Patent ID: 7831837

Claim:
A method of communicating within a system that includes a device, a controller for the device, a token, and a driver which implements a predefined interface for enabling communication with and/or control of the device through the controller, said method comprising: via the predefined interface, sending instructions and/or data from the driver to the controller for controlling the device; via the predefined interface, sending a preselected control parameter to the controller, said preselected control parameter indicating that interaction with the token is desired; and via the predefined interface, receiving from the controller data that originates from the token and that is responsive to the previously sent control parameter; wherein a housing encloses the device, the controller for the device, and the token within the housing; wherein the driver runs on a host external to the housing; wherein the system is constructed and arranged to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode corresponding to communication between the driver and the device through the controller, the second mode corresponding to communication between the driver and the token through the controller, the device being different from the token; wherein the driver is constructed and arranged to direct instructions and/or data only to destinations within the device; wherein the method further comprises: when operating in the first mode, directing instructions and/or data to a normal entity, the normal entity being an actual destination on the device; and when operating in the second mode, directing instructions and/or data to a special entity, the special entity being a nonexistent destination on the device that the controller for the device interprets as a direction to interact with the token instead of the device; and wherein sending the preselected control parameter to the controller via the predefined interface includes operating the system in the second mode.