Patent Publication Number: US-2015074272-A1

Title: Application management network device and application management method thereof

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an application management network device and a application management method thereof; and more particularly, the application management network device and the application management method thereof according to the present invention are used for application management with cloud computing systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In conventional application service system (ex., app-stores), users login in the application service system via network and download the applications they paid for. For example, if a user wants to review a PDF document on a mobile device, the user can download a PDF viewing software from the app-store via network after paying for it, and install the PDF viewing software on the mobile device. Therefore, the user can execute the PDF viewing software on the mobile device and review the PDF document via the mobile device. However, there are many defects in the above procedures. 
     Specifically, the defects of using the conventional application service system are: (a) for software developer, the applications can be plagiarized freely since they are downloadable on the internet; (b) for software developer, the cost of deploying the software to the client&#39;s ends is obviously higher; (c) for user or enterprise, the purchased licenses of the software needed to be deployed on the specific devices, which causes the inflexibility of using the software; (d) for user or enterprise, it is too expensive to purchase a complete license of the software if the user or enterprise just needs short-term use of the software. 
     According to the above descriptions, a new type of providing application service is in an urgent need since there are many defects in the conventional application service system. 
     SUMMARY 
     A primary objective of certain embodiments of the invention is to provide an application management method for use in an application management network device. The application management network device is used in a cloud computing system. The cloud computing system comprises the application management network device and at least one application server. A virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) user device connects to the cloud computing system via network. 
     The application management method in certain embodiments comprises: (a) enabling the application management network device to receive an application request from the VDI user device, wherein the application request is used for requesting usage of an application deployed on the at least one application server; (b) enabling the application management network device to distribute a license of the application to the VDI user device according to the application request; (c) enabling the application management to maintain a VDI application connection between the VDI user device and the at least one application server after the VDI user device executes the application deployed on the at least one application server based on the license. 
     Another objective of certain embodiments of the invention is to provide an application management network device for used in a cloud computing system. The cloud computing system comprises the application management network device and at least one application server. A VDI user device connects to the cloud computing system via network. The application management network device comprises a storage unit, a transceiver and a processing unit. 
     The storage unit is configured to store a license of an application deployed on the at least one application server. The transceiver is configured to receive an application request from the VDI user device. The application request is used for requesting usage of the application deployed on the at least one application server. The processing unit is configured to distribute the license of the application to the VDI user device according to the application request via the transceiver, and to maintain a VDI application connection between the VDI user device and the at least one application server via the transceiver after the VDI user device executes the application deployed on the at least one application server based on the license. 
     The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic view of a network environment of an application management network device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a block diagram of the application management network device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of another network environment of the application management network device according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart diagram of a application management method according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 4A-4B  are flowchart diagrams of a application management method according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention may be explained with reference to the following example embodiments thereof. However, these example embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific examples, embodiments, environments, applications or implementations described in these embodiments. Therefore, description of these example embodiments is only for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention. In the following embodiments and the attached drawings, elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from depiction; and dimensional relationships among individual elements in the attached drawings are illustrated only for ease of understanding but not to limit the actual scale. 
     Refer to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B .  FIG. 1A  is a schematic view of a network environment of an application management network device  11  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The application management network device  11  is used in a cloud computing system  1 . The cloud computing system  1  further comprises at least one application server. In the first embodiment, the at least one application server includes only an application server  13 . A virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) user device  2  connects to the cloud computing system  1  via network based on VDI protocol. It should be noted that the VDI protocol should be known by the people in the art; therefore, it will not be further described. 
       FIG. 1B  is a block diagram of the application management network device  11  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The application management network device  11  comprises a transceiver  111 , a processing unit  113  and a storage unit  115 . The storage unit  115  stores a license  110  of an application A deployed on the application server  13 . Interactions between the network components will be further elucidated hereinbelow. 
     Firstly, when a user wants to use an application, the user logins cloud computing system  1  though VDI user device  2  via network. Then the user transmits an application request  20  by the VDI user device  2  to the application management network device  11  while the application request  20  is used for requesting usage of the application A deployed on the application server  13 . In other words, the transceiver  111  of the application management network device  11  receives the application request  20  from the VDI user device  2 . 
