# US 7,614,058 B2 · System and method for virtual media command filtering > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,614,058 B2 - Document ID: US7614058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/947,043 - Filed: 2004-09-21 - Published: 2006-03-23 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-09-21 - Assignees: Dell Products L. P. - Inventors: Weimin Pan; Gang Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7614058B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/306: User profiles - H04L 65/612: for unicast - H04L 67/00: Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications (user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Virtual media device network communication is improved with a media filter that reduces unnecessary non-media access commands, such as test unit ready commands, that have an enhanced impact on data transfer rates when media devices communicate over a network. The media filter withholds communication of selected non-media information by a remote access controller associated with a virtual media device and generates simulated responses to the withheld communication for return to the virtual media device. In one embodiment, predetermined non-media access commands are withheld from communication to a network unless a timeout timer is expired. The timeout timer is set for a time period that precludes a media change between timeout timer expirations and is reset with successful response to a command through the network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A virtual media information handling system comprising: a virtual media drive executing on an information handling system and operable to read media information by applying a media drive communication protocol having non-media information; a remote access controller interfaced with the virtual media drive and operable to communicate media and non-media information with a network; and a media filter interfaced with the remote access controller, the media filter operable to selectively remove non-media information from the information communicated by the remote access controller with the network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The virtual media information handling system of claim 1 wherein the media filter is further operable to generate responses for the removed non-media information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The virtual media information handling system of claim 2 wherein the removed non-media information comprises a test unit ready command generated by the virtual media drive and the response generated by the media filter comprises a response to the test unit ready command simulated as coming from the network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The virtual media information handling system of claim 1 wherein the virtual media drive comprises a virtual floppy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The virtual media information handling system of claim 1 wherein the virtual media drive comprises a virtual CDROM. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The virtual media information handling system of claim 1 wherein the communication protocol comprises SCSI. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The virtual media information handling system of claim 1 wherein the media information comprises a remotely installed application. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The virtual media information handling system of claim 1 wherein the media filter is further operable to set a timeout timer, the media filter removing non-media information if the timeout timer is not expired and a no check condition exists, the media filter sending the non-media information if the timeout timer is expired. ### Claim 9 A method for communicating media information to a virtual media device through a network, the method comprising: receiving information at the virtual media device, the information sent through a network in a communications protocol; generating information at the virtual media device to send to the network, the information generated according to the communications protocol; and withholding at least some of the generated information from the network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: generating simulated responses to the information withheld from the network, the simulated responses simulating the response that a distal media device would make to the withheld information; and providing the simulated responses to the virtual media device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: setting a timeout; determining that the timeout has expired; releasing at least some withheld information to the network; detecting a response to the released information from the network; and providing the detected response to the virtual media device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: determining the detected response is a success; and resetting the timeout. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein withholding at least some of the generated information further comprises: setting a timeout; detecting a non-media access command generated from the virtual media device; determining that a previous command sent from the virtual media device to the network was a success; determining that the timeout has not expired; withholding the non-media access command from communication to the network; generating a simulated response to the non-media access command; and sending the simulated response to the virtual media device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the non-media access command comprises a test unit ready command. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the previous command was a media access command or a non-media access command. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the communications protocol comprises SCSI. ### Claim 17 A remote access command module for supporting communication of a virtual media device with a network, the remote access command module comprising a media filter executing on a processing component, the media filter having a timeout, the media filter operable to accept a non-media access command from the virtual media, to withhold the non-media access command from communication to the network if the command is of a predetermined type and the timeout is not expired, and to send the non-media access command to the network if the timeout is expired. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The remote access command module of claim 17 wherein the media filter is further operable to generate a simulated response to a withheld non-media access response and to communicate the simulated response to the virtual media device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The remote access command module of claim 17 wherein the predetermined type of command is a test unit ready command. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The remote access command module of claim 17 wherein the media filter is further operable to reset the timeout each time a command communicated from the virtual media device to the network has a successful response communicated from the network.