Method and system for providing a peripheral service to a host computing device

• US 20060123144A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Guzak, Chris J., Tricker, Michael G., Shapiro, Daniel J., Meyers, Brian R., Jancke, Gavin, Magendanz, Chad L., Grudin, Jonathan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,206,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for one computing device (the “provider”) to provide peripheral services to another device (the “host”). A user directly runs the host. The host accesses the provider as if the provider were a set of peripheral devices attached to the host. In this way, the host and provider become, in effect, one device with the combined capabilities of both devices. The provider switches between two modes: In standalone mode, the provider acts as an individual device; upon switching to auxiliary mode, the provider provides peripheral services to the host but can still run applications and present an input/output interface to its own user. When the peripheral device provided to the host is a display screen, the host can map the provided screen into the host'"'"'s own video memory, thus hiding implementation details from applications that use the screens. One device can simultaneously act as provider and host.

Claims

1. A system for a peripheral device having at least one service to provide the at least one service to a host computing device, at least one characteristic corresponding to the at least one service and the host computing device being distinct from the provider computing device, the system comprising:

means for running the peripheral device in a standalone mode, wherein the peripheral device sends information regarding the at least one characteristic of the at least one service to the host computing device;

means for receiving a request from the host computing device at the peripheral device responsive to sending the information regarding the at least one characteristic, the request being to provide the at least one service and to provide the peripheral device as an auxiliary peripheral device to the host computing device;

means for switching to an auxiliary mode; and

while running in the auxiliary mode, means for receiving commands from the host computing device at the peripheral device and operating the peripheral device in accordance with the received commands to provide the at least one service.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a service comprises an input function and wherein operating the peripheral device comprises receiving input information, the system further comprising:

means for sending received input information to the host computing device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein running in the peripheral device in a standalone mode comprises providing a command interface to a user of the peripheral device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein running in the auxiliary mode comprises providing a command interface to a user.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein receiving commands from the host computing device comprises running a Windows Terminal Services session with the host computing device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein operating the peripheral device comprises translating commands received from the host computing device into a format acceptable to the peripheral device.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for indicating a readiness to provide the peripheral device in response to the request.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for checking an authorization of the host computing device before providing the peripheral device upon receiving a request.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for providing status information to the host computing device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one characteristic of the at least one service includes information about the capability of the peripheral device.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for receiving a request to stop providing the peripheral device as an auxiliary peripheral device to the host computing device; and

means for switching to the standalone mode.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the host computing device comprises a host peripheral device, the system further comprising:

means for requesting that the host computing device provide its host peripheral device as an auxiliary peripheral device to the peripheral device; and

means for sending commands to the host computing device intended for the host'"'"'s peripheral device.

13. A system for a host computing device to use, as an auxiliary peripheral device to the host computing device, at least a portion of a display screen of a peripheral device, the host computing device distinct from the peripheral device, the system comprising:

means for receiving from the peripheral device information regarding a characteristic of the display screen;

means for requesting that the peripheral device provide at least a portion of the display screen as an auxiliary peripheral device to the host computing device in response to receiving the information regarding the characteristic;

means for allocating video memory on the host computing device to accommodate at least a portion of the display screen based on the characteristic;

means for accessing the allocated video memory to control, at least in part, the display screen; and

means for sending commands intended to operate at least a portion of the display screen responsive to the characteristic.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the display screen is a touch-sensitive display screen, the system further comprising:

means for receiving touch input information from the display screen.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the host computing device comprises a receiver, the system further comprising:

means for establishing communications with the peripheral device upon detecting that the peripheral device is in contact with the receiver.

16. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

means for receiving from the peripheral device an indication of readiness to provide the display screen.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

means for providing authorization information to the peripheral device.

18. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

means for receiving status information from the peripheral device.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the characteristic includes capability information about the display screen, the capability information selected from the group consisting of pixel size and color depth.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the host computing device comprises a host peripheral device, the system further comprising:

means for receiving a request that the host computing device provide the host peripheral device as an auxiliary peripheral device to the peripheral device; and

means for receiving commands from the peripheral device to operate the host peripheral device in accordance with the received commands.