Host arbitrated user interface resource sharing

• US 20050065768A1
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• 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: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards

Abstract

A system and method for managing a user interface resource. Various aspects of the present invention comprise establishing a wireless communication link between a user interface resource and a first system. The user interface resource may, for example, be utilized to communicate user interface information with the first system. An inter-system communication link may be established between the first system and a second system. The user interface resource, or alternative source, may communicate a predetermined signal to the first system. The first system may, for example after receiving the predetermined signal, communicate a hand-off signal to the second system over the inter-system communication link. The hand-off signal may indicate that the user interface resource is to be used with the second system. The second system may establish a wireless communication link with the user interface resource, and the user interface resource may be utilized with the second system.

Claims

1. In a network, a method for managing a user interface resource, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link between a user interface resource and a first system;

establishing an inter-system communication link between the first system and a second system;

communicating a predetermined signal from the user interface resource to the first system; and

after receiving the predetermined signal at the first system, communicating a hand-off signal from the first system to the second system over the inter-system communication link, the hand-off signal indicating that the user interface resource is to be used with the second system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating user interface information between the user interface resource and the first system over the wireless communication link, and wherein the predetermined signal is embedded in the user interface information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a second wireless communication link between the user interface resource and the second system; and

in response to receiving the hand-off signal at the second system, communicating user interface information between the second system and the user interface resource over the second wireless communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a second wireless communication link between the user interface resource and the second system; and

in response to receiving the hand-off signal at the second system, communicating user interface information between the second system and a second user interface resource over the second wireless communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a human-perceivable indication of which system(s) the user interface resource is being used with.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface with which a user may specify characteristics of the predetermined signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising after receiving the predetermined signal at the first system, providing a user interface with which a user may specify a system with which to use the user interface resource.

8. In a first system in a network, a method for managing a user interface resource, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link with the user interface resource;

establishing a second communication link with a second system;

receiving a predetermined signal from the user interface resource over the wireless communication link;

after receiving the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, communicating a hand-off signal to the second system over the second communication link, the hand-off signal indicating to the second system that the user interface resource is to be used with the second system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to receiving the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, communicating user interface information with the first system over the wireless communication link, and wherein the predetermined signal is embedded in the user interface information.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising after communicating the hand-off signal to the second system, receiving a hand-off signal from the second system, the hand-off signal from the second system indicating to the first system that the user interface resource is to be used with the first system.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to receiving the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, providing a human-perceivable indication that the user interface resource is being used with the first system.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising, after receiving the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, providing a human-perceivable indication that the user interface resource is being used with the second system.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a user interface with which a user may specify characteristics of the predetermined signal.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising after receiving the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, providing a user interface with which a user may specify a system with which to use the user interface resource.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein establishing a wireless communication link comprises at least one of:

determining whether the user interface resource is authorized for use with the first system; and

determining whether a user of the user interface resource is authorized for using the first system.

16. A system for managing use of a user interface resource, the system comprising:

a first communication module that establishes a wireless communication link with a user interface resource;

a second communication module that establishes a communication link between the system and a second system;

a signal detector module communicatively coupled to the first communication module that detects a predetermined signal communicated to the system from the user interface resource; and

a U/I resource management module communicatively coupled to the signal detector module and the second communication module, wherein the U/I resource management module, in response to the signal detector module detecting the predetermined signal, utilizes the second communication module to communicate a hand-off signal to the second system, the hand-off signal indicating to the second system that the user interface resource is to be used with the second system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal detector module detects the predetermined signal embedded in user interface information communicated between the first communication module and the user interface resource.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the U/I resource management module processes a hand-off signal received from the second system through the second communication module, the hand-off signal indicating that the user interface resource is to be used with the first system.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface module communicatively coupled to the U/I resource management module that, prior to the system receiving the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, provides a human-perceivable indication that the user interface resource is being used with the system.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface module communicatively coupled to the U/I resource management module that, after the system receives the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, provides a human-perceivable indication that the user interface resource is being used with the second system.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface module communicatively coupled to the U/I resource management module that provides a user interface to a user, the user interface providing to the user the capability to specify characteristics of the predetermined signal.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface module communicatively coupled to the U/I resource management module that, after the signal detector module detects the predetermined signal from the user interface resource, provides a user interface to a user, the user interface providing to the user the capability to specify a system with which to use the user interface resource.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising an authentication module communicatively coupled to the first communication module that performs authentication processing, the authentication processing comprising at least one of:

determining whether the user interface resource is authorized for use with the first system; and

determining whether a user of the user interface resource is authorized for using the first system.