LOW-LEVEL REMOTE SHARING OF LOCAL DEVICES IN A REMOTE ACCESS SESSION ACROSS A COMPUTER NETWORK

• US 20100121959A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Jian, Yuan, Zheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a remote access session may be established between a first computer and a second computer. In response to detecting a device in low-level local communication with the first computer via a first local communication port of the first computer, the low-level local communication at the first local communication port may be intercepted and transmitted to the second computer via the remote access session. Then, the low-level local communication may be injected to a second local communication port of the second computer, wherein the second computer responds to the low-level local communication as though the device were located at the second local communication port of the second computer. For example, the device may be configured to autoconnect with the second computer via the remote access session when the device is connected to the first computer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a remote access session between a first computer and a second computer;

detecting a device in low-level local communication with the first computer via a first local communication port of the first computer;

intercepting the low-level local communication at the first local communication port;

transmitting the low-level local communication to the second computer via the remote access session; and

injecting the low-level local communication to a second local communication port of the second computer, wherein the second computer responds to the low-level local communication as though the device were located at the second local communication port of the second computer.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the device to autoconnect with the second computer via the remote access session when the device is connected to the first computer.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the device is configured to autoconnect in response to detecting the device; and

establishing the remote access session in response to detecting the device and determining that the device is configured to autoconnect with the second computer.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising:

prompting for a password to establish the remote access session in response to detecting the device and determining that the device is configured to autoconnect with the second computer.

5. The method as in claim 2, further comprising:

performing an autosync operation between the device and a corresponding file folder of the second computer.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

prompting, in an established remote access session, for allowance of the intercepting, transmitting, and injecting.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a second low-level local communication from the second computer to the second local connection port;

intercepting the second low-level local communication at the second local communication port;

transmitting the second low-level local communication to the first computer via the remote access session; and

injecting the second low-level local communication to the first local communication port of the first computer, wherein the first local communication port transmits the second low-level local communication to the device as though the second low-level local communication were sent from the first computer.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the first computer is a local computer and the second computer is a remote computer.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the second computer is a local computer and the first computer is a remote computer.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the first and second local communication ports are selected from a group consisting of:

a universal serial bus (USB) port, and a wireless personal area network port.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the device is selected from a group consisting of:

a storage device, a music player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a phone.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the remote access session is an online collaborative computing session.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein the low-level local communication comprises messages having a format and content defined by a protocol suitable for communication between the local communication port and the device.

14. A system, comprising:

a first computer having a first local communication port;

a device in low-level local communication with the first computer via the first local communication port;

a second computer having a second local communication port; and

a remote access session between the first computer and the second computer, wherein the remote access session on the first computer is configured to, in response to detecting the device, intercept the low-level local communication at the first local communication port and transmit the low-level local communication to the second computer via the remote access session, and wherein the remote access session on the second computer is configured to inject the low-level local communication to the second local communication port of the second computer, wherein the second computer responds to the low-level local communication as though the device were located at the second local communication port of the second computer.

15. The system as in claim 14, wherein the device is configured to autoconnect with the second computer via the remote access session when the device is connected to the first computer.

16. The system as in claim 15, wherein the first computer is configured to determine that the device is configured to autoconnect, and in response, establish the remote access session.

17. The system as in claim 15, wherein the device is configured to perform an autosync operation between the device and a corresponding file folder of the second computer.

18. The system as in claim 14, wherein the second computer is configured to send a second low-level local communication to the second local connection port, and the remote access session on the second computer is configured to intercept the second low-level local communication at the second local communication port and transmit the second low-level local communication to the first computer via the remote access session, and the remote access session on the first computer is configured to inject the second low-level local communication to the first local communication port of the first computer, wherein the first local communication port transmits the second low-level local communication to the device as though the second low-level local communication were sent from the first computer.

19. Software encoded in one or more computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

establish a remote access session between a first computer and a second computer;

detect a device in low-level local communication with the first computer via a first local communication port of the first computer;

intercept the low-level local communication at the first local communication port;

transmit the low-level local communication to the second computer via the remote access session; and

inject the low-level local communication to a second local communication port of the second computer, wherein the second computer responds to the low-level local communication as though the device were located at the second local communication port of the second computer.

20. The software as in claim 19, when executed further operable to:

determine, in response to detecting the device, that the device is configured to autoconnect with the second computer via the remote access session when the device is connected to the first computer; and

establish the remote access session in response to detecting the device and determining that the device is configured to autoconnect with the second computer.

21. The software as in claim 19, when executed further operable to:

determine, in response to detecting the device, that the device is configured to autoconnect with the second computer via the remote access session when the device is connected to the first computer; and

perform an autosync operation between the device and a corresponding file folder of the second computer.

22. The software as in claim 19, when executed further operable to:

send a second low-level local communication from the second computer to the second local connection port;

intercept the second low-level local communication at the second local communication port;

transmit the second low-level local communication to the first computer via the remote access session; and

inject the second low-level local communication to the first local communication port of the first computer, wherein the first local communication port transmits the second low-level local communication to the device as though the second low-level local communication were sent from the first computer.