Distributed gateways for remote management of USB-compatible devices
OwnerJoseph Buczek, Neil J. Cormiainventors
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Abstract
A remotely managed Universal Serial Bus (USB) gateway supports any of a variety of different types of USB peripheral devices, but is remotely operated and managed by a centralized service provider. The remotely managed USB gateway is dedicated to functioning as an intermediary between the remote service provider and the supported peripheral devices or devices. The service provider transfers application software, settings and subscription content (in some applications) to individual gateways and their supported peripheral devices.
Claims16
A system for managing distributed devices comprising:
- a service provider having at least one web server that is configured to enable first communications with remote computers running web browser software, said first communications including operation parameters for managing support of said distributed devices, said service provider being configured to enable second communications for supporting said distributed devices, said second communications being partially responsive to said first communications;
- a plurality of gateways dedicated to supporting remote management of said distributed devices, each said gateway having a network interface configured for selective connection of said gateway to said service provider for said second communications, each said gateway having a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface for connection to one of said distributed devices and having a stored service application that is responsive to said second communications and that is specific to managing a particular said distributed device to which said gateway is connected;
- and
- said distributed devices.
A gateway dedicated to enabling remote operations of a supported device comprising:
- a housing;
- a Universal Serail Bus (USB) interface configured to alternatively couple to any of a plurality of devices, said USB interface being connected to said housing;
- a driver located within said housing, said driver being configured to control a device currently coupled to said USB interface, said device being said supported device;
- a protocol converter located within said housing and configured to enable signal exchanges between said supported device and the global communications network referred to as the Internet;
- and
- a network interface connected to said housing to enable connectivity to said Internet.
A method of supporting distributed devices comprising the steps of:
- enabling each said device to be supported via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection;
- connecting each said device to a USB port of a gateway that is dedicated to supporting one of said devices, including providing application software to said gateways to which said devices are connected, each said gateway having a network interface for connection via the Internet;
- selectively accessing said gateways using the Internet and a service provider;
- transmitting operation information from said service provider to said gateways for operating said devices;
- and
- processing said operation information at said gateways, including managing communications between individual said gateways and said devices on the basis of said operation information received by said individual gateways from said service provider.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.