     Next, after checking the available license stored in the storage unit  115 , the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  distributes the license  110  of the application A to the VDI user device  2  according to the application request  20  via the transceiver  111  so that the VDI user device  2  is capable of using the application A deployed on the application server  13  legally. 
     More specifically, since the VDI user device  2  receives the license  110  of the application A, the VDI user device  2  is capable of using the application A legally. Accordingly, the VDI user device  2  can establish a VDI application connection  26  with the application server  13  via the VDI protocol and execute the application A on the application server  13  based on the license  110 . On the other hand, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  then maintains the VDI application connection  26  via the transceiver  111 . 
     Accordingly, in the cloud computing system  1  described in the first embodiment, when VDI user device  2  needs to use application A deployed on the application server  13 , the VDI user device  2  transmits the application request  20  to the application management network device  11  for asking the license of the application A. Then, if there is available license  110  of application A, the application management network device  11  distributes the license  110  to the VDI user device  2  so that the VDI user device  2  is authorized to establish the VDI connection  26  with the application server  13  and execute the application A on the application server  13 . Then the application management network device  11  is in charge of maintaining the VDI connection  26 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic view of another network environment of the application management network device  11  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It shall be particularly noted that, the network structure of the second embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment, so components bearing the same reference numerals have the same functions and will not be further described herein. 
     In the second embodiment, the application management network device  11  is used in a cloud computing system  1 ′. The cloud computing system  1 ′ further comprises another application management network device  15  and two application servers  17 . The at least one application server includes two application servers  13 . The VDI user device  2  connects to the cloud computing system  1 ′ via network based on VDI protocol as well. 
     In the second embodiment, before receiving any information from the VDI user device  2 , the application management network device  11  informs the VDI user device  2  of the available application. Particularly, the transceiver  111  of the application management network device  11  firstly connects with the VDI user device  2 . Then, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  determines an available application list  118  for the VDI user device  2 . 
     It should be noted that, based on the disclosure of the present invention, the people in the art can understand easily that the available application list can be determined based on the identification of the VDI user device (ex., the purchased licenses of the applications by the specific VDI user device) and the applications deployed on the application servers of the could computing system  1 ′. 
     Afterward, the transceiver  111  of the application management network device  11  transmits the available application list  118  to the VDI user device  2 . Accordingly, the VDI user device  2  is capable of selecting the usable applications from the available application list  118 , and executes the application directly on the application server. 
     Similarly, the user then transmits an application request  22  by the VDI user device  2  to the application management network device  11  while the application request  22  is used for requesting usage of the application A deployed on the application server  13 . In other words, the transceiver  111  of the application management network device  11  receives the application request  22  from the VDI user device  2 . 
     Next, after checking the available license stored in the storage unit  115 , the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  distributes a license  112  of the application A to the VDI user device  2  according to the application request  22  via the transceiver  111  so that the VDI user device  2  is capable of using the application A deployed on the application server  13  legally. Further, since the license  112  is occupied by the VDI user device  2 , the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  records the license  112  as an unavailable status in the storage unit  115  for preventing the overused of the application A. 
     Then, the VDI user device  2  establishes a VDI application connection  28  with the application server  13  via the VDI protocol and executes the application A on the application server  13  based on the license  112 . On the other hand, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  then maintains the VDI application connection  28  via the transceiver  111 . 
     Furthermore, if the VDI user device  2  fails the VDI application connection  28  with the application server  13 , the application management network device  11  should recall the licenses. Specifically, when the VDI application connection  28  is disconnected (ex., the VDI user device  2  logout, the network crashed), the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  is capable of determining that the VDI application connection  28  is disabled. 
     Accordingly, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  recalls the license  112  of the application A since the license  112  is no longer used by the VDI user device  2 . And the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  records the license  112  as an available status in the storage unit  115  so that the license  112  can be issued again later. 
     It should be noted that, in the second embodiment, if there is not enough license of application A in the storage unit  115 , the application management network device  11  can retrieve possible license of the application A from other application management network devices if the VDI user device  2  had the authorization of accessing other application management network devices. 
