Partial Protocol Converter for Thin-Client Compatibility

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Thin-client terminal systems face challenges in supporting multiple different terminal protocols, leading to increased costs and performance issues due to the need for protocol conversion, which can burden processing power and introduce delays.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a partial protocol converter module in the thin-client server system that handles protocol conversion only for non-native protocols, reducing the computational load by directly managing display updates and intercepting operating system requests to minimize protocol conversion work.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a full protocol converter is implemented to support multiple terminal protocols, then compatibility with various thin-client platforms is improved, but processing overhead and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with various terminal protocolsVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The protocol converter is segmented into two distinct components: a protocol translation layer and a display protocol layer. The translation layer handles protocol conversion for multiple terminal protocols, while the display protocol layer manages display-specific protocols. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently, reducing the computational overhead of full protocol conversion while maintaining compatibility with various thin-client platforms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of implementing complete protocol conversion for all terminal protocols, the system applies partial conversion by handling only the essential protocol differences through the translation layer. The display protocol layer then processes the converted data using optimized display-specific protocols, performing only the necessary conversion actions rather than exhaustive protocol translation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Adaptability or versatility

If protocol conversion is performed for all terminal protocols, then cross-platform compatibility is improved, but performance and update speed deteriorate due to processing delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecross-platform compatibilityVSAvoidscreen update speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the protocol handling into translation and display protocol layers, the system can process protocol conversions and display updates in parallel. The translation layer handles protocol compatibility while the display protocol layer focuses on efficient screen updates, preventing protocol conversion from becoming a bottleneck that slows down display refresh rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The translation layer acts as an intermediary between multiple terminal protocols and the display protocol layer. It converts incoming protocol data into a standardized format that the display protocol layer can process efficiently, eliminating the need for the display layer to handle multiple protocol formats directly and thereby maintaining high update speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple protocol support is implemented, then versatility is improved, but deployment costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-protocol support capabilityVSAvoiddeployment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The display protocol layer is designed with universal functionality to handle display protocol operations across multiple terminal protocols. By creating a single display protocol layer that can work with various translated protocols, the system achieves multi-protocol support without requiring separate display handling code for each protocol, thereby reducing development and deployment costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements partial protocol conversion only where necessary in the translation layer, while the display protocol layer uses a standardized approach that works across all converted protocols. This selective conversion strategy reduces the complexity and cost of implementing full protocol support for every possible terminal protocol.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8681811B2System and method for obtaining cross compatibility with a plurality of thin-client platforms

Publication Date: 2014.03.25 NCOMPUTING GLOBAL INC

AI summary

Techniques for use within computer systems that communicate with multiple different terminal systems using multiple different terminal protocols are disclosed. In one embodiment, a partial protocol converter module is installed in a computer server system to enable the computer server system to communicate with terminal systems that use terminal protocol other than the terminal protocol used natively by the computer server system. The partial protocol converter module directly accesses a screen buffer in the computer server system that is associated with the terminal systems that use terminal protocol other than the terminal protocol used natively by the computer server system. The partial protocol converter module detects updates to the screen buffer and encodes these display screen updates into a message using the native protocol used by the terminal system and then transmits that encoded message to the terminal system.