Creation and use of virtual device drivers on a serial bus

A process implemented on a computer, the computer comprising a processing unit, a configuration memory, and a serial bus, the configuration memory exposing functionality of devices, the process comprising:

• in response to a request to create an virtual device, the request sent to a bus driver for a serial bus, creating a virtual device object on the computer for the device to be emulated;
• in response to creating the virtual device object, loading an emulation driver for the device to be emulated;
• modifying the configuration memory to include information about functionality of the device to be emulated;
• in response to the modifying the configuration memory, issuing a bus reset;
• allocating node address space to intercept requests to an emulated device register, wherein said modifying, issuing and allocating is performed without the emulated device being connected to the serial bus;
• receiving, via the serial bus, a command for the device being emulated;
• processing the command at the emulation driver for the device;
• and
• sending an indication of the command from the emulation driver to a device driver on the computer for the device being emulated.

A system comprising:

• means for creating a virtual device object on a computer for a device to be emulated in response to a request to create the virtual device;
• means for loading an emulation driver for the device to be emulated;
• means for modifying a configuration memory to include information about functionality of the device to be emulated;
• means for issuing a bus reset in response to the modifying the configuration memory;
• means for allocating node address space to intercept requests to an emulated device register, wherein said modifying, issuing and allocating is performed without the emulated device being connected to a serial bus;
• means for receiving, via the serial bus, a command for the device being emulated;
• means for processing the command at the emulation driver for the device;
• and
• means for sending an indication of the command from the emulation driver to a device driver on the computer for the device being emulated.