Systems and methods for virtualizing software associated with external computer hardware devices

• US 8,881,140 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Bringhurst, Cynthia
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Qing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Kevin X
• Application Number:
  US12/554,413
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method for virtualizing software associated with external computer hardware devices. The method may include maintaining a virtualized device profile associated with an external hardware device and receiving a request to provide the virtualized device profile to a client system to which the external hardware device can be temporarily connected. The method may also include downloading the virtualized device profile to the client system and installing the virtualized device profile as one or more virtualization layers on the client system. The method may further include activating the one or more virtualization layers to enable the virtualized device profile to be used to interact with the external hardware device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for virtualizing software associated with external computer hardware devices, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

detecting that a user is logged onto a first client system and that an external hardware device is connected to an external communication port of the first client system;

while the user is detected as being logged onto the first client system and the external hardware device is connected to the first client system, obtaining from the first client system a virtualized device profile associated with the external hardware device and the user, wherein the virtualized device profile comprises user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user;

detecting that the user is logged onto a second client system;

detecting user connection of the external hardware device to an external communication port of the second client system;

in response to detecting the connection of the external hardware device to the second client system;

downloading the virtualized device profile associated with the external hardware device and the user to the second client system;

installing the virtualized device profile as one or more virtualization layers on the second client system;

activating the one or more virtualization layers to enable the virtualized device profile to be used to interact with the external hardware device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user is associated with a group of users;

the virtualized device profile is associated with the group of users and comprises user-customized settings associated with the group of users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user comprise driver settings and application settings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the virtualized device profile comprises the one or more virtualization layers;

the one or more virtualization layers comprise at least one of;

a driver associated with the external hardware device;

an application associated with the external hardware device;

the user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a virtualization agent is not installed on the client system;

downloading the virtualization agent to the client system, wherein;

the virtualization agent is programmed to manage application virtualization layers;

activating the one or more virtualization layers is performed by the virtualization agent.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

uninstalling the virtualization agent from the client system when the external hardware device is disconnected from the client system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a driver for the external hardware device is not installed on the client system, wherein;

downloading the virtualized device profile to the client system comprises downloading the driver to the client system;

installing the virtualized device profile to the client system comprises installing the driver to the client system in the one or more virtualization layers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the one or more virtualization layers when at least one of the following occurs;

the external hardware device is disconnected from the client system;

the user logs off the client system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

after deactivating the one or more virtualization layers, deleting the one or more virtualization layers.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the user updated the user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user;

updating the virtualized device profile to include the updated user-customized settings.

11. A system for virtualizing software associated with external computer hardware devices, the system comprising:

while a user is detected as being logged onto a first client system and a external hardware device is connected to the first client system, a storage device configured to obtain from the first client system a virtualized device profile associated with the external hardware device and the user, wherein the virtualized device profile comprises user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user;

a detection module programmed to;

detect that the user is logged onto the first client system;

detect that the user is logged onto a second client system;

detect user connection of the external hardware device to an external communication port of the first client system;

detect user connection of the external hardware device to an external communication port of the second client system;

a download module programmed to download the virtualized device profile associated with the external hardware device and the user to the second client system;

an installation module programmed to install the virtualized device profile as one or more virtualization layers on the second client system;

a virtualization module programmed to activate the one or more virtualization layers to enable the virtualized device profile to be used to interact with the external hardware device;

at least one processor programmed to execute the detection module, the download module, the installation module, and the virtualization module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the user is associated with a group of users;

the virtualized device profile is associated with the group of users and comprises user-customized settings associated with the group of users.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user comprise driver settings and application settings.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the virtualized device profile comprises the one or more virtualization layers;

the one or more virtualization layers comprise at least one of;

a driver associated with the external hardware device;

an application associated with the external hardware device;

the user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the detection module is further programmed to:

determine that a driver for the external hardware device is not installed on the client system, wherein the virtualized device profile comprises the driver for the external hardware device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the virtualization module is programmed to:

deactivate the one or more virtualization layers when at least one of the following occurs;

the external hardware device is disconnected from the client system;

the user logs off the client system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the virtualization module is programmed to:

delete the one or more virtualization layers after the one or more virtualization layers are deactivated.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the detection module is programmed to:

detect that the user updated the user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user;

update the virtualized device profile to include the updated user-customized settings.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

detect that a user is logged onto a first client system and that an external hardware device is connected to an external communication port of the first client system;

while the user is detected as being logged onto the first client system and the external hardware device is connected to the first client system, obtain from the first client system a virtualized device profile associated with the external hardware device and the user, wherein the virtualized device profile comprises user-customized settings associated with the external hardware device and the user;

detect that the user is logged onto a second client system;

detect user connection of the external hardware device to an external communication port of the second client system;

in response to detecting the connection of the external hardware device to the second client system;

download the virtualized device profile associated with the external hardware device and the user to the second client system;

install the virtualized device profile as one or more virtualization layers on the second client system;

activate the one or more virtualization layers to enable the virtualized device profile to be used to interact with the external hardware device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein:

the user is associated with a group of users;

the virtualized device profile is associated with the group of users and comprises user-customized settings associated with the group of users.