US-12627654-B2 - Virtual desktop screen sharing with multiple sharers in a collaboration session

US12627654B2US 12627654 B2US12627654 B2US 12627654B2US-12627654-B2

Abstract

A computing system includes a virtual server providing first and second virtual desktops. A first client computing device accesses the first virtual desktop via a communications network, and shares content of the first virtual desktop as a screen sharer in a collaboration session. A second client computing device accesses the second virtual desktop via the communications network, and displays content of the second virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window. The second client computing device participates in the collaboration session as a screen viewer, and receives the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop. The shared screen content is displayed by the second client computing device in a shared screen window, with the shared screen window being separate from the virtual desktop window.

Inventors

Kai Cui
Yuan Zhang
MUHAMMAD DAWOOD
Zhen Fan

Assignees

CITRIX SYSTEMS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220708

Claims (16)

1 . A computing system comprising: a virtual server configured to provide first and second virtual desktops; a first client computing device configured to access the first virtual desktop via a communications network, and to share content of the first virtual desktop as a screen sharer in a collaboration session; and a second client computing device configured to access the second virtual desktop via the communications network, and to perform the following: display content of the second virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window, participate in the collaboration session as a screen viewer, receive the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop, and display the shared screen content in a shared screen window, with the shared screen window being separate from the virtual desktop window; wherein: the first virtual desktop is further configured to send an invitation to said second client computing device in response to a user of said first client computing device having selected to be the screen sharer, with the invitation including an address of said first client computing device and an authentication token; and the second virtual desktop is configured to send a request to the first virtual desktop in response to the received invitation, with the request including an address of said second client computing device and the authentication token.
2 . The computing system according to claim 1 wherein the first virtual desktop is configured to bypass the second virtual desktop and provide the shared screen content directly to said second client computing device.
3 . The computing system according to claim 1 wherein the first virtual desktop is further configured to compare the authentication code in the request with the authentication code in the invitation, and in response to validation of the authentication code, deliver the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop to said second client computing device.
4 . The computing system according to claim 1 wherein said second client computing device is further configured to share content of the second virtual desktop as a screen sharer in the collaboration session while the user of said first client computing device is also the screen sharer.
5 . The computing system according to claim 4 wherein said first client computing device is configured to perform the following: display content of the first virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window; and display the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop in a shared screen window, with the shared screen window being separate from the virtual desktop window.
6 . The computing system according to claim 4 wherein the second virtual desktop is configured to bypass the first virtual desktop and provide the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop directly to said first client computing device.
7 . The computing system according to claim 4 wherein the second virtual desktop is further configured to send an invitation to said first client computing device in response to the user of said second client computing device having selected to be the screen sharer, with the invitation including an address of said second client computing device and an authentication token.
8 . The computing system according to claim 7 wherein the first virtual desktop is configured to send a request to the second virtual desktop in response to the received invitation, with the request including an address of said first client computing device and the authentication token.
9 . The computing system according to claim 8 wherein the second virtual desktop is further configured to compare the authentication code in the request with the authentication code in the invitation, and in response to validation of the authentication code, deliver the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop to said first client computing device.
10 . The computing system according to claim 4 further comprising a third client computing device configured to access a third virtual desktop from said virtual server via the communication network, and to perform the following: display content of the third virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window; participate in the collaboration session as a screen viewer; receive the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop, and the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop; and display the shared screen content of the first and second virtual desktops in separate shared screen windows, with each of the shared screen windows being separate from the virtual desktop window.
11 . A client computing device comprising: a display; and a processor coupled to said display and configured to perform the following: access a virtual desktop via a communications network, display content of the virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window, participate in a collaboration session as a screen viewer in order to receive shared screen content of a second virtual desktop being accessed by a second client computing device participating in the collaboration session as a screen sharer, and display the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop in a shared screen window, with the shared screen window being separate from the virtual desktop window; wherein: said processor is further configured to receive an invitation from the second virtual desktop in response to a user of the second client computing device having selected to be the screen sharer, with the invitation including an address of the second client computing device and an authentication token; and said processor is further configured to send a request to the second virtual desktop in response to the received invitation, with the request including an address of the client computing device and the authentication token.
12 . The client computing device according to claim 11 wherein said processor receives the shared screen content directly from the second virtual desktop.
13 . The client computing device according to claim 11 wherein said processor receives the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop in response to validation of the authentication token by the second client computing device.
