Virtual device driver registry having a globally unique identifier supplying virtual driver call information to the requesting program
First Claim
1. A virtual device driver registry for use in connection with a computer system for providing virtual device driver call information to a program operating in said computer system in response to a call information request, the virtual device driver registry having a globally-unique identifier, the virtual device driver registry comprising:
- A. a registration database including a plurality of entries, each entry including a virtual device driver identifier and virtual device driver call information;
B. a virtual device driver registration element responsive to receipt of a virtual device driver registration request including virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information for establishing an entry in the registration data base including the virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information in the request; and
C. a registered information supply element responsive to a call information request from the program, the call information request including(i) the globally-unique identifier of the virtual device driver registry thereby to enable the virtual device driver registry to respond to the call information request, and(ii) the call information request further including a requested virtual device driver identifier, the registered information supply element in response to the call information request making available to the program virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual device driver registry for use in connection with a computer system for providing virtual device driver call information to a program operating in said computer system in response to a call information request. The virtual device driver registry maintains a registration database including a plurality of entries, each entry including a virtual device driver identifier and virtual device driver call information. The registry establishes the entries in the registration database in response to receipt of virtual device driver registration requests from the virtual device drivers as they are initialized. The registry responds to call information requests from the programs to provide call information for the registered virtual device drivers. Each call request includes a requested virtual device driver identifier, and the registered information supply element retrieves virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request. Accordingly, the virtual device driver registry ensures that the virtual device drivers in the set of virtual device drivers associated with the registry have identifiers that need only be unique for that registry. In addition, the registry provides for greater flexibility in selection of identifiers and enables use of a much larger set of identifiers than would be available using the Microsoft naming scheme, since the identifiers which are registered with the registry are not limited by the Microsoft global identifier scheme using sixteen bit identifiers.
92 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A virtual device driver registry for use in connection with a computer system for providing virtual device driver call information to a program operating in said computer system in response to a call information request, the virtual device driver registry having a globally-unique identifier, the virtual device driver registry comprising:
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A. a registration database including a plurality of entries, each entry including a virtual device driver identifier and virtual device driver call information; B. a virtual device driver registration element responsive to receipt of a virtual device driver registration request including virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information for establishing an entry in the registration data base including the virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information in the request; and C. a registered information supply element responsive to a call information request from the program, the call information request including (i) the globally-unique identifier of the virtual device driver registry thereby to enable the virtual device driver registry to respond to the call information request, and (ii) the call information request further including a requested virtual device driver identifier, the registered information supply element in response to the call information request making available to the program virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A virtual device driver registry for providing virtual device driver call information to a program in response to a call information request, the virtual device driver registry having a globally-unique identifier, the virtual device driver registry comprising:
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A. a computer system; and B. a control subsystem including; i. a virtual device driver registration element for enabling the computer system, responsive to receipt of a virtual device driver registration request including a globally-unique identifier of a virtual device driver registry and virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information, to establish an entry in a registration data base including the virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information in the request; and ii. a registered information supply element for enabling the computer system, responsive to a call information request from the program, the call information request including (a) the globally-unique identifier of the virtual device driver registry thereby to enable the registered information supply element to enable the computer system to respond to the call information request, and (b) a requested virtual device driver identifier, to make available to the program virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A control subsystem for use in connection with a computer system to establish a virtual device driver registry for providing virtual device driver call information to a program in response to a call information request, the virtual device driver registry having a globally-unique identifier, the control subsystem comprising:
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A. a virtual device driver registration element for enabling the computer system, responsive to receipt of a virtual device driver registration request including virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information, to establish an entry in a registration data base including the virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information in the request; and B. a registered information supply element for enabling the computer system, responsive to a call information request from the program, the call information request including (a) the globally-unique identifier of the virtual device driver registry thereby to enable the registered information supply element to enable the computer system to respond to the call information request, and (b) requested virtual device driver identifier, to make available to the program virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for use in connection with a computer system to establish a virtual device driver registry for providing virtual device driver call information to a program in response to a call information request, the virtual device driver registry having a globally-unique identifier, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium including:
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A. virtual device driver registration code devices for enabling the computer system, responsive to receipt of a virtual device driver registration request including virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information, to establish an entry in a registration data base including the virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information in the request; and B. registered information supply code devices for enabling the computer system, responsive to a call information request from the program, the call information request including (a) the globally-unique identifier of the virtual device driver registry thereby to enable the registered information supply element to enable the computer system to respond to the call information request, and (b) a requested virtual device driver identifier, to make available to the program virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a computer system to establish a virtual device driver registry for providing virtual device driver call information to a program in response to a call information request, the virtual device driver registry having a globally-unique identifier, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. enabling the computer system, responsive to receipt of a virtual device driver registration request including virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information, to establish an entry in a registration data base including the virtual device driver identifier information and virtual device driver device driver call information in the request; and B. enabling the computer system, responsive to a call information request from the program, the call information request including (a) the globally-unique identifier of the virtual device driver registry thereby to enable the registered information supply element to enable the computer system to respond to the call information request, and (b) a requested virtual device driver identifier, to make available to the program virtual device driver call information associated with the entry whose virtual device driver identifier corresponds to the requested virtual device driver identifier in the request. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification