Wireless shared resource computing

• US 9,125,027 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Koenig, Michael F., Fishman, Neil S., Snyder, Ira L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, MARIEGEORGES A
• Application Number:
  US12/751,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/239, 370/359
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

The formation of a wireless device group for use in the shared resource computing environment involves establishing a wireless communication connection between a host wireless interface device and each of one or more dependent wireless interface devices, in which each dependent wireless interface devices is configured to not directly communicate with a computing device. Another wireless communication connection is established between the host wireless interface device and the computing device when the host wireless interface device is within a host connection distance of the computing device.

Claims

1. A computer readable memory of a first host wireless interface device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

detecting a companion wireless device within a device proximity range;

establishing a first wireless communication connection with the companion wireless device when the companion wireless device is a dependent wireless interface device that is configured to communicate with the first host wireless interface device while being incapable of establishing direct communication with a computing device;

negotiating a communication relationship with the companion wireless device when the companion wireless device is a second host wireless interface device;

establishing a second wireless communication connection with the second host wireless interface device based on the negotiated communication relationship when the companion wireless device is a second host wireless interface device; and

establishing a third wireless communication connection with the computing device that enables the dependent wireless interface device to exchange data with the computing device via the third wireless communication connection when the companion wireless device is the dependent wireless interface device,

wherein the computing device implements a shared resource environment that includes a desktop session, and wherein at least one of the first host wireless interface device or the second host wireless interface device provides multiple users with concurrent access to the desktop session.

2. The computer readable memory of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform an act of terminating the third wireless communication connection when the first host wireless interface device moves beyond a host operation range with the computing device.

3. The computer readable memory of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform a further act of terminating the third wireless communication connection and establishing a fourth wireless communication connection with a new computing device when a user request to establish the fourth wireless communication connection is received at the first host wireless interface device or the computing device.

4. The computer readable memory of claim 3, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform acts that further comprise:

detecting that the new computing device is closer in proximity to the first host wireless interface device than the computing device; and

providing the user with a prompt to establish a fourth wireless communication connection with the new computing device.

5. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when the first host wireless was previously dependent on the second host wireless interface device for exchanging data with the computing device.

6. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when the first host wireless interface device completes a user interface set that includes the second host wireless interface device.

7. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when the second host wireless interface device is higher on a device hierarchy list than the first host wireless interface device.

8. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when the second host wireless interface device has at least one of more advanced software or more advanced hardware components than the first host wireless interface device.

9. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when directed by a user.

10. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when both host wireless interface devices randomly designates the first host wireless interface device as a dependent wireless interface device.

11. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the negotiating the communication relationship includes causing the first host wireless interface device to act as another dependent wireless interface device to the second host wireless interface device when the second host wireless interface device has established a wireless communication connection with the computing device prior to the first host wireless interface establishing a different wireless communication connection with the computing device.

12. A computer implemented method, comprising:

forming a wireless device group by establishing a wireless communication connection between a host wireless interface device and each of one or more dependent wireless interface devices, the dependent wireless interface devices being configured to not directly communicate with a computing device;

determining whether the wireless device group that includes the host wireless device and the one or more dependent wireless interface devices was previously communicatively connected with the computing device for accessing a previous desktop session provided by the computing device, the previous desktop session including a workspace window concurrently usable by multiple computer users to perform at least one computing task; and

establishing another wireless communication connection between the host wireless interface device and the computing device in response to determining that the host wireless interface device is within a host connection distance of the computing device and the wireless device group was previously communicatively connected with the computing device for accessing the previous desktop session.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising associating the wireless device group with an active desktop session of a shared resource computing environment implemented on the computing device to enable interaction with the active desktop session when the wireless device group was previously used to interact with the actively desktop session.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising authenticating each dependent wireless interface device to the host wireless interface device during establishment of a corresponding wireless communication connection.

15. A host wireless interface device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory that includes a plurality of computer-executable components, the plurality of computer-executable components comprising;

a detection component configured to detect that the host wireless interface device is within a device proximity range of a dependent wireless interface device that is configured to communicate with the host wireless interface device and to be incapable of establishing direct communicating with a computing device, the dependent wireless interface device configured to communicate with the computing device through an indirect communication connection established through the host wireless interface device;

a device connection component that is configured to establish a first wireless communication connection between the dependent wireless interface device and the host wireless interface device;

a host connection component that is configured to establish a second wireless communication connection between the host wireless interface device and the computing device when the host wireless interface device is within a host connection distance of the computing device; and

a user interface component that enables a user to exchange data with the computing device via the second wireless communication connection when established between the host wireless interface device and the computing device;

wherein the computing device implements a shared resource environment that includes a desktop session, and wherein the host wireless interface device provides multiple users with concurrent access to the desktop session.

16. The host wireless interface device of claim 15, wherein the device connection component is further configured to terminate the first wireless communication connection with the dependent wireless interface device when:

the dependent wireless interface device is no longer within a device operation range of the host wireless interface device, the device operation range being less than or equal to the device proximity range;

or

a user request to disconnect the dependent wireless device from the host wireless device is received at the host wireless interface device or the dependent wireless interface device.

17. The host wireless interface device of claim 15, further comprising an authentication component that is configured to authenticate the dependent wireless interface device to the host device during establishment of the first wireless communication connection.

18. The host wireless interface device of claim 15, wherein the host connection component is further configured to detect that a new computing device is closer in proximity to the host wireless interface device than the computing device, and to provide the user with a prompt to establish a third wireless communication connection with the new computing device.