FIG. 1 associated with a remote client 4, 4'. It can also be a 4 '' computing device, such as a tablet, PC, server or Smartphone, connected to the host via a network, remote subscriber can be a free access to data

In a particular example, an HTTP server which can give the display of a user session (s) to other computer devices connected to the network. Other computing devices can then view and process session (s) information through an Internet browser.

To obtain session information originating from a determined user session 3, a remote subscriber 4, 4 ′,

4 '' connects first to host 1 and subscribes to receive session information from the determined user session. This step can include accessing, and possibly updating the session tracing status stored at the level of host 1, in order to select, from the available user sessions, one or more session (s) of user (s) available for broadcast. Selection may, for example, be based on user identification. This may include verifying that the 4, 4 ', 4' 'remote subscriber is authorized to subscribe to the selected user session. This step may also include receiving an identification of the transmission port of the broadcasting platform 5, so that the remote subscriber can connect and receive, during a subsequent step, the determined session information.

The remote subscriber then connects to the broadcasting platform 5 and receives the session information coming from the determined user session.

As mentioned, generally above, a 4,4 ', 4' 'remote subscriber can then process the session information. In its simplest form, processing corresponds to decompression and / or decoding of session data so that it can be displayed on a screen at the site of the remote subscriber.

Instead of being displayed, the raw information can be communicated to other computing devices, as is the case when the remote subscriber is an HTTP server.

Advantageously, the remote subscriber 4, 4 ', 4' 'performs advanced processing of the user information to give service information. The image processing routine can process session information to provide additional (service) information to the user session, to a plurality of user sessions, or to the user himself.

For example, the image processing subroutine can be executed at a remote subscriber to assign a classification to the images corresponding to the information displayed, for the purpose of parental supervision. The detected classification (which defines the service information provided by the remote subscriber) can then be communicated back to the user session, for example to interrupt the session, if the classification exceeds a predefined threshold. According to another solution, if the classification detected exceeds a predefined threshold, a brief message or an email can be sent to a telephone number or to a predetermined email address associated with the user session.

In another example, the image processing routine executed at the remote subscriber can analyze the session information to identify the error message that opens on the desktop of the user session.

As soon as such a message appears, the remote subscriber can generate an alert with a support team that can provide assistance to the user, for example, by contacting the user by email or by phone.

A wide range of services can be provided by one or more remote subscribers. A particular user of the IT architecture can select the services he wishes to use by configuring the broadcasting program, and by authorizing the remote subscribers who provide the selected services to have access to the display information of the user session.

Broadcast platform

FIG. 2 schematically represents the architecture of the broadcasting platform 5. It comprises a stream receiver 51 which collects session information in respective reception ports 52. Session information from user sessions 3 is communicated by respective broadcasters to ports 52 and stored in temporary buffers associated with each port.

The broadcasting platform 5 also comprises a stream transmitter 53 provided with a plurality of transmission ports 54 for supplying the respective session information to remote subscribers 4, 4 ', 4' '. When it connects to the broadcasting platform, a remote subscriber actually connects to a transmission port 54 of the stream transmitter 53.

The broadcasting platform also comprises a stream router 55 making it possible to selectively transfer session information from the reception ports

52, to the transmission ports 54. Each reception channel is dedicated to the reception of session information coming from a particular source.

Each reception channel 54 is dedicated to the transmission of session information to a particular remote subscriber.

from the reception of data in a Harbor of reception 52 stream receiver 51 the router of flux 55 transferred the data to the ports of show 54 of the stream transmitter

53, so that the data can be further communicated to the appropriate remote subscriber (s). The flow router 55 can have access to the broadcast tracking which is located at the host in order to determine to which sending ports 54 (that is to say the remote subscribers) the data received at a port 52 (i.e. a specific user session) must be routed.

It should be noted that the display information received in a reception port 52 can be copied to multiple transmission ports 54 to be transmitted to multiple remote subscribers. This is the case when multiple 10 remote subscribers have subscribed to receive session information from the same user session. Likewise, session information from multiple user sessions is received in multiple receive ports 52 and can be routed to a single transmit port 54 to be transmitted to a single remote subscriber. This is particularly the case when the remote subscriber is an HTTP server, which redistributes session information from a plurality of user sessions to other computers connected to the network.

As mentioned above and shown in Figure 3, computing architecture ^r compatible with the invention may comprise a plurality of hosts 1, 1 ', each B comprising a delivery platform 5, 5'. A remote subscriber 4 ' ⁷ can connect to the stream transmitter 53 of a first broadcasting platform 5 which is located with a first host 1, to receive session information from a user session 3' hosted on a server 2 'of a second host 1', and supplying session information to the stream transmitter 51 'of a second broadcasting platform 5' of the second host 1 '. In a configuration such as this, it is advantageous to provide a high-speed link between the flow router 55 of the first broadcasting platform 5 and the second flow transmitter 55 'of the second broadcasting platform 5'. Thanks to this high-speed link, the flow routers 55, 55 ′ can copy the reception port of one of the broadcasting platforms 5, 5 ′ into the transmission port of the other of the broadcasting platforms 5, 5 '.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present description, a remote subscriber 4, 4 ′, 4 ″ can also communicate subscriber information to the user session 3 to which he is connected via the platform Broadcast 5, Subscriber information can include all kinds of data or control information, for example control information provided by input devices located at the location of the remote subscriber. Subscriber information may include or correspond to service information provided by the 4,4 ', 4' 'remote subscriber.

