Patent ID: 7546374
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of coupling a user interface device (UID) with a system device on a network, said UID and said system device being coupled with a set of heterogeneous user interface device (UID) switches, comprising: providing a switch command server (SCS), said switch command server being in electronic communication with said set of heterogeneous ULD switches, said SCS being configured at least for managing requests for connectivity between said user interface device and said system device and establishing data path connectivity between said user interface device and said system device using at least one of said heterogeneous UID switches without requiring a user of said user interface device to manually perform network discovery to establish viable data paths between said set of heterogeneous UID switches; receiving at said SCS a switch/location agnostic connectivity indication (SLACI), said SLACI being generic with respect to switch-specific command syntax, said SLACI being received from a SLACI-origination device that is location agnostic with respect to said set of heterogeneous UID switches, said SLACI indicating an identity of said UID and an identity of said system device, said SLACI further indicating a desire to provide a complete data path between said UID and said system device; performing said network discovery using said SCS to manage said data path connectivity, said network discovery being performed automatically without human intervention, wherein said network discovery includes identifying at least internal backbone structures of said set of heterogeneous UID switches, hardware presence on said network, internal-external connections between said hardware and said set of heterogeneous UID switches, and current state of said internal-external connections; performing protocol negotiation using said SCS and said SLACI, to ascertain at least one available data path between said UID and said system device, wherein said protocol negotiation being performed automatically without human intervention; formulating, using said SCS, a set of switch commands, said set of switch commands being configured to instruct said set of heterogeneous UID switches to connect said UID and said system device along said available data path to form said complete data path wherein said set of switch commands being formulated automatically without human intervention; and transmitting said set of switch commands from said SCS to said set of heterogeneous UID switches, thereby causing said set of heterogeneous UID switches to connect, upon executing said set of switch commands, said UID with said system device, wherein said set of switch commands being transmitted automatically without human intervention.