DEVICE MANAGEMENT USING VIRTUAL INTERFACES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

摘要

Methods managing data communication between a peripheral device and host computer system are provided. A physical interface for communicating data between a peripheral device and the plurality of applications executing on the host computer system is opened and controlled by a software module. A first virtual interface and a second virtual interface of the software module are exposed to an operating system of the host computer system, and the operating system exposes the first virtual interface and the second virtual interface to the first application and the second application. The first virtual interface is used for communicating data between the peripheral device and the first application through the physical interface, and the second virtual interface is used for communicating data between the peripheral device and the second application through the physical interface.

主权项

1. A method of managing data communication, comprising:
opening and controlling, with a processor, a physical interface of a host computer system, wherein (i) the physical interface is configured for communicating data between a peripheral encoded information reading device and applications executing on the host computer system and (ii) the applications comprise a first application and a second application; exposing, with the processor, a first virtual interface and a second virtual interface in the host computer system to an operating system of the host computer system, wherein (i) the operating system exposes the first virtual interface to the first application and the second virtual interface to the second application, (ii) the first virtual interface provides communication of data between the peripheral encoded information reading device and the first application through the physical interface, and (iii) the second virtual interface provides communication of data between the peripheral encoded information reading device and the second application through the physical interface; and managing, with the processor, data communication (i) between the peripheral encoded information reading device and the first application and (ii) between the peripheral encoded information reading device and the second application; wherein the first application accesses data from the peripheral encoded information reading device; wherein the second application manages the peripheral encoded information reading device; wherein a driver of the operating system opens and owns the physical interface and exposes the first virtual interface and the second virtual interface to the operating system; and wherein the peripheral encoded information reading device is configured to output a decoded message.