If a plurality of remote subscribers 4, 4 ', 4' 'receive session information from one of the selected user sessions 3, the plurality of remote subscribers 4, 4', 4 '' can provide their respective subscriber information for that particular user session 3. Subscriber information can be received by the broadcast program in user session 3, or by other processes that are running in user session 3. The broadcast program can also be used to authorize or block the reception of subscriber information, in general or for particular remote subscribers. More generally, the broadcasting program can configure all the parameters which relate to the information supplied by the remote subscribers.

In this particular embodiment, the broadcasting platform 5 is configured to allow bidirectional transfer of information between the stream receiver 51 and the stream transmitter 53. For this purpose, the ports 52, 54 are configured to be ports bidirectional, that is, send-receive ports. The flow router 55 selectively transfers session information originating from the transmit-receive port 52 of the flow receiver 51 to the transmit-receive port 54 of the flow transmitter 53, and also transfers, selectively, subscriber information from the transmit-receive ports 54 of the flow transmitter 53 to the transmit-receive ports 52 of the flow receiver 51.

Many variations of the described embodiment can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the description, and the appended claims.

In particular, it is possible to take advantage of the existence of the broadcasting platform 5, in particular when it is configured according to the advantageous embodiment which has just been presented, for communicating display and control information. of each user session 3 from host 1 to its corresponding remote client 4, 4 '. In this case, each remote client 4, 4 ′ connects to a transmit-receive port ′ 53 of the platform.

exactly like

would connect.

necessary configuration,

news

platform

session of each user session to its associated remote client.

Claims (14)

1. Method for broadcasting user sessions (3), said user sessions (3) being executed on servers (2) of a host computer (1), the method comprising the transmission of session information from selected user sessions (3) to a broadcasting platform (5). The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively routing information from session between the ports of reception (52) of the platform broadcast (5) and the transmission ports (54) of the platform of diffusion (5) 3. Process according to the claim 2 comprising further the transmission of session information between the transmission ports (53) of the broadcasting platform (5) and the remote subscribers (4, 4 ', 4' '); 4. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the transmit ports (53) and the receive ports (54) are transmit-receive ports (53, 54), and wherein the method also includes the transmission of Subscriber information between at least one remote subscriber (4, 4 ', 4' ') and at least one of the selected user sessions (3). 5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each user session (3) is associated with a remote client (4, 4 ′), and the method comprises the transmission of session information between each session d 'user (3) and his associated client (4, 4'). 6. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the transmission of the session information to the broadcasting platform (5) is carried out at the same time as the transmission of the session information to the remote client (4, 4 ′). 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the session information comprises information for displaying the user session (3), and optionally information for controlling the user session. 8. Method according to one of the preceding ones, in which a computer emulates. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which each user session (3) of any of the claims finds the broadcasting platform (5) host (1) in the computer of any of the claims. 10. Host computer (1) comprising: - a plurality of servers (2), each configured to execute a plurality of user sessions (3); - Broadcasting platform (5) in communication with the servers (2), for collecting information relating to the sessions originating from at least some of the user sessions (3) and transmitting the information relating to the sessions originating from user sessions (3) selected from remote subscribers (4, 4 ', 4' '). 11. Host computer (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the broadcasting platform (5) comprises: - a stream receiver (51) for retrieving and temporarily storing session information in respective receive ports (52); - a stream transmitter (53) for transmitting, from respective transmission ports (54), respective session information, to remote subscribers (4, 4 ', 4' '); - A flow router (55) for selectively transferring session information from the reception ports (52) to the transmission ports (54). 12. Host computer (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the transmit ports (53) and the receive ports (54) are transmit-receive ports (53, 54), and the flow router ( 55) is also configured to selectively transfer subscriber information from the transceiver ports (54) of the stream transmitter (53) to the transceiver ports (52) of the receiver flow (51). 13. Method for providing services to a user of a determined user session (3) executed on a server (2) of a host computer (1), said method comprising: - connection to a broadcasting platform (5) of the host (1); - receiving session information from the determined user session (3), from the broadcasting platform (5); - processing session information to provide service information; - communication to the user of service information. 14. Method according to the preceding claim comprising connection to the host (1) and the subscription in order to receive the session information of the determined user session (3). 15. Method according to one of the two preceding claims, in which the communication at 1'utilisateur of the news of service includes the transmission of the news of session service user (3) through 1'intermédiaire of the platform of diffusion (5). 1/2