Portable terminal, server, and method for realizing function of portable terminal using network

1. A portable terminal, said portable terminal accessing a software executing server having a hardware access layer in which the hardware of a predetermined portable terminal is virtualized, wherein said server executes a virtual portable terminal program realizing a predetermined function of said portable terminal in response to a request from said portable terminal, said portable terminal comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a terminal-end hardware access layer that receives a hardware access instruction, issued by said virtual portable terminal program to said hardware access layer of said software executing server, in a hardware access command containing the hardware access instruction, a plurality of other hardware access instructions, a hardware access interval, and an interrupt hook;

wherein said hardware access command is generated by said hardware access layer of said software executing server and transmitted over a network to said portable terminal;

wherein said hardware access instruction and said plurality of other hardware access instructions include at least one instruction to write to or read from a hardware address;

wherein said hardware access interval prescribes a wait time for said portable terminal to wait between executing hardware access instructions selected from the hardware access instruction and the plurality of other hardware access instructions; and

wherein said interrupt hook prescribes which hardware access instruction, selected from the hardware access instruction and the plurality of other hardware access instructions, should be executed when a hardware interrupt occurs and is hooked on said portable terminal.

2. The portable terminal as defined in claim 1 , wherein a substitute program on said portable terminal is started when said portable terminal cannot access said software executing server; and

said substitute program on said portable terminal is ended as soon as access to said software executing server has been restored, and requesting to start said virtual portable terminal program is made to said software executing server.

3. The portable terminal as defined in claim 1 , wherein said portable terminal notifies said software executing server of an attachment device connected to said portable terminal, thereby having said hardware access layer of said software executing server updated;

wherein a hardware access command for said attachment device is received via said updated hardware access layer; and

control of said attachment device is executed.

4. The portable terminal as defined in claim 1 , wherein said portable terminal is capable of controlling an external device connected to said software executing server by having a hardware access instruction for said external device issued via a virtual portable terminal program executed on said software executing server.

5. A software executing server, said software executing server comprising a hardware processor and a hardware access layer in which the hardware of a predetermined portable terminal is virtualized, wherein said server executes a virtual portable terminal program realizing a predetermined function of a portable terminal in response to a request from said portable terminal;

said portable terminal comprising a terminal-end hardware access layer that receives

a hardware access instruction, issued by said virtual portable terminal program to said hardware access layer of said software executing server, in a hardware access command containing the hardware access instruction, a plurality of other hardware access instructions, a hardware access interval, and an interrupt hook;

wherein said hardware access command is generated by said hardware access layer of said software executing server and transmitted over a network to said portable terminal;

wherein said hardware access instruction and said plurality of other hardware access instructions include at least one instruction to write to or read from a hardware address;

wherein said hardware access interval prescribes a wait time for said portable terminal to wait between executing hardware access instructions selected from the hardware access instruction and the plurality of other hardware access instructions; and

wherein said interrupt hook prescribes which hardware access instruction, selected from the hardware access instruction and the plurality of other hardware access instructions, should be executed when a hardware interrupt occurs and is hooked on said portable terminal.

6. The software executing server defined in claim 5 , wherein said software executing server updates said hardware access layer of said software executing server based on a notification from said portable terminal that an attachment device has been connected to said portable terminal, and executes control of an attachment device via said portable terminal by issuing a hardware access instruction to said updated hardware access layer.

7. The software executing server as defined claim 5 , wherein said server executes control of an external device connected by a network by issuing a hardware access instruction for said external device based on a control request for said external device received via said virtual portable terminal program.

8. A method for realizing a function of a portable terminal, in a portable terminal accessing a software executing server, having a hardware access layer in which the hardware of a predetermined portable terminal is virtualized, wherein said server executes a virtual portable terminal program realizing a predetermined function of said portable terminal in response to a request from said portable terminal, the method comprising:

said portable terminal accessing said software executing server and requesting starting of said virtual portable terminal program;

said virtual portable terminal program executed by said software executing server issuing a hardware access instruction to said hardware access layer of said software executing server after said software executing server has started said virtual portable terminal program requested by said portable terminal;

said software executing server transmitting said hardware access instruction as a hardware access command capable of containing the hardware access instruction, a plurality of other hardware access instructions, a hardware access interval, and an interrupt hook to said portable terminal; and

said portable terminal operating hardware according to a hardware access instruction contained in said hardware access command;

wherein said hardware access command is generated by said hardware access layer of said software executing server and transmitted over a network to said portable terminal;

wherein said hardware access instruction and said plurality of other hardware access instructions include at least one instruction to write to or read from a hardware address;

wherein said hardware access interval prescribes a wait time for said portable terminal to wait between executing hardware access instructions selected from the hardware access instruction and the plurality of other hardware access instructions; and

wherein said interrupt hook prescribes which hardware access instruction, selected from the hardware access instruction and the plurality of other hardware access instructions, should be executed when a hardware interrupt occurs and is hooked on said portable terminal.

9. The method for realizing a function of a portable terminal as defined in claim 8 , further comprising:

having said portable terminal detect that said portable terminal cannot access to said software executing server and start an substitute program on said portable terminal; and

having said portable terminal detect that the access to said software executing server has been restored, end said substitute program, and request said software executing server to start said virtual portable terminal program.

10. The method for realizing the function of a portable terminal as defined in claim 8 , further comprising:

having said software executing server update said hardware access layer of said software executing server based on a notification from said portable terminal that an attachment device has been connected to said portable terminal; wherein

said software executing server executes the control of an attachment device by issuing a hardware access instruction to said updated hardware access layer.

11. The method for realizing a function of a portable terminal as defined in claim 8 , further comprising:

having said software executing server, via said virtual portable terminal program, receive a control request from said portable terminal that an external device connected by a network be controlled; and

having said software executing server control said external device by issuing a hardware access instruction to said external device according to said control request.