Bus Extension Means for Remote Device Pass-Through

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Solution Overview

Problem

The applicability of the pass-through technique, where a guest OS directly controls a remote device connected via a network, is limited by the presence of a PC card slot, as it requires a hardware-based upstream bridge, which is not available on devices like laptops and tablet terminals.

Innovation Solution

A data-processing apparatus with a host OS that provides a virtual hardware environment for a guest OS, incorporating bus extension means to trap and encapsulate I/O instructions, sending them as network packets to a remote apparatus, eliminating the need for a hardware-based upstream bridge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a hardware-based upstream bridge is used to enable pass-through technique, then the guest OS can directly control remote devices, but the system requires a PC card slot which limits applicability to laptops and tablet terminals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplicability of pass-through techniqueVSAvoidhardware configuration requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the hardware-based upstream bridge (mechanical/physical system requiring PC card slot) with a software-based bus extension means implemented in the host OS. This substitution eliminates the need for physical expansion slots while maintaining the pass-through functionality, allowing guest OS to control remote devices through software encapsulation of I/O instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If remote devices are recognized and initialized during host OS startup, then device compatibility is ensured, but the startup process becomes slower

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice compatibilityVSAvoidhost OS startup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the bus extension means and remote device communication protocols in the host OS before guest OS startup. The host OS establishes the software bridge and device mapping in advance, so that when the guest OS starts, devices are already recognized and initialized through the pre-established bus extension mechanism, avoiding time-consuming device detection during startup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10324883B2Computer system, data-processing apparatus, bus-data transferring method, and computer-readable recording medium for transferring data flowing through system bus

Publication Date: 2019.06.18 NEC CORP

AI summary

This invention expands the scope of application of a pass-through technology in which a guest OS directly controls a remote device that is connected via a network. This data-processing apparatus is provided with a host OS that provides a virtual hardware environment to a guest OS that performs I/O processing with respect to a device implemented in a remote apparatus connected via a network. The host OS has a bus extension unit that traps I/O instructions issued by the guest OS, encapsulates the trapped I/O instructions, and delivers the encapsulated I/O instructions to the remote apparatus as network packets.