User resource sharing through the USB interface

• US 6,993,620 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Ferguson, Patrick Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cerullo, Jeremy S.
• Application Number:
  US10/461,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20040268012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 710/305, 710/313, 710/106
• US Class Current: 710/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4009 with data restructuring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller

Abstract

A method of sharing user resources in a computer system through a universal serial bus (USB) interface. The method may involve, not necessarily in this order, associating at least one USB device with a first user and at least another USB device with a second user; assigning the first user to a first USB port; assigning the second user to a second USB port; permitting the first user to temporarily assume control of the computer system through the first USB port for operation of the at least one USB device; and blocking the second user from access to the computer system while the first user has temporary control of the computer system.

Claims

1. A method of sharing user resources in a computer system through a universal serial bus (USB) interface comprising:

associating at least a first USB device with a first user and at least a second USB device with a second user;

assigning the first user to a first USB port;

assigning the second user to a second USB port;

monitoring a USB transaction occurring between a USB device and the computer system to identify which USB device is participating in the monitored USB transaction;

permitting the first user to temporarily assume control of the computer system through the first USB port for operation of the at least one USB device if the at least one USB device is the identified USB device; and

blocking the second user from access to the computer system while the first user has temporary control of the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the blocking of the second user from access to the computer system is limited to devices assigned to the first user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first USB device is selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a USB human interface class device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification of which USB device includes identifying a device class for the USB device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification of which USB device comprises identifying through an application program that is resident on the computer system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification of which USB device includes monitoring a USB device driver for the USB device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring a USB transaction comprises snooping of USB transactions that occur between a USB device and the computer system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein signaling type for the snooping is selected from the group consisting of USB 1.1 protocol, USB 2.0 protocol, and split transaction protocol within the USB 2.0 definition.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein blocking of the second user comprises disabling the second USB port.

10. A USB communication system for sharing user resources comprising:

a host computer system having a USB host controller, a first USB hub circuitry, and transmitter circuitry, the USB host controller being configured to operate using a split transaction for the USB communications;

receiver circuitry having a second USB host circuitry that receives a non-USB format or USB communication signals as the signals appear between split start and split complete transaction operations at the host computer system, the transmitter circuitry being configured to forward the non-USB formatted USB communication signals across an extension between the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry;

a user transaction lockout filter disposed between the first USB hub circuitry and the second USB hub circuitry that performs snooping of the USB communication signals that appear between the split start and the split complete transaction operations at the host computer system;

at least one USB user interface device communicatively coupled to the receiver circuitry that receives USB communication signals from the second USB hub circuitry, the USB communication signals corresponding to the non-USB formatted communication signals that appear between the split start and split complete transaction operations at the host computer system; and

one or more users sharing the host computer system through the receiver circuitry and the transmitter circuitry, wherein the user transaction lockout filter identifies which of the one or more users sharing the host computer system is associated with the USB signals.

11. The USB communication system for sharing user resources of claim 10 wherein the one or more users that share the host computer system through the receiver circuitry are configured to block other users of the devices that are controlled by the one or more users.