Patent ID: 8782310

Claim:
A method for connecting a plurality of mobile devices to a computer, the computer having an operating system, the plurality of mobile devices including at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, each of the plurality of mobile devices including a mobile application, the method comprising: starting a user session by connecting the computer to the first mobile device, wherein the connecting includes receiving user authentication data at a session manager of the computer; receiving, through the mobile application that is running in the first mobile device, a first message at the computer to connect the first mobile device as a first type of input/output (I/O) device; upon receiving the first message, configuring the computer to use the first mobile device as the first type of I/O device; receiving a connection at the computer from the second mobile device for the user session, wherein the session manager maintains a same user session using the second mobile device with the first mobile device; receiving, through the mobile application that is running in the second mobile device, a second message at the computer to connect the second mobile device as a second type of input/output (I/O) device; and upon receiving the second message, configuring the computer to use the second mobile device as the second type of I/O device, the first type of I/O device and the second type of I/O device are each selected from a group comprising a mouse, a keyboard, a video camera, a display screen, an audio input device, an audio output device, and a USB hub, and the first type of I/O device is different from the second type of I/O device.