Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Input/output command process
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-09
2004-03-16
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Input/output command process
C710S033000, C710S038000, C709S217000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06708228
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The invention is related to automatic computer input device association, and more particularly to a system and process for redirecting signals generated by a computer input device from one computing device in a computing space to another computing device in the space.
2. Background Art
Ubiquitous computing revolves around extending computational activities beyond the current desktop model and into the environment. In future homes and offices, access to computing should be as natural as access to lighting. Users should not be required to go to a special place (i.e., the desktop) to interact with the computer. Rather, the computer should be available to interface with the user anywhere in the home or office (or more generally anywhere in an arbitrarily large computing space), through whatever set of devices is available, be they fixed or carried by the user.
It is noted that the term computer is used loosely here in that the user actually would have access to a wide variety of computing devices such as personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like, as well as distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices. Thus, it should be understood that when the term computer is used in connection with the concept of ubiquitous computing, in actuality a wide variety of computing devices and schemes may be involved.
One particular issue of concern in ubiquitous computing is the common scenario of a room filled with computers along with their various input devices, such as computer mice, keyboards, trackballs, and the like, as well as display devices like a computer monitor. In a traditional setting, an input device would be used to interface with a nearby computer and its monitor, and no other computers in the room. However, people often associate the proximity of devices with their working together. For instance, it is usually expected that the light switches in a room control the lights in the room, and that remote controls in the room work the remotely controllable devices in the room. Part of the vision of ubiquitous computing is to have devices behave as they should when they are near each other. For instance, a computer mouse used near a certain computer monitor should control the cursor on that monitor. Thus, ideally, in an ubiquitous computing environment a user would expect that the input devices would work with whatever computer display device they are near. This is particularly true for mobile input devices such as wireless keyboards and computer mice that are intended to be moved freely from place to place. Further, a user might also expect this behavior to be modulated by other factors, like their personal preferences, the ambient conditions in the room, the compatibility of the input devices with the computers, and so on.
SUMMARY
The present invention addresses the foregoing issues with a system and process for automatically initiating and terminating associations between a computer input device of some type (e.g., computer mice, keyboards, trackballs, and the like) and a computer in a computing space that can have many such devices and several computers. In this way, input devices can be used to interface with any of the computers in the space. For instance, a user could move about a room filled with computers and their respective computer monitors, with a wireless mouse, and interface with the various computers using the mouse. However, it is noted that the input devices need not be “wireless” to be associated with other computers in a computing space. In fact, associations can actually contradict hardware connections. For instance, a keyboard wired to a certain computer does not need to have its keystrokes sent to that computer, rather they could be sent to any computer in the space.
The aforementioned association between input devices and computers in a computing space entails redirecting signals generated by a computer input device from one computer to another computer in the space. The association is either initiated or terminated depending on whether sets of pre-defined preconditions have been satisfied. It is noted that each of the input devices is physically connected to one of the computers in the space. This connection implies that the signals generated by the input device would nominally be routed to an input queue of the assignee computer, barring any re-routing of the signal as will be discussed next. For the purposes of the following description, an input device that is connected to a computer in the computing space will be referred to as being assigned to that computer.
To accomplish the desired re-routing of the input device signals, the following architecture and input signal interception/routing processes can be employed to link the input devices and computers residing in the computing space. Each of the computers in the computing space that has an input device connected to it would include at least one input device output path or “source”. This output path by-passes the nominal input queue of the computer and directs the signal out of the computer. In addition, each computer in the computing space that it is desired for an input device assigned to another computer to interface with, includes at least one alternate input device input path or “sink.”. This sink is capable of accepting input device signals that are output from a source on the assignee computer and routing them to another computer's input queue. Only signals routed from other computers would be input through the aforementioned alternate input paths. The input device output paths and alternate input device input paths can enter and leave the computers via specialized plugs, a network connection, or any other workable inlet or outlet, whether physical or virtual. Sources and sinks can be directly connected, or as in tested embodiments of the present invention linked via a network. The aforementioned processes for intercepting and routing input device signals is preferably handled by one or more computer programs resident on the various computers in the computing space.
It is noted that the computer receiving input device signals from an input device assigned to another computer may also be an assignee computer with its own assigned input devices. These devices would interface with the computer through its standard input device inputs, and could be either wired or wireless.
The foregoing architecture and intercepting/routing processes allow for the signals generated by any input device in the computing space to be routed to any computer in the space. However, there must also be a vehicle for controlling the re-routing process. This role is taken by at least one computer program resident in one or more of the computers in the space. The program first determines whether a set of prescribed initiating preconditions for rerouting the input device signals from an assignee computer to another of the computers in the space have been satisfied. Whenever the initiating preconditions are satisfied, the input device signals are rerouted using the previously-described architecture away from the input queue of the assignee computer to the input device output path of that computer instead. In addition, the input device signals from a source on the assignee computer are routed to the sink of another computer in the space, where they are finally routed by the other computer to its input queue. Thus, the input device would interface with the other computer just as if it were assigned to that computer.
As indicated above, the decision as to whether an input device is to be associated with a non-assignee computer depends on satisfying a set of preconditions. In addition, the decision as to whether an existing association is terminated depends on satisfying one or more of a set of terminating preconditions. These preconditions can be tied to any event or combinati
Brumitt Barry L.
Harris Stephen C.
Krumm John C.
Meyers Brian R.
Shafer Steven A. N.
Gaffin Jeffrey
Knapp Justin
Lyon Richard T.
Lyon & Harr LLP
Microsoft Corporation
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