Host Device Virtualization for Multi-Protocol Slave Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Developers face difficulties in creating applications for host devices that are compatible with various types of slave devices due to the need to consider multiple physical input and output ports and communication protocols, leading to poor compatibility between applications for different types of slave devices.

Innovation Solution

A host device with a network communication unit, local communication unit, virtualization unit, and controlling unit that virtualizes a slave device as a network device, allowing for message conversion and transmission between different communication protocols, including UPnP, USB, IEEE 1394, SPI, and HDMI protocols, enabling the slave device to operate as a network device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a host device supports multiple types of slave devices through various physical ports and communication protocols, then the device versatility is improved, but the application development complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice compatibilityVSAvoidapplication development complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a virtualization layer that acts as an intermediary between the physical slave device and the application. This virtualization unit translates and adapts communication between different physical protocols (USB, IEEE 1394, SPI, HDMI) and a standardized network protocol (UPnP), allowing applications to interact with all slave devices through a single unified interface without needing to know the underlying physical connection details

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal virtual device interface that can represent multiple types of physical slave devices (audio devices, video devices, storage devices) through a single standardized network interface. This allows a single application designed for network devices to control any slave device type without modification, achieving multi-functionality at the application level

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If applications are developed to comply with various driver software and communication protocols for different slave devices, then the slave device support capability is improved, but the compatibility between applications for different slave devices deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslave device supportVSAvoidapplication compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The virtualization unit serves as a protocol translation intermediary that converts communications from the standardized UPnP network protocol into the specific communication protocols required by each slave device type (USB, IEEE 1394, SPI, HDMI). This ensures consistent application behavior across different device types while maintaining proper protocol compliance at the physical layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having applications adapt to multiple slave device protocols, the patent inverts the approach by having the virtualization layer adapt multiple physical protocols to a single standardized network protocol. Applications now rely on the standardized UPnP interface, and the virtualization infrastructure handles the protocol diversity, reversing who performs the adaptation work

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If developers consider multiple physical connection types and protocols, then the coverage of supported slave devices is improved, but the ease of application development deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslave device coverageVSAvoidapplication development ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the protocol translation and adaptation functionality from the application layer and places it in a separate virtualization infrastructure. This extraction allows developers to create applications without considering the complexity of multiple physical protocols, as the virtualization layer handles protocol conversion transparently, significantly easing the development process while maintaining broad device coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8856258B2Host device and slave device controlling method

Publication Date: 2014.10.07 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A host device is provided, which includes a network communication unit connected to network; a local communication unit locally connected to a slave device; a virtualization unit to virtualize the slave device as a network device within the network; and a controlling unit to control the virtualized slave device as the network device. Therefore, a developer may implement an application in consideration of a single type of network without considering various physical input and output ports.