Emulation of physical equipment

A method comprising the following acts performed by a terminal capable of communicating within a network:

• managing a software interface on the terminal, said managing comprising:
• receiving or obtaining a pre-association information establishing a set of at least one possible association between said software interface and an external physical interface of an emulation device, distinct from the terminal and connected to the network;
• updating an association between the software interface and the external physical interface of the emulation device;
• enabling the software interface so as to establish a bidirectional communication between the physical interface of the emulation device and the terminal;
• and
• exchanging a message between the terminal and the associated external physical interface, via the enabled software interface.

An emulation device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor configure the emulation device to perform acts comprising:
• communicating within a network;
• and
• emulating a physical interface of the emulation device so as to establish a bidirectional communication between the physical interface on the emulation device and at least a terminal of the network that is distinct from the emulation device, said physical interface being designed to receive at least one unit of peripheral equipment, the emulating comprising:
• pre-associating, establishing a set of possible associations between said physical interface of the emulation device and at least one software interface of the at least one terminal;
• selecting an association between said physical interface and at least one software interface of the at least one terminal, from amongst all the possible associations;
• and
• routing of messages between the physical interface of the emulation device and the associated software interface of the at least one terminal.

A terminal comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor configure the terminal to perform acts comprising:
• communicating within a network;
• and
• managing a software interface on the terminal, said managing comprising:
• receiving or obtaining a pre-association information establishing a set of at least one possible association between said software interface and an external physical interface of an emulation device, distinct from the terminal and connected to the network;
• updating an association between the software interface and the external physical interface of the emulation device;
• enabling the software interface so as to establish a bidirectional communication between the physical interface of the emulation device and the terminal;
• and exchanging a message between the terminal and the associated external physical interface, via the enabled software interface.

A communications system comprising:

• at least one terminal;
• an emulation device, which is distinct from the terminal, comprising:
• a first processor;
• and
• a first non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the first processor configure the emulation device to perform acts comprising:
• communicating within a network;
• and
• emulating a physical interface of the emulation device so as to establish a bidirectional communication between the physical interface of the emulation device and the at least a terminal, said physical interface being designed to receive at least one unit of peripheral equipment, the emulating comprising:
• pre-associating, establishing a set of possible associations between said physical interface of the emulation device and at least one software interface of the at least one terminal;
• selecting an association between said physical interface and at least one software interface of the at least one terminal, from amongst all the possible associations;
• and
• routing of messages between the physical interface of the emulation device and the associated software interface of the at least one terminal;
• and
• said at least one terminal comprising:
• a second processor;
• and
• a second non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the second processor configure the at least one terminal to perform acts comprising:
• communicating within the network;
• and
• managing the at least one software interface on the at least one terminal, said managing comprising, for at least one of the at least one software interface:
• updating an association between the software interface and the external physical interface of the emulation device;
• enabling the software interface so as to establish the bidirectional communication between the physical interface of the emulation device and the at least one terminal;
• and
• exchanging a message between the at least one terminal and the associated external physical interface, via the enabled software interface.