     Specifically, after receiving the application request  22  from the VDI user device  2 , the application management network device  11  checks if there is any available license of application A stored in the storage unit  115 . If there is not, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  retrieves a license  114  of application A from another application management network device  15  via the transceiver  111 . 
     And then the transceiver  111  distributes the license  114  of application A to the VDI user device  2  accordingly so that the VDI user device  2  establishes a VDI application connection  29  with the application server  13  via the VDI protocol and executes the application A on the application server  13  based on the license  114 . 
     Similarly, if the VDI user device  2  fails the VDI application connection  29  with the application server  13 , the application management network device  11  should recall the licenses. Specifically, when the VDI application connection  29  is disconnected, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  is capable of determining that the VDI application connection  29  is disabled. 
     Accordingly, the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  recalls the license  114  of the application A since the license  112  is no longer used by the VDI user device  2 . And the processing unit  113  of the application management network device  11  returns the license  114  to another application management network device  15 . 
     In the cloud computing system  1 ′ described in the second embodiment, when VDI user device  2  can select the application from the available application list  118  transmitted from the application management network device  11 , the status of the license  112  can be recorded in the storage unit  115 , and the license  114  of application A can be retrieved from another application management network device  15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a flowchart diagram of an application management method according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The application management method of the third embodiment is for use in an application management network device (e.g., the application management network device of the first embodiment). The application management network device is used in a cloud computing system. The cloud computing system further comprises at least one application server. 
     Steps of the application management method of the third embodiment will be detailed as follows. First, step  301  is executed to enable the application management network device to receive an application request from the VDI user device. The application request is used for requesting usage of an application deployed on the at least one application server. 
     Then, step  302  is executed to enable the application management network device to distribute a license of the application to the VDI user device according to the application request. Finally, step  303  is executed to enable the application management network device to maintain a VDI application connection between the VDI user device and the at least one application server after the VDI user device executes the application deployed on the at least one application server based on the license. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a flowchart diagram of an application management method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The application management method of the fourth embodiment is for use in an application management network device (e.g., the application management network device of the second embodiment). The application management network device is used in a cloud computing system. The cloud computing system further comprises at least one application server and another application management network device. 
     Steps of the application management method of the fourth embodiment will be detailed as follows. Step  401  is executed to enable the application management network device to connect with the VDI user device. Step  402  is executed to enable the application management network device to determine an available application list for the VDI user device. Step  403  is executed to enable the application management network device to transmit the available application list to the VDI user device so that the VDI user device is capable of selecting the application from the available application list. 
     Next, step  404  is executed to enable the application management network device to receive an application request from the VDI user device. The application request is used for requesting usage of an application deployed on the at least one application server. Then, if there is enough license of the application in the application management network device, step  405  is executed to enable the application management network device to distribute a license of the application to the VDI user device according to the application request. 
     Afterwards, step  406  is executed to enable the application management network device to record the license of the application as an unavailable status. Step  407  is executed to enable the application management network device to maintain a VDI application connection between the VDI user device and the at least one application server after the VDI user device executes the application deployed on the at least one application server based on the license. 
     Step  408  is executed to enable the application management network device to determine that the VDI application connection is disabled. Step  409  is then executed to enable the application management network device to recall the license of the application. Step  410  is executed to enable the application management network device to record the license of the application as an available status. 
     On the other hand, if there is not enough license of the application in the application management network device, step  411  is firstly executed to enable the application management network device to retrieve the license of the application from the another application management network device, and step  412  is executed to enable the application management network device to return the license of the application to the another application management network device after step  409 . 
     According to the above descriptions of the application management network device and the application management method thereof of the present invention, the user can purchase the license of the applications and execute them directly on the could computing system without downloading. Accordingly, the defects existed in the prior art can be solved. 
     The above disclosure is related to the detailed technical contents and inventive features thereof. People skilled in this field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as described without departing from the characteristics thereof. Nevertheless, although such modifications and replacements are not fully disclosed in the above descriptions, they have substantially been covered in the following claims as appended.