Connecting Station for Local Device Network Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices, particularly local devices like printers and scanners, cannot be easily shared across a network without being configured for network access, requiring users to disconnect from one computer and reconnect to another, and often need device-specific drivers for each connection.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a connecting station to provide network access to local devices, allowing them to be shared across multiple computers without requiring network configuration or driver modifications, by broadcasting availability and managing access through a network interface and processor, enabling multiple functions to be used in parallel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a local device is connected to a single computer locally, then the device can be accessed by that computer without network configuration, but the device cannot be shared with other computers on the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connecting station as an intermediary device between the local device and multiple computers. The connecting station receives service notifications from the local device and manages connections from multiple computers, allowing the local device to be shared without requiring the local device itself to have network capabilities or complex configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a local device is disconnected from one computer to connect to another, then the device can be accessed by different computers, but continuous access by multiple computers simultaneously is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting station acts as a mediator that manages multiple connection requests simultaneously. It receives service notifications from the local device and can grant access to multiple computers based on availability, eliminating the need for manual disconnection and reconnection between computers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages connection states by determining whether the local device is busy before granting access. The connecting station can allocate the local device to different computers based on real-time availability, enabling flexible multi-computer access without fixed connections.
3Adaptability or versatility
If device-specific drivers are installed on each computer for local device access, then each computer can communicate with the local device, but the complexity and cost of driver installation and maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting station serves as an intermediary that handles driver compatibility issues. It receives service notifications from the local device and manages the interface between multiple computers and the local device, potentially centralizing driver management and reducing the need for each computer to have separate device-specific drivers.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting station provides a universal interface that can work with multiple different local devices and multiple different computers. By centralizing the connection management functionality, it reduces the need for each computer to have device-specific drivers, as the connecting station handles the device-specific communication protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for providing a local device service over a network, where the local device service is not configured for network access. The method includes determining whether the local device is busy, and if the local device is not busy, broadcasting over the network an available first service provided by the local device. Then, if the local device is not busy and is selected by a computer, providing by the connecting station, the computer access to the local device.