SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A THIN-CLIENT TERMINAL SYSTEM USING A SERIAL BUS

1 . A thin-client terminal system, comprising:

a serial bus hub coupled to a server system via a serial bus cable and configured to:

receive serial output data from the server system via the serial bus cable;

transmit input data via the serial bus cable to the server system; and

identify the serial bus hub as associated with the thin-client terminal system;

a first serial bus interface communicatively coupled to the serial bus hub and configured to receive the input data from an input device; and

a serial bus-to-video circuit configured to:

convert received serial output data into a video signal; and

render a first video display device using the video signal, the first video display device connected to the thin-client terminal system.

2 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 1 , further comprising a second serial bus interface communicatively coupled to the serial bus hub and configured to receive additional user input.

3 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 1 , further comprising a security circuit configured to authenticate the thin-client terminal system, wherein based on a determination that the thin-client terminal system is unauthentic, the security circuit prevents the thin-client terminal system from interfacing with the thin-client server system.

4 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 3 , wherein the security circuit configured to authenticate the thin-client terminal system comprises consulting a centralized licensing server to determine that an encrypted serial number in the security circuit is authentic and has been activated.

5 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 3 , wherein the security circuit configured to authenticate the thin-client terminal system comprises using a smartcard coupled to the security circuit to activate the thin-client terminal system.

6 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 3 , wherein the security circuit configured to authenticate the thin-client terminal system comprises the security circuit receiving a license code enabling the thin-client terminal system to operate.

7 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 1 , wherein the serial bus-to-video circuit is further configured to render a second video display device using the video signal.

8 . A server system for supporting a thin-client terminal system, the server system comprising:

a video subsystem comprising:

a screen buffer configured to store video data for the thin-client terminal system; and

a serial bus video driver configured to drive a video signal to the thin-client terminal system using the stored video data;

a thin-client input driver configured to process input data received from the thin-client terminal system; and

a serial bus host controller configured to transmit the video signal to a serial bus hub of the thin-client terminal system.

9 . The thin-client server system of claim 8 , wherein the serial bus host controller is further configured to receive an identifier from the serial bus hub of the thin-client terminal system, the receipt of the identifier causing the serial bus host controller to activate a serial bus driver associated with the thin-client terminal system.

10 . The thin-client server system of claim 8 , further comprising a thin-client serial bus audio driver configured to drive an audio signal to the thin-client terminal system via the serial bus host controller.

11 . A thin-client terminal system, comprising:

means for connecting the thin-client terminal system to a thin-client server system;

means for identifying the connecting means as associated with the thin-client terminal system;

means for receiving output data from the thin-client server system;

means for transmitting user input data to the thin-client server system;

first means for receiving the user input data;

means for converting the received output data into a video signal; and

means for rendering a first video display device using the video signal.

12 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 11 , further comprising second means for receiving the user input data.

13 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 11 , further comprising means for authenticating the thin-client terminal system, wherein based on a determination that the thin-client terminal system is unauthentic, the authenticating means prevents the thin-client terminal system from interfacing with the thin-client server system.

14 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 13 , wherein the authenticating means consults a centralized licensing server to determine that an encrypted serial number in the security circuit is authentic and has been activated.

15 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 13 , wherein the authenticating means uses a smartcard coupled to the security circuit to activate the thin-client terminal system.

16 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 13 , wherein the authenticating means receives a license code enabling the thin-client terminal system to operate.

17 . The thin-client terminal system of claim 11 , wherein the rendering means renders a second video display device using the video signal.

18 . A method of providing a thin-client terminal system, the method comprising:

connecting a serial bus hub to a serial bus host controller in a server system;

transmitting an identifier to the serial bus host controller identifying the serial bus hub as being associated with the thin-client terminal system;

receiving serial output data from the server system;

converting received serial output data into a video signal;

rendering a first video display device using the video signal; and

transmitting user input data via the serial bus hub to the thin-client server system, the user input data received by a serial bus interface communicatively coupled to the serial bus hub.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising authenticating the thin-client terminal system, wherein based on a determination that the thin-client terminal system is unauthentic, a security circuit prevents the thin-client terminal system from interfacing with the thin-client server system.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the authenticating comprises consulting a centralized licensing server to determine that an encrypted serial number in the thin-client terminal system is authentic and has been activated.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the authenticating comprises using a smartcard coupled to the security circuit to activate the thin-client terminal system.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the authenticating comprises receiving a license code enabling the thin-client terminal system to operate.

23 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising rendering a second video display device using the video signal.