Apparatus and accompanying methods for providing, through a centralized server site, a secure, cost-effective, web-enabled, integrated virtual office environment remotely accessible through a network-connected web browser

Apparatus for providing a web-accessible virtual processing environment to a network-connected office server for a remotely connected user computer through which a user stationed at the computer can execute any of a plurality of server-based applications resident at the office server, comprising:

• a platform, capable of being situated in network communication between the user computer and the office server, having:
• a processor;
• a memory connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
• first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for interfacing the platform, through the first network interface, to a wide area network (WAN) connection through which the remote user computer obtains connectivity to the platform, and, through the second network interface, to a local area network (LAN) having a server computer electrically communicative thereover, respectively, with the server computer forming the office server;
• and
• wherein, in response to the executable instructions, the processor, for each one of the server-based applications:
• provides, through a corresponding client application module implemented on the platform for each of the server-based applications, bi-directional protocol conversion of messages between the remote user computer and the office server, such that user interaction data, intended for a specific one of the server-based applications and provided by a browser executing on the remote user computer in a first protocol, is converted into a second protocol associated with said one server-based application and then applied to the server-based application at the office server, and output data, provided by said specific one server-based application, is converted from the second protocol to the first protocol for being transmitted to the user computer and graphically rendered thereat, through the browser, to the user;
• wherein the processor, in response to execution of the stored instructions:
• for messages emanating from the user computer and appearing on the WAN connection:
• receives, from the browser, a first message containing the user interaction data associated with a specific one server-based application and in the first protocol;
• converts the user interaction data in the first protocol to the second protocol associated with the specific one server-based application to yield a second message;
• and
• applies the second message, as input, to the server computer for processing by the specific one server-based application;
• and
• for messages emanating from the server computer and appearing on the LAN:
• receives, from the server computer and over the LAN connection, a third message containing output data generated by the specific one server-based application and in the second protocol;
• converts the output data message in the second protocol to the first protocol to yield a fourth message;
• and
• applies the fourth message to the WAN connection for transmission to the browser in order to render the output data thereat;
• wherein the server computer comprises a corresponding server for each of the server-based applications and is implemented either coincident with the platform or as at least one physical computer separate from the platform and connected, via the LAN, to it;
• the apparatus further comprising, in the platform, a separate corresponding software-implemented application module for each of the specific server-based applications for providing protocol translation of the user interaction data and output data between the first and second protocols;
• the application module comprises:
• a user interaction component communicative, through the WAN connection, with the browser, for accepting the user interaction data from the browser in the first protocol and for providing said output data to the browser in the first protocol;
• a state machine, communicative through an application processing interface with the user interaction component, for interpreting each command issued by the user interaction component so as to provide the user interaction data to the specific one server-based application executing on the server computer, and communicative through a client protocol component, for sending user interaction data to the server-based application and for receiving said output information from the specific one server-based application;
• and
• a client protocol component, operative in conjunction with the state machine, for converting the user interaction data received from the state machine into the second protocol and applying resultant messages in the second protocol to the specific one server-based application, and for receiving said output data in the second protocol from the specific one server-based application and applying said output data to the state machine.

A method for use, in apparatus, which provides for providing a web-accessible virtual processing environment to a network-connected office server for a remotely connected user computer through which a user stationed at the computer can execute any of a plurality of server-based applications resident at the office server, the apparatus comprising a platform, capable of being situated in network communication between the user computer and the office server, having:

