WO2008059510A2

WO2008059510A2 - Intelligent thin computer

Info

Publication number: WO2008059510A2
Application number: PCT/IN2006/000448
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alok Singh; Nisheeth Mishra; Yuvaraj Galada; Vinodkumar Gopinathan; Mukul Chitrao; Shuveb Hussain; Siva Rama Krishna Obul Reddy; Rajaram Regupathy
Original assignee: Alok Singh; Rajaram Regupathy; Nisheeth Mishra; Yuvaraj Galada; Vinodkumar Gopinathan; Mukul Chitrao; Shuveb Hussain; Siva Rama Krishna Obul Reddy
Priority date: 2006-11-13
Filing date: 2006-11-13
Publication date: 2008-05-22
Also published as: WO2008059510A3; WO2008059510B1

Abstract

This invention relates to network computing and, in particular, to network computing / thin client devices having independent processing capability apart from server dependent processing. Importantly, network computing /thin client device of the invention would favour better end user utilities to network computer devices by way of provision of standalone basic applications. Such basic applications provided for in the device would serve the user's computing needs and would not necessarily require complete dependence for all end user applications on the server. Thus, the invention is directed to providing computing involving network computer more accessible for the end user and capable of functioning in no or low bandwidth conditions, maintenance and management of computing network more organized for the administrator and network computing simple and end user friendly thus value adding to the basic purpose and objectives of network computing facilities.

Description

INTELLIGENT THIN COMPUTER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND ART

It is well known that many devices exist today that cater to the computing needs of the user. Of these, the Personal Computer (PC) and Thin Client (TC) are the two most common devices. The PC is known to store most of the applications and devices that a user requires. It can also use applications and data placed across a network. However, for such purpose, the personal computer require a basic set of applications and data to be resident on it. This increases the maintainability and risk to attack of a PC. Also, such requirement further increases the complexity of a PC.

On the other hand, the thin client (TC) is almost entirely dependent on a server. No user application of data resides on this device. It collects the user input, sends it to a server, gets the response from server and outputs it to the user. The output is usually in the visual form. Thus, most of the times, the screen to be displayed is transferred from the server to the client, which makes such to thin client devices completely dependent to operate on a bandwidth heavy network. Thus, the server dependent devices like conventional thin client, which are presently available are provided without local memory space and always require a server to allocate temporary memory space as well as processing capability. Therefore, such thin client devices, when not connected to any server turn into dumb devices. Such provision of network computing devices, which on its own without server access is a dumb device is usually preferred only in case of enterprise environment. When such network devices are deployed in a home environment or remote office where the provision and instant availability of server is not available, installation of such network computing / thin client devices is not user friendly and can be practically of no effective use.

The above clearly reveal that the network computing devices presently known and available essentially require a server for its performance as an active device. However, there are situations where local computing / activity not server dependent are required and such requirement of users is increasing day by day. Internet connectivity is getting easier and people are using internet increasingly day by day. A home user would require a less complicated device with the provision that would allow connection to the internet which can not be achieved by the conventional thin client device, if installed in home as a stand alone terminal. There is thus a need to provide thin client devices with some processing capability independently as a stand alone terminal to benefit end user applications.

Moreover, it is known that the conventional thin client devices have very little authentication mechanism. Such devices thus depend heavily on set of servers for authentication. Many a times the authentication data is insecure when it passes through the network. Also, many of the solutions require users to authenticate into multiple servers thereby adding to the problems and complexities of the use of presently available conventional thin client.

While personal computer (PC) which have independent computing capabilities are preferred over the thin clients (TC), it is, however, well known that even today the personal computer are expensive and not affordable for the ordinary man. Over and above this, to operate such personal computers one should buy software licenses and many a time upgrade the existing software. These further add on to the cost of acquiring and owning a personal computer. Thus, for the above reasons while personal computer may be preferred over thin clients, the personal computer till today is not readily affordable to one and all and also the complexity of handling a personal computer also add to the end user discomfort. It is well known that after purchasing a personal computer, the configuring, managing and upgrading of the whole gamut of applications and operating systems on a PC is major problem for a common user. Also, when the user requires more disk and memory space such conventional PC systems need to have provision for up gradation as, otherwise, the system can be obsolete and useless. Importantly also, apart from the problems of affordability and its configuration, maintenance and updating, the life of the PC hardware also get affected which can add to the cost burden for the end user.

