ASSIGNMENT OF CONTROL OF PERIPHERALS OF A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20130185463A1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Koenig, Michael F., Snyder, Ira, Creasey, Jack, Srinivasan, Jai, Mitra, Kanchan
• Granted Patent: US 9,189,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

Techniques for enabling software-assisted assignment of control of peripherals (e.g., assigning ownership of or assigning access to the peripherals) by a computing device. In accordance with techniques described herein, assignment of control of peripherals is aided by input from software facilities that instruct a peripheral management facility regarding assignment of peripherals. Software facilities may instruct the peripheral management facility in different ways. In some cases, a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a peripheral in a particular way, while in other cases a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a group of peripherals. In other cases, a software facility may not instruct a peripheral management facility how to assign control of peripherals, but may identify one or more groups of peripherals for which control should be assigned as a group.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

at least one hub, the hub including a plurality of interface devices connected thereto; and

a single computing device communicatively coupled to the hub, the single computing device comprising;

at least one processor; and

a memory including;

a management component having instructions that when executed on a processor, forms at least one terminal group, the terminal group including one or more interface devices, each interface device associated with a user and used by a user to interact with the single computing device, and

an operating system, having instructions that when executed on a processor, manages a single session of the operating system for a terminal group, the session receiving input from one or more users through the interface devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the single session of the operating system executes a single instance of an application that receives inputs from users through the interface devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface devices include a plurality of pointing devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface devices include a plurality of wireless mice.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hub is communicatively coupled to the interface devices through a wireless connection.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the single computing device is configured to perform processing on behalf of all users within the terminal group.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the single computing device further comprises at least one display, the display used to show input received from one or more users associated with the terminal group.

8. A method for configuring peripheral devices of a single computing device, the method comprising:

detecting, via a processor, at least one management hub, the management hub communicatively coupled to one or more peripheral devices, each peripheral device associated with a user, the peripheral device configured to receive input from a user;

for each management hub;

detecting, via a processor, at least one peripheral device communicatively coupled to the management hub;

grouping at least one peripheral device into a terminal group; and

creating a session for the terminal group.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving input from each user associated with the terminal group.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the input from each user onto a display device coupled to the single computing device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

coupling each peripheral device to the at least one management hub through a wireless connection.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein each peripheral device is a pointing device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein each peripheral device is a mouse.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the management hubs is a USB hub.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing thereon processor-executable instructions, comprising:

a first set of instructions that when executed on a processor, forms at least one terminal group, the terminal group including one or more interface devices, each interface device associated with a user for use in interacting with a single computing device, each interface device communicatively coupled to a hub, the hub communicatively coupled to the single computing device; and

a second set of instructions that when executed on a processor, generates a user session for users of each interface device associated with the terminal group.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the interface devices include a plurality of pointing devices coupled to the hub through a wireless connection.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

a third set of instructions, that when executed on a processor, displays input received from one or more users.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user session is a single session of an application that receives inputs from users through the interface devices.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user session is under control of a sole user.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth set of instructions, that when executed on a processor, indicate a policy for use in forming a terminal group.