Associating multiple display units in a grouped server environment

• US 20020046300A1
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanko, James G., Peacock, J. Kent, Varma, Sangeeta
• Granted Patent: US 6,915,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention provides a mechanism for grouping several standard computers and making them act as one to generate a multi-head display. In one embodiment, the computers are designated as either “primary” or “secondary” terminals. In one embodiment, a set of policy modules decides whether and what type of computational service should be provided to the terminal. For a secondary terminal, the module determines whether the primary terminal of the group has an active session connected to any of the servers. If the primary terminal is being controlled by the server to which the secondary terminal is connected, then session connection information for the primary is augmented to indicate that the secondary is attached to the same session. If not, then the secondary is commanded to attach to the server hosting the primary terminal. A special session is presented where the primary is not attached to any server.

Claims

1. A method for associating multiple display units in a grouped server environment comprising:

identifying when an event occurs that is associated with a secondary device;

determining whether a primary device associated with said secondary device has an associated active session; and

performing an action, if said primary device does have said associated active session.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said action comprises:

determining a first location for said active session;

determining a second location for a connection for said secondary device; and

determining whether said first and second locations are the same location.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

redirecting said connection to said first location, if said first and second locations are not the same location.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

augmenting said active session to indicate that said first and second locations are the same location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said primary and secondary devices are human interface devices.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second locations are servers.

7. A grouped server environment having multiple associated display units comprising:

an event associated with a secondary device configured to be identified;

a determiner configured to determine whether a primary device associated with said secondary device has an associated active session; and

an action configured to be performed, if said primary device does have said associated active session.

8. The grouped server environment of claim 7 wherein said action comprises:

a first location for said active session configured to be determined;

a second location for a connection for said secondary device configured to be determined; and

an identifier configured to determine whether said first and second locations are the same location.

9. The grouped server environment of claim 8 further comprising:

a redirector configured to redirect said connection to said first location, if said first and second locations are not the same location.

10. The grouped server environment of claim 9 further comprising:

an indicator configured to augment said active session to indicate that said first and second locations are the same location.

11. The grouped server environment of claim 7 wherein said primary and secondary devices are human interface devices.

12. The grouped server environment of claim 7 wherein said first and second locations are servers.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to perform an action comprises:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a first location for said active session;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a second location for a connection for said secondary device; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine whether said first and second locations are the same location.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to redirect said connection to said first location, if said first and second locations are not the same location.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to augment said active session to indicate that said first and second locations are the same location.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said primary and secondary devices are human interface devices.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said first and second locations are servers.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured for associating multiple display units in a grouped server environment, comprising;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to identify when an event occurs that is associated with a secondary device;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine whether a primary device associated with said secondary device has an associated active session; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to perform an action, if said primary device does have said associated active session.