Interfacing I/O devices with a mobile server

• US 7,539,487 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Zhong, Lin, Bittner, Ray A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; David Q
• Application Number:
  US11/275,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/574
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A mobile server is wirelessly communicable with at least one remote input/output (I/O) device to form a wireless personal-area network (PAN). The mobile server has at least one application program interface (API) allowing an application of arbitrary implementation on the mobile server to recognize and control at least one service implemented by the remote I/O device.

Claims

1. A mobile server wirelessly communicable with at least one remote input/output (I/O) device to form a wireless personal-area network (PAN), the mobile server comprising:

at least one application program interface (API) allowing an application of arbitrary implementation on the mobile server to recognize and control at least one service implemented by the remote I/O device,

wherein the at least one API allows the application to interact with the remote I/O device to;

send at least one of data and commands to the remote I/O device;

receive at least one of data and commands from the I/O device, and

wherein the at least one API comprises an Update Framebuffer API configured to send data in the form of a framebuffer to the remote I/O device for display by the remote I/O device when the Update Framebuffer API is called by the application, the framebuffer comprising source data and format data of the framebuffer, such that the remote I/O device can display the framebuffer information substantially immediately without further processing.

2. The mobile server of claim 1, further comprising a Receive API configured to retrieve commands from an I/O device to the mobile server when the Receive API is called by the application.

3. The mobile server of claim 1, further comprising an Instruction API configured to send an instruction from the mobile server to the remote I/O device when the Instruction API is called by the application.

4. The mobile server of claim 1, further comprising a Power API configured to instruct the remote I/O device to implement a power mode for a period of time until a next scheduled communication between the mobile server and the remote I/O device when the Power API is called by the application.

5. The mobile server of claim 1, further comprising a Message API configured to send data in the form of a text message from the mobile server to the remote 110 device when the Message API is called by the application, wherein the text message that the Message API is configured to send comprises at least one of an indication of a memory slot of the remote 110 device to store the message in, and an indication of a priority of the message.

6. The mobile server of claim 1, further comprising an Acknowledgement API configured to acknowledge that the mobile server has successfully received a command from the remote I/O device, when the Acknowledgement API is called by the application.

7. One or more computer storage media encoded with instructions capable of being executed by a processor for allowing an application of arbitrary implementation on a mobile server to recognize and control at least one service implemented by a remote input/output (I/O) device, the instructions including at least one application program interface (API) configured to perform acts comprising:

sending at least one of data and commands to the remote I/O device;

receiving at least one of data and commands from the I/O device, and

wherein the at least one API comprises a Message API configured to send data in the form of a text message from the mobile server to the remote I/O device when the Message API is called by the application, wherein the text message that the Message API is configured to send comprises at least one of an indication of a memory slot of the remote I/O device to store the message in, and an indication of a priority of the message.

8. The one or more computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising a Receive API configured to retrieve commands from an I/O device to the mobile server when the Receive API is called by the application.

9. The one or more computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising an Instruction API configured to send an instruction from the mobile server to the remote I/O device when the Instruction API is called by the application.

10. The one or more computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising a Power API configured to instruct the remote I/O device to implement a power mode for a period of time until a next scheduled communication between the mobile server and the remote I/O device when the Power API is called by the application.

11. The one or more computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising an Update Framebuffer API configured to send data in the form of a framebuffer to the remote I/O device for display by the remote I/O device when the Update Framebuffer API is called by the application, the framebuffer comprising source data and format data of the framebuffer, such that the remote I/O device can display the framebuffer information substantially immediately without further processing.

12. The one or more computer storage media of claim 7, further comprising an Acknowledgement API, which is configured to acknowledge that the mobile server has successfUlly received a command from the remote I/O device, when the Acknowledgment API is called by the application.

13. A mobile server wirelessly communicable with at least one remote input/output (110) device to form a wireless personal-area network (PAN), the server comprising:

interface means for allowing an application of arbitrary implementation on the mobile server to recognize and control at least one service implemented by the remote I/O device,

wherein the interface means includes means for;

sending at least one of data and commands to the remote I/O device;

receiving at least one of data and commands from the I/O device, and

wherein the interface means comprises at least one of;

framebuffer means for sending data in the form of a framebuffer to the remote 110 device for display by the remote 110 device when the framebuffer means is called by the application, the framebuffer comprising source data and format data of the framebuffer, such that the remote 110 device can display the framebuffer information substantially immediately without farther processing; and

message means for sending data in the form of a text message from the mobile server to the remote 110 device when the message means is called by the application, wherein the text message that the message means is configured to send comprises at least one of an indication of a memory slot of the remote 110 device to store the message in, and an indication of a priority of the message.

14. The mobile server of claim 13, wherein the interface means further comprises receiving means for retrieving commands from an I/O device to the mobile server when the receiving means is called by the application.

15. The mobile server of claim 13, wherein the interface means further comprises instructions means for sending an instruction from the mobile server to the remote 110 device when the instruction means is called by the application.

16. The mobile server of claim 13, wherein the interface means further comprises power means for instructing the remote I/O device to implement a power mode for a period of time until a next scheduled communication between the mobile server and the remote I/O device when the power means is called by the application.

17. The mobile server of claim 13, wherein the interface means further comprises acknowledgment means for acknowledging that the mobile server has successfully received a command from the remote I/O device, when the response means is called by the application.