Systems and methods for communicating and switching between components in a hybrid computing environment

• US 8,682,962 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Levono Company Limited
• Inventors: Roper, Matthew, Perrin, Steven R., Kelso, Scott E., Davis, Mark C., Bin, Li, Sheng, Wang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nalven, Andrew L
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUPRECHT, CHRISTOPHER S
• Application Number:
  US12/985,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20120166676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 712/31, 707/634, 709/250, 709/203, 713/100, 370/241
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein provide for communication between a base component and a tablet component of a hybrid computing system. The hybrid computing system is in a connected state when the base component and tablet component are connected. Systems and methods provide for a switch for determining control of the hybrid computing system when in a connected state. Embodiments provide that the base component may control the tablet component when the hybrid computing system is in a connected state and the switch is set to base control. According to embodiments, the display component may control the hybrid computing system when the hybrid computing system is in a connected state and the switch is set to tablet control. In addition, embodiments provide that a server module running on the display component and a client module running on the base component facilitate communication between the hybrid computing system components. Furthermore, systems and methods described herein provide that the base component may control hardware devices, peripheral devices, or software applications of the display component through communications between the server module and client module.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion;

a first operating platform;

a second operating platform;

each operating platform comprising a processor and an operating system;

the second portion configured to connect with the first portion through one or more connection interfaces;

one or more communication links between the first operating platform and the second operating platform;

one or more server modules running on one or more of the first and second operating platforms, the one or more server modules configured to provide a communication interface for the first and second operating platforms;

one or more client modules running on the other of the first and second operating platforms, the one or more client modules configured to communicate with the one or more server modules; and

a selection switch configured to select an active operating platform from the first and second operating platforms;

wherein responsive to selecting the active operating platform, the active operating platform operates the system according to settings communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server modules;

the settings communications comprising one or more of display settings and audio settings;

wherein the active operating platform adopts settings from a previously active operating platform via communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server modules; and

wherein the one or more settings are maintained by the active operating platform responsive to disconnecting the first portion and the second portion.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein responsive to connecting the first portion to the second portion, the first portion controls the second portion.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion is a base portion and the second portion is a display portion.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein one or more server modules run on the display portion and the one or more client modules run on the base portion.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the display portion is a tablet computer.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second operating platforms are co-located within either one of the first housing portion or second portion.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first portion is a base and the second portion is a display.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the the first operating platform comprises an ARM platform and the second operating platform comprises a Win-Tel platform.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the selection switch is a software switch.

10. A method comprising:

communicating information through one or more communication links between a first and a second operating platform, each of the first and second operating platforms comprising a processor and an operating system;

running one or more server modules on one or more of the first and second operating platforms, the one or more server modules configured to provide a communication interface for the first and second operating platforms;

running one or more client modules on another of the first and second operating platforms, the one or more client modules configured to communicate with the one or more server modules; and

selecting an active operating platform from the first and second operating platforms using a selection switch;

wherein responsive to selecting the active operating platform, the active operating platform operates the system according to settings communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server modules;

the settings communications comprising one or more of display settings and audio settings;

wherein the active operating platform adopts settings from a previously active operating platform via communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server modules; and

wherein the one or more settings are maintained by the active operating platform responsive to disconnecting the first portion and the second portion.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein responsive to connecting the first portion to the second portion, the first portion controls the second portion.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first portion is a base portion and the second portion is a display portion.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one or more server modules run on the display portion and the one or more client modules run on the base portion.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the display portion is a tablet computer.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first and second operating platforms comprises an ARM platform and a Win-Tel platform.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server modules are transmitted using HTTP.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the selection switch is a software switch.

18. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to communicate information through one or more communication links between a first and a second operating platform, each of the first and second operating platforms comprising a processor and an operating system;

computer readable program code configured to run one or more server modules on one or more of the first and second operating platforms, the one or more server modules configured to provide a communication interface for the first and second operating platforms;

computer readable program code configured to run one or more client modules on another of the first and second operating platforms, the one or more client modules configured to communicate with the one or more server modules; and

computer readable program code configured to select an active operating platform from the first and second operating platforms using a selection switch;

computer readable program code configured to designate the active operating platform to operate the system according to settings communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server module responsive to selecting the active operating platform;

the settings communications comprising one or more of display settings and audio settings;

wherein the active operating platform adopts settings from a previously active operating platform via communications transmitted between the one or more client modules and the one or more server modules; and

wherein the one or more settings are maintained by the active operating platform responsive to disconnecting the first portion and the second portion.