14 . The client computing device according to claim 11 wherein said processor is further configured to share content of the virtual desktop as a screen sharer in the collaboration session while a user of the second client computing device is also the screen sharer.
15 . A computing system comprising: a virtual server configured to provide first and second virtual desktops; a first client computing device configured to access the first virtual desktop via a communications network, and to share content of the first virtual desktop as a screen sharer in a collaboration session; and a second client computing device configured to access the second virtual desktop via the communications network, and to perform the following: display content of the second virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window, participate in the collaboration session as a screen viewer, receive the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop, and display the shared screen content in a shared screen window, with the shared screen window being separate from the virtual desktop window; wherein: the second client computing device is further configured to share content of the second virtual desktop as a screen sharer in the collaboration session while the user of said first client computing device is also the screen sharer; the second virtual desktop is further configured to send an invitation to said first client computing device in response to the user of said second client computing device having selected to be the screen sharer, with the invitation including an address of said second client computing device and an authentication token; and the first virtual desktop is configured to send a request to the second virtual desktop in response to the received invitation, with the request including an address of said first client computing device and the authentication token.
16 . The computing system according to claim 15 wherein the second virtual desktop is further configured to compare the authentication code in the request with the authentication code in the invitation, and in response to validation of the authentication code, deliver the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop to said first client computing device.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of PCT application serial no. PCT/CN2022/098595 filed Jun. 14, 2022, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to computing systems, and more particularly, to a computing system with multiple users in a collaboration session sharing content of their virtual desktops at the same time. BACKGROUND Many organizations are now using application and/or desktop virtualization to provide a more flexible option to address the varying needs of their users. In desktop virtualization, a user's operating system, applications, and/or user settings may be separated from the user's physical smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer. Using client-server technology, a virtualized desktop may be stored in and administered by a remote server, rather than in the local storage of a computing device. The computing device accesses the virtualized desktop in a remote computing session with the server. The remote computing session allows a user to access resources. The resources, for example, include SaaS and web apps, desktops, files and data. At times, a user may launch a collaboration app in order to share screen content of their virtual desktop with other users within the organization participating in a collaboration session. SUMMARY A computing system includes a virtual server that provides first and second virtual desktops. A first client computing device accesses the first virtual desktop via a communications network, and shares content of the first virtual desktop as a screen sharer in a collaboration session. A second client computing device accesses the second virtual desktop via the communications network, and displays content of the second virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window. The second client computing device participates in the collaboration session as a screen viewer, and receives the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop. The shared screen content is displayed in a shared screen window, with the shared screen window being separate from the virtual desktop window. The first virtual desktop may be configured to bypass the second virtual desktop and provide the shared screen content directly to the second client computing device. The first virtual desktop may be further configured to send an invitation to the second client computing device in response to a user of the first client computing device having selected to be the screen sharer, with the invitation including an address of the first client computing device and an authentication token. The second virtual desktop may be configured to send a request to the first virtual desktop in response to the received invitation, with the request including an address of the second client computing device and the authentication token. The first virtual desktop may be further configured to compare the authentication code in the request with the authentication code in the invitation, and in response to validation of the authentication code, deliver the shared screen content of the first virtual desktop to the second client computing device. The second client computing device may be further configured to share content of the second virtual desktop as a screen sharer in the collaboration session while the user of the first client computing device is also the screen sharer. The first client computing device may be configured to display content of the first virtual desktop in a virtual desktop window, and display the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop in a shared screen window. The shared screen window is separate from the virtual desktop window. The second virtual desktop may be configured to bypass the first virtual desktop and provide the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop directly to the first client computing device. The second virtual desktop may be further configured to send an invitation to the first client computing device in response to the user of the second client computing device having selected to be the screen sharer, with the invitation including an address of the second client computing device and an authentication token. The first virtual desktop may be configured to send a request to the second virtual desktop in response to the received invitation, with the request including an address of the first client computing device and the authentication token. The second virtual desktop may be further configured to compare the authentication code in the request with the authentication code in the invitation, and in response to validation of the authentication code, deliver the shared screen content of the second virtual desktop to the first client computing device. The computing system may further include a third client computing device configured to access a third virtual desktop from the virtual server via the communication network. The third client computing device may be configured to display c