Communications management system with a separate peripherals server
Systems and methods for managing an airport passenger processing system. The system includes a computing device and a peripheral device at an airport, a peripherals interface in communicative connection with the peripheral device and operable to execute a second client application, and a network outside the airport. The network includes a virtualization server for virtualizing an application for a first client application executed by the computing device and a peripherals manager in communication with the virtualization server. The first client application is configured to establish a first communication channel with the virtualization server for communication with an application virtualized on the virtualization server. The second client application is configured to establish a second communication channel with the peripherals manager. At least part of the network is configured to store an association between the first and second communication channels to associate the peripheral device with the computing device.
1. A client workstation inside an airport within a system for airport passenger processing, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a non-transitory memory containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the client workstation to perform operations comprising:
establishing, by a virtualization client running on the client workstation, a first communication channel for virtualization with a virtualized application hosted on a virtualization server outside the airport;
establishing, by a peripherals client running on the client workstation and distinct from the virtualization client, a second communication channel for peripherals management with a peripherals manager hosted on a peripherals server;
coupling a peripheral device inside the airport to the peripherals client running on the client workstation;
sending, by the virtualization client running on the client workstation to the virtualized application hosted on the virtualization server and using the first communication channel, an instruction for the peripheral device;
receiving, by the peripherals client running on the client workstation from the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server, the instruction for the peripheral device, wherein the peripherals server received the instruction from the virtualization server; and
providing, by the peripherals client running on the client workstation, the instruction to the peripheral device.
2. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the client workstation is a thin client.
3. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is wirelessly coupled to the peripheral client running on the client workstation.
4. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is a boarding pass printer, bag tag printer, or gate reader.
5. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the virtualized application is a containerized application.
6. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the peripherals server is located within the airport.
7. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the virtualized application hosted on the virtualization server is communicatively coupled to the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server by an emulated serial COM port, USB port, or parallel port.
8. The client workstation of claim 7 , wherein the virtualized application hosted on the virtualization server is communicatively coupled to the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server through a CUPPS application programming interface.
9. The client workstation of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
sending, by the peripherals client running on the client workstation to the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server and after establishing the second communication channel, identifying information comprising a name of the client workstation, client workstation IP address, or a name of the airport and terminal from which the second communication channel is being established.
10. The client workstation of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
sending, by the peripherals client running on the client workstation to the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server and after establishing the second communication channel, a list of available peripheral devices including the peripheral device; and
receiving, by the virtualization client running on the client workstation from the virtualized application hosted on the virtualization server and after establishing the first communication channel, the list of available peripheral devices including the peripheral device.
11. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the client workstation is configured to share the peripheral device between the client workstation and another device.
12. The client workstation of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the client workstation or the other device is a mobile device.
13. The client workstation of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
establishing, by a second peripherals client running on the client workstation and distinct from the peripherals client running on the client workstation and the virtualization client running on the client workstation, a third communication channel with the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server; and
coupling a second peripheral device inside the airport to the second peripherals client running on the client workstation, the second peripheral device being distinct from the peripheral device.
14. The client workstation of claim 13 , wherein the second peripherals client running on the client workstation and the second peripherals device are automatic backups to the peripheral client and the peripheral device.
15. The client workstation of claim 1 , wherein the peripherals client running on the client workstation is configured to manage fewer than all of a set of peripheral devices coupled to the peripherals client running on the client workstation.
16. A computer-implemented method for airport passenger processing, comprising:
establishing, by a virtualization client implemented on a client workstation inside an airport, a first communication channel with a virtualized application hosted on a virtualization server outside the airport;
establishing, by a peripherals client implemented inside the airport and distinct from the virtualization client, a second communication channel with a peripherals manager hosted on a peripherals server;
coupling a peripheral device inside the airport to the peripherals client;
sending, by the virtualization client implemented on the client workstation to the virtualized application hosted on the virtualization server and using the first communication channel, an instruction for the peripheral device;
receiving, by the peripherals client from the peripherals manager hosted on the peripherals server, the instruction for the peripheral device, wherein the peripherals server received the instruction from the virtualization server; and
providing, by the peripherals client implemented on the client workstation, the instruction to the peripheral device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the peripherals client is implemented on a separate device from the client workstation.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the client workstation implements a zero client comprising a controller configured to run the virtualization client and the peripherals client.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the peripheral device is wirelessly coupled to the peripheral client.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the peripheral device is a boarding pass printer, bag tag printer, or gate reader.