It is, therefore, apparent from the above that while networking system and network computing devices are essential, network computing devices in the form of thin clients, which are simple and cost effective for the end user are required apart from its operative process ability dependant on the server to also have minimal independent processing capability and not be a dumb terminal in the absence of server support.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is thus the basic object of the present invention to provide for intelligent network computers with minimized dependence on servers which would avoid the short comings and limitations of the conventional thin clients presently in use and available in art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for network computer / thin client devices which apart from serving when connected to a server would also have the capability of independent application (thin applications) processing and would not be a simple dumb device in absence of server support.

Another object of the present invention is directed to an intelligent network computer / thin client devices which apart from serving in server based enterprise environment can also be deployed in home environment and remote offices where the provision of continuous and instant availability of server based networking is a major problem. A further object of the present invention is to provide for intelligent network computer with minimized dependence on server which would avoid the problems of lack of local computing in thin client devices including its deactivation in the absence of any server support.

A further object is directed to favour wide scale application and use of network computing/ thin client devices with less server dependence and having some independent application capabilities, such as internet connectivity and access as a standalone terminal.

A further object of the present invention is directed to network computing / thin client device which would have some intelligent capabilities for independent local applications including favouring localized authentication mechanism.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for a network computing / thin client device, which can meet some local application requirements of the end user without server dependency and at the same time, will not be expensive and easily affordable for the common man.

A further object of the present invention is directed to on one hand maintain the simplicity and user friendly charastistics of thin client computing devices and on the other hand impart some processing / local application capabilities in thin client, which would not make the device complex and would maintain its user friendliness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for a network computing and thin client device which would have minimum complexity and be not entirely a network centering device and have standalone desktop with local computing such as local browser, local music player and local image viewer and at the same time ability to access the server to provide other complex applications.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a network computing and thin client device which would serve as local application / computing terminal and would have all complex software related requirements on the server. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus according to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a network computing/thin client device having minimal independent processing capability and not entirely server dependent comprising: a standalone desktop unit for local computing ;

a general purpose interface processor means adapted to interface with all required input- output ports required for the device and a digital signal processor means operatively connected to said interface processor means to receive all the compressed and encoded audio-video data from the said interface processor means and adapted to appropriately decode the compressed or encoded audio-video data and generate original audio-video data for desired outputting to the user.

The above disclosed network computing/thin client device of the invention would have means for local computing such as comprising local browser, local music player and local image viewer.

The said general purpose interface processor means is adapted to interface with input-output ports including selected from network, USB and PS/2.The device would be adapted for selectively accessing a server for complex applications, resourcing and managing.

In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention the network computing/thin client device of the invention comprises (a) said general purpose interface processor comprises an operating system with features comprising selectively flash subsystem, desktop remoting, local applications, display subsystems, decoder/encoder stubs adapted to pass the data to be decoded from the interface processor to the appropriate decoder in said digital signal processor, decoder-encoder framework adapted for multiplexing the data, interface processor and digital signal processing communication library, peripheral support systems adapted for management of local peripherals and also for mapping peripherals to remote application server and (b) said digital signal processor comprises of digital signal processing operating system with features comprising selectively interface processor-digital signal processor communication library, decoder-encoder framework adapted for de-multiplexing of the data, flash decoder, display decoders, audio decoders and video decoders.

It is thus possible by way of the above disclosed network computing / thin client device to provide the much required computing solution which would combine functionality of both a desktop computer and a thin client and achieve the end user / customer satisfaction such as the requirements of cross section of customers including home user and enterprise users through a simple and common networking device.

The display sub-system is adapted to provide means to display contents on the screen and preferably spilt into said interface processor and said digital signal processor for maximum performance.

The device would further comprise local boot capability and browsing capability for the user, desktop remote component adapted to support various protocols to connect to different types of servers, audio support adapted to play audio locally, USB stick support for the user, printer support component and remote software update component.

According to a preferred aspect the network computing/thin client device can comprise embedded systems for said above features.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computing network comprising:

zero or more servers ; and a plurality of network computing/thin client device having minimal independent processing capability and not entirely server dependent as disclosed above operatively connected to one or more of said servers, if they are available.

