Seamless computer system remote control

• US 6,959,380 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dake, Gregory William, Grimes, Benjamin Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIDDIQI, MOHAMMAD A
• Application Number:
  US09/804,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709220-222, 709/223, 714/36, 713/1, 713/2, 710/302, 710/304
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/026 Arrangements or methods related to booting a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A remote control application is loaded and executes on a service processor independent from a main processor within a remotely managed system, prior to power on for the main processor. The remote control application grabs and packetizes video data from the remotely managed system for transmission to the remote console via a TCP/IP connection transport layer, and receives keyboard/mouse signals in the same manner for insertion into the remotely managed systems'"'"'s keyboard/mouse controller(s) as though originating from locally attached peripherals. The service processor also feeds up a Java applet for displaying the video data and capturing keyboard/mouse actions through a browser at the remote console. Remote control is thus enabled from power up of the main processor continuously through operating system load by the main processor with a single user interface, a single connection, and no special utility requirements at the remote console.

Claims

1. A method of remote control of a remotely managed data processing system including the service processor and a separate main processor, said method comprising:

prior to initiation of execution of power-on self-test (POST) code by a main processor of a remotely managed data processing system;

on a service processor separate from the main processor, initiating execution of a remote control application; and

the remote control application establishing communication over a network connection with a remote console;

thereafter, initiating execution of POST code by the main processor; and

the remote control application enabling remote control of the remotely managed data processing system upon initiation of execution of said POST code, said enabling remote control including;

getting video data from video hardware within the remotely managed data processing system;

transmitting the video data to the remote console over the network connection;

receiving keyboard/mouse signals from the remote console over the network connection; and

forcing the received keyboard/mouse signals into a keyboard/mouse controller within the remotely managed data processing system as if the received keyboard/mouse signals had originated with locally attached peripherals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing communication further comprises:

the remote control application communicating with the remote console utilizing a TCP/IP network connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing communication further comprises:

the remote control application serving to the remote console a Java applet fix displaying the video data and capturing the keyboard/mouse signals, wherein the remotely managed system may be remotely controlled utilizing a browser executing within the remote console.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating execution of the remote control application further comprises:

executing the remote control application independently of the operating system executed on the main processor within the remotely managed system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling remote control further comprises:

enabling remote control capability to the remote console from power on self test of the main processor continuously through operating system load for the main processor and beyond.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

the remote control application providing a single user interface for remote control by the remote console from power on self test of the main processor continuously through operating system load for the main processor and beyond.

7. A remotely managed data processing system permitting remote control from a remote console, said remotely managed data processing system comprising:

a main processor;

a service processor separate from the main processor; and

data storage including a remote control application executable by said service processor;

wherein said service processor, prior to initiation of execution of power-on self-test (POST) code by a main processor of a remotely managed data processing system, initiates execution of the remote control application and establishes communication over a network connection with the remote console; and

wherein the remote control application, upon initiation of execution of POST code by the main processor, enables remote control of the remotely managed data processing system from the remote console by;

getting video data from video hardware within the remotely managed data processing system;

transmitting the video data to the remote console over the network connection;

receiving keyboard/mouse signals from the remote console over the network connection; and

forcing the received keyboard/mouse signals into a keyboard/mouse controller within the remotely managed data processing system as if the received keyboard/mouse signals had originated with locally attached peripherals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote control application communicates with the remote console utilizing a TCP/IP network connection.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote control application serves to the remote console a Java applet for displaying the video data and capturing the keyboard/mouse signals, wherein the remotely managed system may be remotely controlled utilizing a browser executing within the remote console.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote control application executes independently of the operating system executed on the main processor within the remotely managed system.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote control application executing on the service processor provides remote control capability to the remote console from power on self test for the main processor continuously through operating system load for the main processor and beyond.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote control application executing on the service processor provides a single user interface for remote control by the remote console from power on self test for the main processor continuously through operating system load for the main processor and beyond.

13. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for remote control of a remotely managed data processing system from a remote console, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium and a remote control application executable on a service processor of the remotely managed system separate from a main processor within the remotely managed data processing system, wherein, when executed by the service processor, the remote control application:

prior to initiation of execution of power-on self-test (POST) code by a main processor of a remotely managed data processing system, executes to establish communication over a network connection with a remote console;

from initiation of execution of POST code by the main processor enables remote control of the remotely managed data processing system by;

getting video data from video hardware within the remotely managed data processing system;

transmitting the video data to a remote console over a network connection coupling the remotely controlled system to the remote console;

receiving keyboard/mouse signals from the remote console over the network connection; and

forcing the received keyboard/mouse signals into a keyboard/mouse controller within the remotely managed data processing system as if the received keyboard/mouse signals had originated with locally attached peripherals.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the remote control application further comprises:

instructions for communicating with the remote console utilizing a TCP/IP network connection.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the remote control application further comprises:

instructions for serving to the remote console a Java applet for displaying the video data and capturing the keyboard/mouse signals, wherein the remotely managed system may be remotely controlled utilizing a browser executing within the remote console.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the remote control application executes independently of the operating system executed on the main processor within the remotely managed system.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the remote control application provides remote control capability to the remote console from power on self test for the main processor continuously through operating system load for the main processor and beyond.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the remote control application provides a single user interface for remote control byte remote console from power on self test for the main processor continuously through operating system load for the main processor and beyond.