Host arbitrated user interface resource sharing

In a first personal computer system, a method for managing a computer user interface device, the method comprising:

• establishing a wireless communication link with the computer user interface device;
• utilizing the computer user interface device to provide a user interface between the first personal computer system and a user of the first personal computer system;
• establishing a second communication link with a second system;
• receiving a predetermined signal from the computer user interface device over the wireless communication link;
• and
• in response to receiving the predetermined signal from the computer user interface device, communicating a hand-off signal to the second system over the second communication link, the hand-off signal indicating to the second system that the computer user interface device is to be used to provide a user interface between the second system and a user of the second system instead of to provide a user interface between the first personal computer system and a user of the first personal computer system.

A first personal computer system for managing use of a computer user interface device, the first personal computer system comprising at least one module that is operable to, at least:

• establish a wireless communication link with a computer user interface device;
• utilize the computer user interface device to provide a user interface between the first personal computer system and a user of the first personal computer system;
• establish a communication link between the first personal computer system and a second system;
• detect a predetermined signal communicated to the first personal computer system from the computer user interface device;
• and
• in response to detecting the predetermined signal, communicate a hand-off signal to the second system, the hand-off signal indicating to the second system that the computer user interface device is to be used to provide a user interface between the second system and a user of the second system instead of to provide a user interface between the first personal computer system and a user of the first personal computer system.

A method for managing a computer user interface device, the method comprising:

• establishing a wireless communication link between a computer user interface device and a first personal computer system, the computer user interface device comprising an audio input device with which a user inputs audio information to a personal computer system;
• utilizing the computer user interface device to provide a user interface between the first personal computer system and a user of the first personal computer system;
• establishing an inter-system communication link between the first personal computer system and a second system;
• communicating a predetermined signal from the computer user interface device to the first personal computer system;
• and
• in response to receiving the predetermined signal at the first personal computer system, communicating a hand-off signal from the first personal computer system to the second system over the inter-system communication link, the hand-off signal indicating that the computer user interface device is to be used to provide a user interface between the second system and a user of the second system instead of to provide a user interface between the first personal computer system and a user of the first personal computer system.