Importantly, the combination of hardware and the software in the network computing / thin client device would favour achieving unique computing and entertainment environment. The device of the invention can advantageously involve embedded system adapted to operate for local / customized application apart from server dependent complex end user application. Advantageously, the network computing device of the invention can have the required local memory space apart from any server allocated temporary memory space as a processing capability. Such provision in the network computing / thin client device would favour its advantageous local application such as in home environment in remote offices even if the device is not connected to the server.

The invention therefore avoids the limitation of complete lack of local computing in conventional network computing devices and favour maintaining such computing devices alive and active for atleast for some minimum local processing ability even if it not connected to a server. Such advantageous provision for local application / activity in the thin client device of the invention would favour multi terminal simple and cost effective internet connectivity and access the requirement for which is increasing day by day. The system of the invention would benefit home user who require a device capable of connecting to the internet, which was not possible using the conventional thin client devices, which can not function as standalone system and is less complicated than the PC.

Moreover, the intelligent network computer / thin client device of the invention would favour adding the much required provision for some authentication mechanism in thin clients which was earlier not possible in case of the conventional thin client, which are dummy terminals were not operatively connected to the server. Thus, the computing network / thin clients of the invention would on one hand be simple and cost effective to obtain and on the other hand will not be complex with complexities in configuration managing and up-gradation which is found in conventional personal computers. The invention would therefore favour better and end user benefit applications and use of thin client, which was earlier not possible involving the conventional thin clients presently in use.

The details of the invention, its objects and advantages are explained hereunder in greater details in relation to non-limiting exemplary illustration of the network computing / thin₍ client device of the invention as per the following accompanying figure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

Figure 1 : is a schematic illustration of embodiment the hardware and its configuration and adaptability as the network computing / thin client device of the present invention.

Figure 2: is a layout of block illustration of the Interface Processor operating system and

Digital Signal Processing operating systems and their respective configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

Reference is invited to accompanying figure 1 which provides schematic illustration of network computing / thin client device. As shown kuthe figure the thin client device ^"of the invention basically involves an interface processor or general purpose processor (GPP) and a digital signal processor (DSP).

As would be apparent from the above figure the GPP basically serves as an interface processor for network computer. The main purpose of the general purpose processor is to interface with all the required input /output ports like network, USB or PS/2. The processor is adapted to pass all the audio-video data that requires decoding or decompression to the other components of the intelligent network computer with minimized dependent on server.

In particular, the digital signal processor is operatively connected to the general purpose processor and serves as the decoding-decompression processor of the network processor. The general purpose processor is adapted to pass all the compressed or encoded audio / video data to the digital signal processor. The digital signal processor is provided with appropriate decode to get the original audio - video data which is output to the user.

All the local applications that reside on this network computing / thin client device are designed and built such that their interfacing components reside on the general purpose processor and all their processing elements reside on the digital signal processor. For example, the browser interfacing component resides in the general purpose processor whereas the plug-ins and decoding and rendering components would reside in the digital signal processor. The device of the invention is adapted to function with suitably embedded hardware integrated with software.

In particular, the network computing / thin client device is adapted to operatively connect to the server to provide resources to the device and also manage the device.

Reference is invited to accompanying figure 2 which shows by way of block illustration the GPP and the DSP used in the network computing/thin client device of the invention. As shown in the figure, the configuration of the general purpose interface processor basically comprises an operating system with features comprising selectively flash subsystem, desktop remoting, local applications, display subsystems, decoder/encoder stubs adapted to pass the data to be decoded from the interface processor to the appropriate decoder in said digital signal processor, decoder-encoder framework adapted for multiplexing the data, interface processor and digital signal processing communication library, peripheral support systems adapted for management of local peripherals and also for mapping peripherals to remote application server. As regards the digital signal processing the same is provided with features comprising selectively interface processor-digital signal processor communication library, decoder-encoder framework adapted for de-multiplexing of the data, flash and other such decoders, display decoders, audio decoders and video decoders.

The encoder-decoder framework is provided on both GPP and DSP. The general purpose processor multiplexes the data, the digital signal processor module is adapted to de-multiplex the data and provide to the appropriate decoder, for example, MPEG or MP3.

