Intelligent role selection for dual-role devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10715381-B2
Application number	US-201816155162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments described herein are directed to mechanisms that enable roles (e.g., host vs. function, power provider vs. power consumer, master vs. slave, server vs. client, source vs. sink, upstream vs. downstream) to be dynamically assigned between two interconnected dual-role devices in an intelligent and deterministic manner based on the available context on each device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a software-implemented role manager executing on a first device that is communicatively connected to a second device, comprising:
determining that a first role is to be assigned to the first device and a second role is to be assigned to the second device, the first role and the second role defining an operating relationship between the first device and second device;
causing the first role to be assigned to the first device and the second role to be assigned to the second device;
receiving information indicative of a change of capability or operational state of one or more of the first device and the second device;
determining that a role assignment swap is to be implemented based at least in part on the information; and
based at least on the determining that the role assignment swap is to be implemented, initiating the role assignment swap causing the first role to be assigned to the second device and causing the second role to be assigned to the first device, the initiating comprising causing a connector manager to:
assign the second role to the first device by selectively activating one of a first driver stack or a second driver stack of the first device; and
assign the first role to the second device by interacting with the second device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first role and the second role respectively comprise:
a host and a function;
a power supplier and a power consumer;
a master and a slave;
a server and a client;
a source and a sink; or
an upstream and a downstream.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving information indicative of the change of capability or operational state of one or more of the first device and the second device comprises receiving information indicative of one or more of:
an addition, removal, activation or deactivation of a subsystem of the first device or the second device;
a change of a state of a subsystem of the first device or the second device;
a change of user preference input with respect to role assignment for the first device and second device;
a change in configuration information of the first device or the second device;
a connection or disconnection of at least a third device to or from the first device or the second device;
a change of role requirements by at least one application executing on the first device or the second device;
a change of power source by the first device or the second device;
a change of a state of a power source currently being used to supply power to the first device or the second device; and
a change in a level of consumption of a resource by the first device or the second device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device comprises:
querying the second device for capability and operational state information associated with the second device;
receiving from the second device the capability and operational state information associated with the second device;
obtaining capability and operational state information associated with the first device; and
determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device based on the capability and operational state information associated with the first device and the second device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device comprises:
determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device based at least on prior role assignment information for the first device and the second device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device comprises:
determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device based at least on one historical role usage model.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device comprises:
determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device based at least on user preference information received via one or more of a user interface of the first device and a user interface of the second device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device comprises:
determining that the first role is to be assigned to the first device and the second role is to be assigned to the second device based at least on role requirement information provided by at least one application executing on the first device or second device.

9. A first device, comprising:
at least one processor circuit; and
at least one memory that stores program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor circuit, the program code comprising:
a role manager configured to:
determine that a first role is to be assigned to the first device and a second role is to be assigned to a second device that is communicatively connected to the first device, the first role and the second role defining an operating relationship between the first device and second device;
cause the first role to be assigned to the first device and the second role to be assigned to the second device;
receive information indicative of a change of capability or operational state of one or more of the first device and the second device;
determine that a role assignment swap is to be implemented based at least in part on the information;
based at least on the determination that the role assignment swap is to be implemented, initiate the role assignment swap causing the first role to be assigned to the second device and causing the second role to be assigned to the first device, by causing a connector manager to:
assign the second role to the first device by selectively activating one of a first driver stack or a second driver stack of the first device; and
assign the first role to the second device by interacting with the second device.

10. The first device of claim 9 , wherein the first role and the second role respectively comprise:
a host and a function;
a power supplier and a power consumer;
a master and a slave;
a server and a client;
a source and a sink; or
an upstream and a downstream.

11. The first device of claim 9 , wherein the role manager is configured to receive information indicative of the change of operational state of one or more of the first device and the second device by receiving information indicative of one or more of:
an addition, removal, activation or deactivation of a subsystem of the first device or the second device;
a change of a state of a subsystem of the first device or the second device;
a change of user preference input with respect to role assignment for the first device and second device;
a change in configuration information of the first device or the second device;
a connection or disconnection of at least a third device to or from the first device or the second device;
a change of role requirements by at least one application executing on the first device or the second device;
a change of power source by the first device or the second device;
a change of a state of a power source currently bei

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Bhesania Firdosh K
• Chen Anthony Y
• Gupta Vivek
• Keating Andrea A
• Aull Randall E
• Ramadas Rahul
• Harris Jr Robert E
• