Patent ID: 7644211

Claim:
A method for controlling sending and receiving of universal serial bus (“USB”) messages between a plurality of host computers and a USB device over an Ethernet data network, a first USB server in communication with a first one of the host computers and the Ethernet data network, a second USB server in communication with a second one of the host computers and the Ethernet data network, a USB client in communication with the Ethernet data network and the USB device, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a first control path between the USB client and the first USB server and a second control path between the USB client and the second USB server; configuring an association module in the USB client with a first association between the USB client and the first USB server and a second association between the USB client and the second USB server; establishing a first data transfer path between the USB client and the first USB server, the first data transfer path enabling sending of data between the USB client and the first USB server over the Ethernet data network; and sending a busy message from the USB client to the second USB server over the second control path when the first data transfer path is established with the first USB server.