The stated above the system also includes decoder - encoder stubs that run on the general purpose processor and are used to pass the data to the decoder from the general purpose processor to the appropriate decoder on the digital signal processor.

The display sub-system used in the network computing thin client device constitutes the main component that provides a mechanism to display contents on the screen. The display is split into general purpose processor and digital signal processor components for maximum performance. The peripheral support system serves for the management of the local peripherals and also for the mapping of these peripherals to any remote application servers. The local boot module provides a user facility and browsing capability for the user. The desktop remote component module connects to server side operating systems, like Windows, Linux or Unix. It supports different protocols such as X, RDP, etc. to connect to the different types of servers. The audio support constitutes the module adapted to support plain audio, streamed from the server, locally in the device. The USB device support is adapted to store and access data in the USB device and uses it locally (on the network computing / thin client device) or remotely (server to which the network computing / thin client device is connected).

The device can further provide the printer support component module to support local printer. Any application on the server or the applications running locally on the network computing / thin client device can use the printer connected in the remote client.

The remote software updated component on the client side is provided for getting newer version of the software from the remote server.

It is thus possible by way of the present invention to provide for intelligent network computers with minimized dependence on servers which would avoid the short comings and limitations of the conventional thin clients presently in use and available in art. The device of the invention apart from serving when connected to a server would also have the capability of minimal independent application processing and would not be a simple dumb device in absence of server support. The device can in addition to its purposes in server based enterprise environment be deployed in home environment and remote offices where the provision of continuous and instant availability of server based networking is a major problem to favour atleast some minimal local applications. The thin client device of the invention would be less server dependent and have some independent application capabilities, such as internet connectivity and access as a standalone terminal and thus immensely benefit the end users of such devices.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. Network computing/thin client device having minimal independent processing capability and not entirely server dependent comprising: a standalone desktop unit for local computing ;

a general purpose interface processor means adapted to interface with all required input- output ports required for the device and

a digital signal processor means operatively connected to said interface processor means to receive all the compressed and encoded audio-video data from the said interface processor means and adapted to appropriately decode the compressed or encoded audio-video data and generate original audio-video data for desired outputting to the user.

2. Network computing/thin client device according to claim 1 wherein said means for local computing comprises local browser, local music player and local image viewer. These applications are designed such that all the interfacing components lie in the general purpose interface processor and all the heavy processing components lies in the digital signal processor.

3. Network computing / thin client device according to anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein said interface processor means is adapted to interface with input-output ports including selected from network, USB and PS/2.

4. Network computing / thin client device according to anyone of claims 1 to 3 comprising selectively accessing a server for complex applications, resourcing and managing.

5. Network computing / thin client device according to anyone of claims 1 to 4 wherein (a) said general purpose interface processor comprises an operating system with features comprising selectively flash subsystem, desktop remoting, local applications, display subsystems, decoder/encoder stubs adapted to pass the data to be decoded from the interface processor to the appropriate decoder in said digital signal processor, decoder-encoder framework adapted to multiplex the data, interface processor and digital signal processing communication library, peripheral support systems adapted for management of local peripherals and also for mapping peripherals to remote application server and (b) said digital signal processor comprises of digital signal processing operating system with features comprising selectively interface processor-digital signal processor communication library, decoder-encoder framework adapted for de-multiplexing of the data, display decoders, flash and other such decoders, audio decoders and video decoders.

6. Network computing / thin client device according to claim 5 wherein the display subsystem is adapted to provide means to display contents on the screen and preferably spilt into said interface processor for general processing and said digital signal processor for computation to get maximum performance.

7. Network computing / thin client device according to anyone of claims 1 to 6 comprising local boot capability and browsing capability for the user, desktop remote component adapted to support various protocols to connect to different types of servers, audio support adapted to play audio locally ,USB stick support for the user, printer support component and remote software update component.

8. Network computing / thin client device according to anyone of claims 1 to 6 comprising embedded systems for said features.

9. Network computing / thin client device according to anyone of claims 1 to 8 wherein the said device is adapted for local authentication apart from any server dependent authentication.

10. A computing network comprising:

Zero or more servers; and a plurality of network computing / thin client device having minimal independent processing capability and not entirely server dependent as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8 operatively connected to one or more of said servers.

11. Network computing / thin client device and a computing network using the same substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures.