# US 10,310,993 B2 · Emulation of physical equipment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,993 B2 - Document ID: US10310993B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/106,668 - Filed: 2014-12-19 - Published: 2016-11-24 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-20 - Assignees: Orange - Applicants: Orange - Inventors: Xavier Le Guillou; Dimitri Bricheteau; Guillaume Roul - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310993B2 ## CPC - G06F 13/107: {Terminal emulation} - G06F 9/4411: {Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers} - G06F 2009/45579: {I/O management, e.g. providing access to device drivers or storage} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method is provided for emulating a physical interface of a device capable of communicating in a network. The physical interface is capable of receiving at least one piece of peripheral equipment. The method includes: pre-association in order to establish a set of possible associations between the physical interface and at least one software interface of at least one terminal; selecting an association between the physical interface and at least one software interface of at least one terminal, from all the possible associations; routing the messages between the physical interface and the associated software interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An emulation method comprising the following acts performed by an emulation device capable of communicating within a network: emulating a physical interface of the emulation device so as to establish a bidirectional communication between the physical interface of 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The emulation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-associating act is preceded by an act of declaring at least one terminal of the network to the device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The emulation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-associating act is followed by managing priorities. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The emulation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting act automatically selects an association if this association is the only one possible following the pre-associating act. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The emulation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the physical interface is located on the device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The emulation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the physical interface is external to the device. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The communications system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the physical interface is located on the emulation device and the software interface is located on a first terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The communications system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the physical interface is external to the emulation device and is located on a first terminal and the software interface is located on at least a second terminal.