# US 2014/0208222 A1 · Method for monitoring a graphical user interface on a second computer display from a first computer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0208222 A1 - Document ID: US20140208222A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/219,953 - Filed: 2014-03-19 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2003-10-01 - Assignees: Testplant, Inc. - Applicants: Testplant, Inc. - Inventors: Douglas P. SIMONS; Jonathan D. GILLASPIE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140208222A1 ## CPC - G06F 11/2273: {Test methods} - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/0487: using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser - G06F 9/452: {Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation (protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131)} - G06F 11/3688: {for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites} - G06F 11/3698: Environments for analysis, debugging or testing of software - G03G 15/50: {Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control (sequencing control G03G21/14)} - G06F 3/1415: {with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays} - G06F 11/3414: {Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback} - G06F 11/36: Prevention of errors by analysis, debugging or testing of software - G06F 11/3672: {Test management} - G06F 2201/875: Monitoring of systems including the internet - G06T 7/0008: {checking presence/absence} - G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 7/246: using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments - G06T 9/004: {Predictors, e.g. intraframe, interframe coding} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A high level interface between a remote computer and local computer operator permits the remote computer to be controlled via a sequence of interactions. The remote computer may be monitored for display information which is expected, and also controlled in the event the expected information either is or is not obtained. Command language extensions are provided which extend and complement a basic scripting language. Scripts with embedded command language extensions may be executed through a remote interface, permitting remote testing, operation and evaluation. The development of the scripts, including embedded command language extensions, may be prepared through execution of commands at the local computer on a depiction of the GUI received from the remote computer, and subsequently saved as a script. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system for testing a remote system, the computer system comprising: a memory unit that stores instructions; and at least one processing unit that executes the instructions to: receive a representation of a graphical user interface of the remote system; and control a flow of execution based on a testing script, the flow of execution including: search the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for a graphical element based on an image analysis; and responsive to a result of searching the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for the graphical element, automatically provide a signal through a communications channel to execute an input action on the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: receive an additional representation of the graphical user interface of the remote system subsequent to automatically providing the signal to the remote system to execute the input action; and search the additionally received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for another graphical element based on an image analysis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the graphical element comprises less than the entire representation of the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the graphical element comprises at least one selected from a group comprising: an icon, text, a text box, and a prompt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the input action emulates an input command of a peripheral input device including at least one selected from a group comprising: a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch screen device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the input action includes at least one selected from a group comprising: a mouse click, a mouse movement, and text entry. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: determine a location of the graphical element when a presence of the graphical element is found within the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: automatically provide as the signal, a first signal to execute an input action at the remote system, in response to a detected presence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: automatically provide as the signal, a second signal to execute a second input action at the remote system, in response to a detected absence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: indicate a failure, in response to a detected absence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: capture user input effected with respect to the representation of the remote system graphical user interface display; and generate the testing script based on the captured user input. ### Claim 12 A monitoring system comprising: a computer system including a memory unit that stores instructions and at least one processing unit that executes the instructions; and a remote system that is connected to the computer system, wherein the at least one processing unit executes the instructions to: receive a representation of a graphical user interface of the remote system; and control a flow of execution based on a testing script, the flow of execution including: search the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for a graphical element based on an image analysis; and responsive to a result of searching the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for the graphical element, automatically provide a signal through a communications channel to execute an input action on the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: receive an additional representation of the graphical user interface of the remote system subsequent to automatically providing the signal to the remote system to execute the input action; and search the additionally received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for another graphical element based on an image analysis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the graphical element comprises less than the entire representation of the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the graphical element comprises at least one selected from a group comprising: an icon, text, a text box, and a prompt. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the input action emulates an input command of a peripheral input device including at least one selected from a group comprising: a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch screen device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the input action includes at least one selected from a group comprising: a mouse click, a mouse movement, and text entry. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: determine a location of the graphical element when a presence of the graphical element is found within the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: automatically provide as the signal, a first signal to execute a first input action at the remote system, in response to a detected presence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: automatically provide as the signal, a second signal to execute a second input action at the remote system, in response to a detected absence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: indicate a failure, in response to a detected absence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the instructions to: capture user input effected with respect to the representation of the remote system graphical user interface display; and generate the testing script based on the captured user input. ### Claim 23 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for enabling a computer to implement a method for testing a computer system, the method comprising: receiving, at the computer, a representation of a graphical user interface of the remote system; and controlling, at the computer, a flow of execution based on a testing script, the flow of execution including: searching the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for a graphical element based on an image analysis; and responsive to a result of searching the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for the graphical element, automatically providing a signal through a communications channel to execute an input action on the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, at the computer, an additional representation of the graphical user interface of the remote system subsequent to automatically providing the signal to the remote system to execute the input action; and searching, at the computer, the additionally received representation of the remote system graphical user interface for another graphical element based on an image analysis. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the graphical element comprises less than the entire representation of the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the graphical element comprises at least one selected from a group comprising: an icon, text, a text box, and a prompt. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the input action emulates an input command of a peripheral input device including at least one selected from a group comprising: a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch screen device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the input action includes at least one selected from a group comprising: a mouse click, a mouse movement, and text entry. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further includes: determining, at the computer, a location of the graphical element when a presence of the graphical element is found within the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further includes: automatically providing, by the computer, as the signal, a first signal to execute an input action at the remote system, in response to a detected presence of the graphical element in the received representation of the remote system graphical user interface during the search.