Networked keyboard and mouse drivers

• US 7,911,446 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Terry, Olsen, Jesse D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia; Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US10/890,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,443 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/1.1, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/2.3, 345/701, 345/161, 345/810, 715/734, 715/733, 715/737, 715751-754, 715/748, 715/705, 715/801, 715/762, 709/223, 709/213, 709/216, 709/218, 709/205, 709/227, 709/204, 709/207, 709/230, 709/224, 709/238, 709/231, 700/11, 707/103, 370/316, 370/248, 370/251, 348/553, 348/4.07, 235/462.08, 358/1.9, 725/47, 180/333, 455/426.1
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method of controlling a computer in a network, includes: moving a cursor to a designated area of a screen of a first computer; receiving an input in a peripheral device associated with the first computer; transmitting the input as a packet across a network to a second computer; and receiving and processing the packet on the second computer so that the input in the peripheral device is used to control the second computer.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a computer in a network, the method comprising:

positioning a cursor at a designated area of a display screen of a first computer;

receiving first and second inputs in a keyboard or mouse associated with the first computer;

processing the first input with a first keyboard or mouse driver in the first computer to thereby control the first computer;

transmitting the second input in a packet across a network to a second computer with a network address;

wherein positioning the cursor at the designated area selects the network address as a destination of the packet; and

receiving and processing the packet on the second computer including processing the second input in the packet with a second keyboard or mouse driver in the second computer to thereby control the second computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet includes a header with an Internet Protocol address of the second computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated area is an edge of the screen.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning the cursor at another designated area of the display screen of the first computer;

receiving a third input in the keyboard or mouse associated with the first computer;

transmitting the third input in another packet across the network to a third computer with another network address;

wherein positioning the cursor at the another designated area selects the another network address as a destination of the packet; and

receiving and processing the another packet on the third computer including processing the third input in the another packet with a third keyboard or mouse driver in the third computer to thereby control the third computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the another designated area is another edge of the screen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer includes a first screen, wherein the second computer includes a second screen, wherein the first screen presents a first image in response to processing of the first input by the first mouse or keyboard driver and wherein the second screen presents a second image in response to processing of the second input by the second mouse or keyboard driver.

7. An apparatus for controlling a computer in a network, the apparatus comprising:

a first computer including a screen, the having a designated area configured to receive a cursor, a mouse or keyboard associated with the first computer configured to receive first and second inputs, and a mouse or keyboard driver configured to process the first input to thereby control the first computer;

a network configured to transmit the second input in a packet; and

a second computer with a network address and configured to receive and process the packet and including a second mouse or keyboard driver configured to process the second input in the packet to thereby control the second computer, wherein positioning the cursor to the designated area selects the network address as a destination of the packet.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the packet includes a header with an Internet Protocol address of the second computer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the designated area is an edge of the screen.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

wherein the mouse or keyboard is configured to receive a third input;

wherein the network is configured to transmit the third input in another packet;

a third computer with another network address;

wherein if the cursor is moved to another designated area of the screen of the first computer, then the third computer receives and processes the another packet including processing the third input in the another packet with a third mouse or keyboard driver in the third computer to thereby control the third computer and wherein moving the cursor to the another designated area identifies the another network address as a destination of the packet.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second computer includes a second screen and wherein the second mouse or keyboard driver is configured to process the second input in the packet to control the second computer so as to vary an image presented by the second screen.

12. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to;

move a cursor to a designated area of a screen of a first computer;

receive first and second inputs in a mouse or keyboard associated with the first computer;

process the first input with a first mouse or keyboard driver in the first computer to thereby control the first computer;

transmit the second input in a packet across a network to a second computer with a network address;

wherein moving the cursor to the designated area identifies the network address as a destination of the packet; and

receive and process the packet on the second computer including processing the second input in the packet with a second mouse or keyboard driver in the second computer to thereby control the second computer.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the second computer includes a second screen, wherein the second screen presents an image in response to processing of the packet by the second mouse or keyboard driver.

14. An apparatus for controlling a computer in a network, the apparatus comprising:

means for moving a cursor to a designated area of a screen of a first computer;

means for receiving first and second inputs in a mouse or keyboard associated with the first computer;

means for processing the first input with a first mouse or keyboard driver in the first computer to thereby control the first computer;

means for transmitting the input in a packet across a network to a second computer with a network address;

wherein moving the cursor to the designated area identifies the network address as a destination of the packet; and

means for receiving and for processing the packet on the second computer including processing the second input in the packet with a second mouse or keyboard driver in the second computer to thereby control the second computer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second computer includes a second screen and wherein the second mouse or keyboard driver is configured to process the second input in the packet to control the second computer so as to vary an image presented by the second screen.