Network Device Driver System for Remote Peripheral Emulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current peripheral devices require separate device drivers to be installed on multiple main devices for compatibility, which is inefficient, especially with advancements in communication technology increasing the need for seamless connectivity between electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A network device driver system that allows the selection and utilization of hardware functions from another device without additional installation, using modules for fetching, packetizing, and transmitting hardware data and events via wired/wireless communication networks, enabling compatibility between various devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a device driver is installed on multiple main devices to enable peripheral device compatibility, then device compatibility is improved, but device complexity and installation burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a virtual device driver that copies the peripheral device's functionality through software emulation rather than requiring physical driver installation on each device. The virtual driver module fetches and executes the actual device driver code remotely, creating a software-based copy of the driver function that eliminates redundant installations while maintaining full device compatibility across multiple main devices
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual device driver system provides universal compatibility by enabling a single peripheral device to work with multiple different main devices through a common virtualization layer. The system universally handles various device types (display, audio, input devices) through a unified architecture that abstracts away device-specific installation requirements, allowing one virtual driver infrastructure to serve multiple devices and platforms simultaneously
2Reliability
If separate device drivers are installed on each main device, then device functionality is ensured, but loss of time and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-fetching the device driver code from the peripheral device before actual device operation is needed. The virtual device driver module proactively retrieves and caches the necessary driver instructions in advance, so when the device needs to be used, the driver code is already available in memory, eliminating installation wait times while ensuring functional reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual device driver acts as an intermediary layer between the main device and the peripheral device, mediating all communication and driver execution. This intermediary fetches driver code on-demand from the peripheral device, translates and executes it in a virtualized environment, and handles all device control operations, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming manual driver installations while maintaining full device functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A network device driver includes a fetching/hooking module to fetch/hook hardware data and/or a hardware event of the communication terminal; a packet assembly module to packetize the hardware data and/or the hardware event; a packet release module to recover the packetized hardware data and/or the hardware event, which are/is received from another terminal connected with the communication terminal via a wired/wireless communication network; and a transmission module to receive/transmit the packetized hardware data and/or the hardware event from/to another communication terminal.