IP Library Granted Patent US 11,422,602
Granted Patent B2
US 11,422,602 · App. 16/908,316 · Granted Aug 23, 2022

Computing device remote control system

Inventors: Jonathan C. Giffen (Austin, TX); Pradeep Gopal (Round Rock, TX); Daniel Hamlin (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/28G06F1/3209H04L9/3247
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,422,602
App. No.
16/908,316
Granted
Aug 23, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computing device remote control system includes a remote-control device, a remote-control adapter that is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device, and a computing device including a computing device Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector that is connected to the remote-control adapter. A function controller in the computing device is coupled to the computing device USB connector and operates to receive a remote-control message from the remote-control device via the computing device USB connector and the remote-control adapter and, in response, change a control function state stored in the function controller, and generate and transmit an alert. A system controller in the computing device is coupled to the function controller and operates to receive the alert from the function controller and, in response, access the function controller to identify the control function state stored in the function controller, and perform at least one control operation based on the control function state.

Claims (57)

1. A computing device remote control system, comprising:

a remote-control device;

a remote-control adapter that is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device; and

a computing device including:

a computing device Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector that is connected to the remote-control adapter;

a power function controller that is coupled to the computing device USB connector and configured to:

receive a remote-control message from the remote-control device via the computing device USB connector and the remote-control adapter and;

change, in response to receiving the remote-control message, a first power control function state stored in the power function controller to provide a second power control function state stored in the power function controller; and

generate and transmit an alert; and

a system controller that is coupled to the power function controller and configured to:

receive, from the power function controller, the alert;

access, in response to receiving the alert, the power function controller to identify the second power control function state stored in the power function controller; and

perform at least one power control operation on the computing device based on the second power control function state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote-control adapter is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device via cabling.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote-control adapter is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device via a wireless communication channel.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the remote-control device is configured to:

generate the remote-control message;

sign the remote-control message with a private key to provide a digital signature with the remote-control message; and

wirelessly transmit the remote-control message to the remote-control adapter via the wireless communication channel, wherein the remote-control adapter is configured to verify that the remote-control message was sent by the remote-control device using the digital signature.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system controller is configured to:

identify a wireless mode for the remote-control adapter; and

configure the remote-control adapter based on the wireless mode.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote-control message is a remote power control message, the first power control function state and the second power control function state are different power states for the computing device, and the at least one power control operation includes a power state change operation.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one power control operation includes a power indicator change operation.

8. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

at least one processing system; and

at least one memory system that is coupled to the at least one processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing system, cause the at least one processing system to provide at least one controller engine that is configured to:

receive a remote-control message from a remote-control device via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector and a remote-control adapter that is connected to the USB connector and that is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device;

change, in response to receiving the remote-control message, a first power control function state stored in a database to provide a second power control function state stored in the database;

generate an alert;

access, in response to the alert, the second power control function state stored in the database; and

perform at least one power control operation on the IHS based on the second power control function state.

9. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the remote-control adapter is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device via cabling.

10. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the remote-control adapter is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device via a wireless communication channel.

11. The IHS of claim 10 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to:

identify a wireless mode for the remote-control adapter; and

configure the remote-control adapter based on the wireless mode.

12. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the remote-control message is a remote power control message, the first power control function state and the second power control function state are different power states for the IHS, and the at least one power control operation includes a power state change operation.

13. The IHS of claim 12 , wherein the at least one power control operation includes a power indicator change operation.

14. A method for remotely controlling a computing device, comprising:

receiving, by a power function controller in a computing device, a remote-control message from a remote-control device via a USB connector on the computing device and a remote-control adapter that is connected to the USB connector and that is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device;

changing, by the power function controller in the computing device in response to receiving the remote-control message, a first power control function state stored in the power function controller to provide a second power control function state stored in the power function controller;

generating and transmitting, by the power function controller in the computing device, an alert;

receiving, by a system controller in the computing device from the power function controller in the computing device, the alert;

accessing, by the system controller in the computing device in response to receiving the alert, the power function controller to identify the second power control function state stored in the power function controller; and

performing, by the system controller in the computing device, at least one power control operation based on the second power control function state.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the remote-control adapter is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device via cabling.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the remote-control adapter is communicatively coupled to the remote-control device via a wireless communication channel.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

generating, by the remote-control device, the remote-control message;

signing, by the remote-control device, the remote-control message with a private key to provide a digital signature with the remote-control message; and

wirelessly transmitting, by the remote-control device, the remote-control message to the remote-control adapter via the wireless communication channel, wherein the remote-control adapter is configured to verify that the remote-control message was sent by the remote-control device using the digital signature.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

identifying, by the system controller in the computing device, a wireless mode for the remote-control adapter; and

configuring, by the system controller in the computing device, the remote-control adapter based on the wireless mode.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the remote-control message is a remote power control message, the first power control function state and the second power control function state are different power states for the computing device, and the at least one power control operation includes a power state change operation.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one power control operation includes a power indicator change operation.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053578/0183) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060332/0864 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053574/0221) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060333/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053573/0535) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060333/0106 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 053531 FRAME 0108 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0371 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053578/0183 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053573/0535 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053574/0221 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 053531/0108 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2020
From: GOPAL, PRADEEP; HAMLIN, DANIEL; GIFFEN, JONATHAN C.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 053005/0198 →