DEVICE COLLABORATION IN A VIRTUAL SESSION

• US 20140012892A1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Aventura HQ Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Jaudon, Joe, Lowrey, David, Williams, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for using a central server computer system disposed to dynamically manage collaboration between terminal devices and peripheral devices during a virtual session. The central server computer system may associate a peripheral device with a virtual session hosted by a host device. The virtual session may be further associated with a terminal device communicatively coupled with the central server computer system. The central server computer system may establish a connection between the central server computer system and the peripheral device; forward peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device such that the virtual session perceives the peripheral device as locally connected to the host device; and forward user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the terminal device.

Claims

1. A system for managing virtual sessions, comprising:

a peripheral device configured to transmit or receive peripheral data;

a terminal device;

a host device configured to host a virtual session associated with the terminal device; and

a central server computer system communicatively coupled with the peripheral device, the terminal device, and the host device, the central server computer system configured to;

associate the peripheral device with the virtual session hosted by a host device;

establish a connection between the central server computer system and the peripheral device;

forward peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device such that the virtual session perceives the peripheral device as locally connected to the host device; and

forward user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the terminal device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal device comprises a first terminal device and the central server computer system is further configured to:

detect a movement of a user from the first terminal device to a second terminal device communicatively coupled with the central server computer system; and

begin forwarding the user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the second terminal device based on the detected movement of the user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

discontinue the forwarding of user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the first terminal device based on a logout event received from the first terminal device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:

continue forwarding the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device following the logout event and prior to receiving a login event from the second terminal device.

21. The central server computer system of claim 1, wherein the switching module is further configured to:

forward the user interface data associated with the virtual session over a first network; and

forward the peripheral data between the central server computer system and the peripheral device over at least a second network.

5. A method of managing virtual sessions, comprising:

associating, at a central server computer system, a peripheral device with a virtual session hosted by a host device, wherein the virtual session is further associated with a terminal device communicatively coupled with the central server computer system;

establishing a connection between the central server computer system and the peripheral device;

forwarding peripheral data at the central server computer system between the peripheral device and the host device such that the virtual session perceives the peripheral device as locally connected to the host device; and

forwarding user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the terminal device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the terminal device comprises a first terminal device, the method further comprising:

detecting a movement of a user from the first terminal device to a second terminal device communicatively coupled with the central server computer system; and

forwarding the user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the second terminal device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

discontinuing the forwarding of user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the first terminal device based on a logout event received from the first terminal device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

continuing to forward the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device following the logout event and prior to receiving a login event from the second terminal device.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request at the central server computer system to associate the peripheral device with the virtual session;

wherein the forwarding of the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device occurs in response to the request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request is received at the central server computer system from the terminal device.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the forwarding the user interface data associated with the virtual session between the central server computer system and the terminal device occurs over a first network; and

the forwarding the peripheral data between the central server computer system and the peripheral device occurs over at least a second network.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

authenticating a user of the peripheral device at the central server computer system;

wherein the forwarding of the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device occurs in response to the authenticating.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the establishing the connection between the central server computer system and the peripheral device comprises:

communicating at the central server computer system with a second terminal device comprising a local connection to the peripheral device.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the user interface data is at least partially based on the peripheral data.

15. A central server computer system, comprising:

a device association module configured to associate a peripheral device with a virtual session hosted by a host device, wherein the virtual session is further associated with a terminal device communicatively coupled with the central server computer system;

a peripheral device connection module configured to establish a connection between the central server computer system and the peripheral device; and

a switching module configured to forward peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device, such that the virtual session perceives the peripheral device as locally connected to the host device, and forward user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the terminal device.

16. The central server computer system of claim 15, wherein the terminal device comprises a first terminal device, the central server computer system further comprising:

a user context module configured to detect a movement of a user from the first terminal device to a second terminal device communicatively coupled with the central server computer system;

wherein the switching module is further configured to begin forwarding the user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the second terminal device based on the detected movement of the user.

17. The central server computer system of claim 16, wherein the switching module is further configured to:

discontinue the forwarding of user interface data associated with the virtual session between the host device and the first terminal device based on a logout event received from the first terminal device.

18. The central server computer system of claim 17, wherein the switching module is further configured to:

continue forwarding the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device following the logout event and prior to receiving a login event from the second terminal device.

19. The central server computer system of claim 15, wherein:

the device association module is further configured to receive a request to associate the peripheral device with the virtual session; and

the forwarding of the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device occurs in response to the request.

20. The central server computer system of claim 19, wherein the request is received from the terminal device.

22. The central server computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

an authentication module configured to authenticate a user of the peripheral device at the central server computer system;

wherein the forwarding of the peripheral data between the peripheral device and the host device occurs in response to the authenticating.

23. The central server computer system of claim 15, wherein the device connection module is further configured to:

communicate at the central server computer system with a second terminal device comprising a local connection to the peripheral device to establish the connection between the central server computer system and the peripheral device.

24. The central server computer system of claim 15, wherein the user interface data is at least partially based on the peripheral data.