System and method for managing a serial port
US6651111B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 16, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 18, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/102
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides for a virtual serial port (VSP) situated between a serial port in a mobile electronic device, applications that require a serial port connection handle, and other applications that require command-mode access to the serial port. Data-communication applications (e.g. web browsing, e-mail, etc.) connect to the serial port through the VSP. The VSP creates a virtual connection handle that is returned to the application. Command-mode requests (e.g., short messaging requests) are received by the hardware abstraction layer, translated into command-mode messages (e.g., AT commands) and placed in a queue. The VSP multiplexes the serial port between the currently-open data communication session (data-mode) and command-mode messages by periodically suspending the currently-open connection and processing one or more command-mode messages that are in the queue. A buffer continually stores incoming data while the data communication session is suspended. The VSP uses a heuristic calculation to determine the maximum time interval for which the data-communication session can be interrupted. The heuristic calculation takes a percentage of a time-quantum (e.g. 0.5 secon…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.