Patent ID: 8667079

Claim:
A method for providing a local device service, via a connecting station, to at least one computer comprising: determining, by a connecting station, whether a local device directly and locally communicatively coupled to the connecting station is busy, wherein the local device is only configured to communicate with the connecting station; broadcasting, by the connecting station, to at least one computer communicatively coupled to the connecting station locally or via a network an available first service provided by the local device; and providing, by the connecting station, to a given one of the at least one computer access to the local device if the local device is not busy and is selected by the given computer, wherein providing access to the given one of the at least one computer comprises: receiving one or more commands for the local device from the given one of the at least one computer, wherein the commands are configured for a direct connection between the given one of the at least one computer and the local device; translating the commands, wherein the translated commands are configured to appear, from a point of view of the local device, to be a request derived not from the given one of the at least one computer but rather locally from the connecting station; and transmitting the translated commands to the local device.