Method, system, and apparatus for communicating with a computer management device

• US 8,359,384 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Kalbarga, Subash
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gupta, Muktesh G
• Application Number:
  US12/889,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/105 where the programme performs an input/output emulation function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for enabling communication with a computer management device. According to a method one or more vendor specific commands for communicating with a management device are defined according to a first communication standard. The one or more vendor specific commands are then transmitted to the management device over a communication link conforming to a second communication standard. A device conforming to the second communication standard may be emulated on the communication link. If vendor specific commands are received by the management device that are not intended for the emulated device, the commands may be used for communicating with the management device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a computer management device, the method comprising:

transmitting first and second commands to the management device over a communications link, wherein the first and second commands conform to a first communication standard, wherein the first command is a vendor specific command for modifying configuration data associated with the management device or for obtaining coordinates of a user input cursor on a remote computer system that is connected to a host computer via the management device, wherein the second command is a storage operation command, and wherein the communications link conforms to a second communication standard;

emulating, at the management device, a device accessible through the communications link, wherein the emulated device conforms to the second communication standard;

receiving, at the management device, the first and second commands through a same interface of the communications link;

determining whether the first and second commands are emulated device commands for communicating with the emulated device; and

in response to determining that the first command is not an emulated device command for communicating with the emulated device, utilizing the received first command for communicating with the management device and utilizing data contained in the received first command to configure the management device; and

in response to determining that the second command is for communicating with the emulated device, passing the second command to the emulated device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the management device comprises setting a network address of the management device based upon the contents of the received first command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication standard comprises the SCSI standard, the second communication standard comprises the USB standard, and wherein the emulated device comprises a USB mass storage device.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

5. A computer-controlled apparatus configured for performing the method of claim 1.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second command is a storage read command or a storage write command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first command instructs the management device to determine coordinates of a user input cursor on a remote computer system that is connected to a host computer via the management device.

6. A method for communicating with a computer management device, the method comprising:

transmitting first and second commands to the management device over a communications link, wherein the first and second commands conform to a first communication standard, wherein the first command is a vendor specific command for modifying configuration data associated with the computer management device or for obtaining coordinates of a user input cursor on a remote computer system that is connected to a host computer via the management device, wherein the second command is a storage operation command, and wherein the communications link conforms to a second communication standard;

emulating, at the management device, a device accessible through the communications link, wherein the emulated device conforms to the second communication standard;

receiving, at the management device, the first and second commands through a same interface of the communications link;

determining whether the first and second commands are emulated device commands for communicating with the emulated device;

in response to determining that the first command is not an emulated device command for communicating with the emulated device;

(i) utilizing the received first command for communicating with the management device;

(ii) causing the management device to determine the coordinates of a user input cursor on a remote computer system that is connected to a host computer via the management device, wherein the first command comprises requests from the host computer to periodically receive the coordinates; and

(iii) causing the management device to periodically transmit the coordinates to the host computer in response to the requests from the host computer; and

in response to determining that the second command is for communicating with the emulated device, passing the second command to the emulated device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the second command is a storage read command or a storage write command.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first command instructs the management device to determine coordinates of a user input cursor on a remote computer system that is connected to a host computer via the management device.