Scheme for dynamically connecting I/O devices through network

• US 20030014569A1
• Filed: 07/15/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: Zhe Khi Pak
• Inventors: Kim, Han-gyoo
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/128 for dedicated transfers to a network for protocol converters G06F13/387

Abstract

A scheme for dynamically connecting I/O devices through a network is disclosed. It enables separating I/O devices from a host system unit and connecting them to the host system unit through a network. In one preferred embodiment, provided in the host side is a converter that encapsulates an I/O command into one or more data link frames so that the frames containing the I/O command are sent through the network. Also provided in the device side is a counter-converter that retrieves the I/O command from the data link frames received through LAN. The network may be either a wired or wireless network.

Claims

1. A method of sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising the steps of:

converting an I/O command into one or more data link frames;

sending the data link frames over a network to a target I/O device;

receiving the data link frames at the target I/O device;

retrieving the I/O command from the data link frames; and

controlling the target I/O device according to the I/O command retrieved,

wherein the target I/O device is dynamically connected and separated from the host computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is Ethernet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is wireless.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a hard disk.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a keyboard.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a CD ROM.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a monitor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a floppy drive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is an audio device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a joy stick.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said I/O device is a modem.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the network is Ethernet.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the network is wireless.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said I/O device is a hard disk.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said I/O device is a keyboard.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said I/O device is a CD ROM.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the network is Ethernet.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the network is wireless.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said I/O device is a hard disk.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said I/O device is a keyboard.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said I/O device is a CD ROM.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the network is Ethernet.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the network is wireless.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said I/O device is a hard disk.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said I/O device is a keyboard.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said I/O device is a CD ROM.

12. A method of sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising the steps of:

translating an I/O command into I/O control signals;

encapsulating the I/O control signals into one or more data link frames;

sending the data link frames over a network to a target I/O device;

receiving the data link frames at the target I/O device;

retrieving the I/O control signals from the data link frames; and

controlling the target I/O device according to the I/O control signals,

wherein the target I/O device is dynamically connected and separated from the host computer.

18. A method of sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising the steps of:

encapsulating an I/O command into one or more network packets;

sending the network packets over a network to a target I/O device;

receiving the network packets at the target I/O device;

retrieving the I/O command from the network packets; and

controlling the target I/O device according to the I/O command retrieved,

wherein the target I/O device is dynamically connected and separated from the host computer.

24. A method of sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising the steps of:

translating an I/O command into I/O control signals;

encapsulating the I/O control signals into one or more network packets;

sending the data link frames over a network to a target I/O device;

receiving the data link frames at the target I/O device;

retrieving the I/O control signals from the data link frames; and

controlling the target I/O device according to the I/O control signals,

wherein the target I/O device is dynamically connected and separated from the host computer.

30. A bus-to-LAN converter at a host side for sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising:

a converter for encapsulating an I/O command into one or more data link frames; and

a transmitter for sending the data link frames through the network to a target device.

31. The bus-to-LAN converter of claim 30, wherein the network is Ethernet.

32. The bus-to-LAN converter of claim 30, wherein the network is wireless.

33. A LAN-to-Controller converter at a device side for receiving I/O commands from a host computer through a network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving data link frames containing an I/O command from a network; and

a counter-controller for retrieving I/O commands from the data link frames containing the I/O commands.

34. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 33, wherein the network is Ethernet.

35. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 33, wherein the network is wireless.

37. The Controller-to-LAN converter of claim 36, wherein the network is Ethernet.

38. The Controller-to-LAN converter of claim 36, wherein the network is wireless.

40. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 39, wherein the network is Ethernet.

41. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 39, wherein the network is wireless.

36. A Controller-to-LAN converter at a host side for sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising:

a converter for encapsulating I/O control signals in one or more data link frames; and

a transmitter for sending the data link frames through the network to a target device.

39. A LAN-to-I/O-Port converter at a device side for receiving I/O commands from a host computer through a network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving data link frames containing I/O control signals from a network; and

a counter-controller for retrieving I/O control signals from the data link frames containing the I/O commands.

42. A bus-to-LAN converter at a host side for sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising:

a network interface card (NIC) for encapsulating an I/O command into one or more network packets; and

a transmitter for sending the data link frames through the network to a target device.

43. The bus-to-LAN converter of claim 42, wherein the network is Ethernet.

44. The bus-to-LAN converter of claim 42, wherein the network is wireless.

46. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 45, wherein the network is Ethernet.

47. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 45, wherein the network is wireless.

49. The Controller-to-LAN converter of claim 48, wherein the network is Ethernet.

50. The Controller-to-LAN converter of claim 48, wherein the network is wireless.

45. A LAN-to-Controller converter at a device side for receiving I/O commands from a host computer through a network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving network packets containing an I/O command from a network; and

a counter-controller for retrieving I/O commands from the data link frames containing the I/O commands.

48. A Controller-to-LAN converter at a host side for sending I/O commands from a host computer to I/O devices through a network, comprising:

a network interface card (NIC) for encapsulating I/O control signals in one or more network packets; and

a transmitter for sending the network packets through the network to a target device.

51. A LAN-to-I/O-Port converter at a device side for receiving I/O commands from a host computer through a network, comprising:

a receiver for receiving network packets containing I/O control signals from a network; and

a counter-controller for retrieving I/O control signals from the network packets containing the I/O commands.

52. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 51, wherein the network is Ethernet.

53. The LAN-to-Controller converter of claim 52, wherein the network is wireless.