Application virtualization in an emulator using an authentication processor

An apparatus for enabling CarPlay authentication in an Android emulator, comprising:

• a memory storing a computer operating system (OS);
• a main central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the memory and configured to execute the OS;
• a universal serial bus (USB) dongle configured to connect to a USB bus through a bus interface, the USB dongle including an authentication coprocessor coupled to an inter-integrated circuit (I2C)-to-USB converter when the USB dongle is connected to a corresponding USB port;
• driver code stored in the memory and executable on the main CPU together with the OS for managing data exchanges between the authentication coprocessor and the main CPU;
• and
• a USB device passthrough code stored in the memory and configured, when executed on the main CPU, to enable the authentication coprocessor to be virtualized as an I2C device in the Android emulator;
• wherein the main CPU executes code to generate the Android emulator running a CarPlay application as a virtual component, the Android emulator including a USB-to-Inter-Integrated Circuit (“I2C”) driver configured to virtualize the authentication coprocessor as an I2C device running with the CarPlay application.

A computer for running a Made-for-iPhone (MFi) application in an emulator, comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one main central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the memory and configured to execute code for providing a virtual emulator;
• code stored in the memory and configured to manage data through a universal serial bus (USB) interface having a port into which a dongle or other external device having an authentication coprocessor is configured to be connected;
• and
• a USB driver on the PC, the USB driver running in an operating system of the PC, the USB driver configured to provide a passthrough feature for the authentication coprocessor;
• wherein the dongle or other external device includes an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) authentication coprocessor and is configured to connect with the MFi application using an USB-to-I2C converter on the dongle or other external device, the USB-to-I2C converter being coupled to the bus interface and the passthrough feature, wherein the MFi application comprises Apple CarPlay.