• a processor, a memory connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
• first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for interfacing the platform, through the first network interface, to a wide area network (WAN) connection through which the remote user computer obtains connectivity to the platform, and, through the second network interface, to a local area network (LAN) having a server computer electrically communicative thereover, respectively, with the server computer forming the office server;
• wherein, the method comprises the steps, performed by the processor, for each one of the server-based applications:
• providing, through a corresponding client application module implemented on the platform for each of the server-based applications, bi-directional protocol conversion of messages between the remote user computer and the office server, wherein the providing step comprises the steps of:
• converting user interaction data, intended for a specific one of the server-based applications and provided by a browser executing on the remote user computer from a first protocol into a second protocol associated with said one server-based application so as to yield converted user interaction data;
• applying the converted user interaction data to the server-based application at the office server;
• converting output data, provided by said specific one server-based application, from the second protocol to the first protocol so as to yield converted output data;
• and
• transmitting the converted output data to the user computer to be graphically rendered thereat, through the browser, to the user;
• and
• for messages emanating from the user computer and appearing on the WAN connection:
• receiving, from the browser, a first message containing the user interaction data associated with a specific one server-based application and in the first protocol;
• converting the user interaction data in the first protocol to the second protocol associated with the specific one server-based application to yield a second message;
• and
• applying the second message, as input, to the server computer for processing by the specific one server-based application;
• and
• for messages emanating from the server computer and appearing on the LAN:
• receiving, from the server computer and over the LAN connection, a third message containing output data generated by the specific one server-based application and in the second protocol;
• converting the output data message in the second protocol to the first protocol to yield a fourth message;
• and
• applying the fourth message to the WAN connection for transmission to the browser in order to render the output data thereat.

A method for use, in apparatus, which provides for providing a web-accessible virtual processing environment to a network-connected office server for a remotely connected user computer through which a user stationed at the computer can execute any of a plurality of server-based applications resident at the office server, the apparatus comprising a platform, capable of being situated in network communication between the user computer and the office server, having:

• a processor, a memory connected to the processor and for storing computer executable instructions therein;
• first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for interfacing the platform, through the first network interface, to a wide area network (WAN) connection through which the remote user computer obtains connectivity to the platform, and, through the second network interface, to a local area network (LAN) having a server computer electrically communicative thereover, respectively, with the server computer forming the office server;
• wherein, the method comprises the steps, performed by the processor, for each one of the server-based applications:
• providing, through a corresponding client application module implemented on the platform for each of the server-based applications, bi-directional protocol conversion of messages between the remote user computer and the office server, wherein the providing step comprises the steps of:
• converting user interaction data, intended for a specific one of the server-based applications and provided by a browser executing on the remote user computer from a first protocol into a second protocol associated with said one server-based application so as to yield converted user interaction data;
• applying the converted user interaction data to the server-based application at the office server;
• converting output data, provided by said specific one server-based application, from the second protocol to the first protocol so as to yield converted output data;
• and
• transmitting the converted output data to the user computer to be graphically rendered thereat, through the browser, to the user;
• and
• for messages emanating from the user computer and appearing on the WAN connection:
• receiving, from the browser, a first message containing the user interaction data associated with a specific one server-based application and in the first protocol;
• converting the user interaction data in the first protocol to the second protocol associated with the specific one server-based application to yield a second message;
• and
• applying the second message, as input, to the server computer for processing by the specific one server-based application;
• and
• for messages emanating from the server computer and appearing on the LAN:
• receiving, from the server computer and over the LAN connection, a third message containing output data generated by the specific one server-based application and in the second protocol;
• converting the output data message in the second protocol to the first protocol to yield a fourth message;
• and
• applying the fourth message to the WAN connection for transmission to the browser in order to render the output data thereat;
• implementing a corresponding server for each of the server-based applications either coincident with the platform or as at least one physical computer separate from the platform and connected, via the LAN, to it;
• and
• providing protocol translation of the user interaction data and output data between the first and second protocols through a separate software-implemented application module for each of the specific server-based applications;
• wherein the application module comprises:
• a user interaction component communicative, through the WAN connection, with the browser, for accepting the user interaction data from the browser in the first protocol and for providing said output data to the browser in the first protocol;
• a state machine, communicative through an application processing interface with the user interaction component, for interpreting each command issued by the user interaction component so as to provide the user interaction data to the specific one server-based application executing on the server computer, and communicative through a client protocol component, for sending user interaction data to the server-based application and for receiving said output information from the specific one server-based application;
• and
• a client protocol component, operative in conjunction with the state machine, for converting the user interaction data received from the state machine into the second protocol and applying resultant messages in the second protocol to the specific one server-based application, and for receiving said output data in the second protocol from the specific one server-based application and applying said output data to the state machine.