Amorphic Computing
System and method for providing computer resources to users. A first device is coupled to multiple human interface devices (HIDs), and a second device is coupled to multiple computing resources. The first device establishes a connection with the second device over a network, and in response to user input specifying a task, provides first user interface signals generated by the HIDs specifying the task to the second device. The second device receives the task specification from the first device, determines one or more of the resources operable to perform the task, invokes performance of the task by at least one of the resources, and/or the second device, and provides second user interface signals to the first device, including results of the task. The first device receives the second user interface signals from the second device, and provides them to one or more of the HIDs for presentation to the user.
1 . A system for providing computer resources to users, the system comprising:
a first device coupled to a plurality of human interface devices, wherein the first device is operable to provide an interface between the plurality of human interface devices and a network; and
a second device coupled to the network;
wherein the first device is operable to:
establish a connection with the second device over the first network; and
in response to first user input specifying a task to be performed, provide first user interface signals generated by the plurality of human interface devices to the second device, wherein the first user interface signals include specification of the task;
wherein the second device is operable to:
receive the specification of the task to be performed from the first device;
determine one or more of the plurality of computing resources that are operable to perform the specified task;
invoke performance of the specified task by at least one of the plurality of computing resources, and/or the second device; and
provide second user interface signals to the first device, including results of the performance of the specified task; and
wherein the first device is further operable to:
receive the second user interface signals from the second device; and
provide the second user interface signals to one or more of the plurality of human interface devices for presentation to the user.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is further operable to:
send information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices to the second device.
3 . The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices comprises one or more of:
performance characteristics of the at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices; and
I/O capabilities of the at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices.
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the second device is further operable to:
provide interface instructions specifying operation of one or more of the plurality of human interface devices, in response to the information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices to the second device
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the first device is further operable to download the interface instructions specifying operation of one or more of the plurality of human interface devices and operate the one or more of the plurality of human interface devices accordingly.
6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the second device is further operable to:
provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to the first device for display to the user on a display device in accordance with the information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices;
wherein the GUI is operable to receive user input specifying the task, and wherein the results of the performance of the specified task are displayed on the GUI.
7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein to provide the second user interface signals to the first device, the second device is further operable to:
compose the second user interface signals into a composite user interface signal in accordance with the information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices; and
provide the composite user interface signal to the first device.
8 . The system of claim 7 ,
wherein to provide the composite user interface signal to the first device, the second device is further operable to:
compress the composite signal thereby generating a compressed composite signal; and
end the compressed composite signal to the first device;
wherein to receive the second user interface signals from the second device, and to provide the second user interface signals to one or more of the plurality of human interface devices for presentation to the user, the first device is further operable to:
receive the compressed composite signal from the second device;
decompress the compressed composite signal, thereby extracting the second user interface signals; and
provide the extracted second user interface signals to one or more of the plurality of human interface devices for presentation to the user.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the network connection with the second device is established in response to one or more of:
user input to one of the human interface devices; and
power up of the first device.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of computing resources includes at least one of:
one or more computing systems;
one or more storage devices;
one or more printers;
one or more scanners;
one or more cameras;
one or more plotters;
one or more control/automation devices;
one or more switches;
one or more transmission media;
one or more networks; and
one or more programs.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of human interface devices includes at least a subset of:
one or more computer monitors;
one or more virtual reality (VR) displays;
a keyboard;
a pointing device;
a motion sensor;
one or more speakers;
one or more microphones;
one or more cameras;
one or more force-feedback devices; and
a card reader.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is coupled to the plurality of computing resources over the first network.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is coupled to the plurality of computing resources over one or more second networks.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is further operable to:
perform a discovery process to determine the plurality of computing resources coupled to the second device.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second device and one or more of the plurality of resources each comprise a computer, and wherein communication between computers is limited to human interface signals.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the human interface signals comprise one or more of:
images;
sounds;
keyboard events; and
pointing device events.
17 . The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the second device comprises:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores resource/session management software; and
wherein the second device is operable to execute the resource/session management software to perform said receiving, said determining, said invoking, and said providing.
18 . A method for providing computer resources to users, comprising:
providing a first device, coupled to a plurality of human interface devices, and a second device, coupled to a plurality of computing resources;
the first device establishing a connection with the second device over a first network;
the first device providing first user interface signals generated by the plurality of human interface devices to the second device in response to first user input specifying a task to be performed, wherein the first user interface signals include the specification of the task;
the second device receiving the specification of the task to be performed from the first device;
the second device determining one or more of the plurality of computing resources that are operable to perform the specified task;
the second device invoking performance of the specified task by at least one of the plurality of computing resources, and/or the second device; and
the second device providing second user interface signals to the first device, including results of the performance of the specified task; and
the first device receiving the second user interface signals from the second device, and providing the second user interface signals to one or more of the plurality of human interface devices for presentation to the user.
19 . The method of claim 18 ,
wherein the second device comprises:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores resource/session management software; and
wherein said receiving, said determining, said invoking, and said providing are performed by the second device executing the resource/session management software.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
the first device send information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices to the second device.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
the second device providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to the first device for display to the user on a display device in accordance with the information describing at least a subset of the plurality of human interface devices;
wherein the GUI is operable to receive user input specifying the task, and wherein the results of the performance of the specified task are displayed on the GUI.