Central system based user interface resource management

• US 8,271,880 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/874,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20050065769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,009 Days
• Field of Search: 715/703, 715737-738, 715744-745, 719/329
• US Class Current: 715/737
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/503 Resource availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities

Abstract

A system and method for managing the utilization of user interface resources. Various aspects of the present invention comprise establishing a wireless communication link between a first system and a second system. The second system may be communicatively coupled to one or more user interface resources. The second system may, for example, determine whether at least a portion of a user interface resource is available for use with the first system. The second system may, for example, communicate the availability of various user interface resources for use with the first system. Various aspects may comprise requesting allocation of at least a portion of a user interface resource for use with the first system. The second system may allocate at least a portion of a requested user interface resource for use with the first system. Various aspects of the present invention also comprise system components that perform the above-mentioned operations.

Claims

1. In communication network comprising a mobile device and a general purpose computing device that is separate from the mobile device, the general purpose computing device comprising at least one processor, memory, at least one storage module, and a user interface device, a method for communicating between the mobile device and the general purpose computing device, the method comprising:

performing by one or more processors implemented within the mobile device, functions comprising;

establishing a wireless communication link with the general purpose computing device;

receiving information from the general purpose computing device, the received information indicating that a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device;

requesting allocation of the portion of the user interface device for use with the mobile device; and

receiving by the mobile device, an indication that the portion of the user interface device has been allocated for use with the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the allocated portion of the user interface device, and wherein the utilizing comprises communicating information with the user interface device through the general purpose computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, comprises performing by the one or more processors, authentication screening of at least one of the mobile device and the general purpose computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving a signal from the general purpose computing device indicating that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating by the mobile device that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by the mobile device, input indicating that a user of the mobile device desires to utilize the portion of the user interface device with the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating by the mobile device that the portion of the user interface device has been allocated for use with the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing by the mobile device, the allocated portion of the user interface device, and wherein the utilizing comprises at least one of:

encrypting by the one or more processors, at least a portion of information transmitted by the mobile device during use of the allocated portion of the user interface device; and

decrypting by the one or more processors, at least a portion of information received by the mobile device during use of the allocated portion of the user interface device.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the allocated portion of the user interface device for a first user interface while a second portion of the user interface device is being utilized for a second user interface independent of the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface device comprises a video display device, and the allocated portion of the user interface device corresponds to a window displayed on the video display device.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one instruction via the mobile device to search for one or more user interface devices external to the mobile device that are available for use with the mobile device, and notifying the user of the mobile device when the one or more user interface devices have been found.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising outputting an audible indication via the mobile device, the audible indication indicative of one or more user interface devices external to the mobile device that have been found to be available for use with the mobile device.

9. A mobile device for use in a communication network, the communication network comprising a mobile device and a general purpose computing device that is separate from the mobile device, the general purpose computing device comprising at least one processor, memory, at least one storage module, and a user interface device, the mobile device comprising at least one module that operates to, at least:

establish a wireless communication link with the general purpose computing device;

receive information from the general purpose computing device indicating that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device;

request allocation from the general purpose computing device, of a portion of the user interface device for use with the mobile device; and

receive an indication from the general purpose computing device that the portion of the user interface device has been allocated for use with the mobile device.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module further operates to utilize the allocated portion of the user interface device by, at least in part, operating to communicate information with the user interface device through the general purpose computing device.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module further operates to perform authentication screening of at least one of the mobile device and the general purpose computing device.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module operates to receive a signal from the general purpose computing device indicating that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module further operates to indicate that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module further operates to receive an input indicating that a user desires to use a portion of the user interface device with the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module further operates to indicate that the portion of the user interface device has been allocated for use with the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module operates to encrypt or decrypt at least a portion of information communicated between the mobile device and the user interface device during use of the user interface device with the mobile device.

29. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module operates to utilize the allocated portion of the user interface device for a first user interface while a second portion of the user interface device is being utilized for a second user interface independent of the mobile device.

30. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the user interface device comprises a video display device, and the allocated portion of the user interface device corresponds to a window displayed on the video display device.

31. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module operates to receive at least one instruction via the mobile device to search for one or more user interface devices external to the mobile device that are available for use with the mobile device and to notify the user of the mobile device when the one or more user interface devices have been found.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein the at least one module operates to output an audible indication via the mobile device, the audible indication indicative of one or more user interface devices external to the mobile device that have been found to be available for use with the mobile device.

17. A mobile device for use in a communication network, the communication network comprising a mobile device and a general purpose computing device that is separate from the mobile device, the general purpose computing device comprising at least one processor, memory, at least one storage module, and a user interface device, the mobile device comprising at least one module that operates to, at least:

establish a wireless communication link with the general purpose computing device;

receive information from the general purpose computing device indicating that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device;

request allocation from the general purpose computing device, of a portion of the user interface device for use with the mobile device; and

receive an indication from the general purpose computing device that the portion of the user interface device has been allocated for use with the mobile device, wherein the allocated portion of the user interface device comprises one or more of a mouse user interface resource, a keyboard user interface resource, and/or a video display user interface resource.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module further operates to utilize the allocated portion of the user interface device by, at least in part, operating to communicate information with the user interface device through the general purpose computing device.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module further operates to perform authentication screening of at least one of the mobile device and the general purpose computing device.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module operates to receive a signal from the general purpose computing device indicating that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module further operates to indicate that at least a portion of the user interface device is available for use with the mobile device.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module further operates to receive an input indicating that a user desires to use a portion of the user interface device with the mobile device.

23. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module further operates to indicate that the portion of the user interface device has been allocated for use with the mobile device.

24. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the at least one module operates to encrypt or decrypt at least a portion of information communicated between the mobile device and the user interface device during use of the user interface device with the mobile device.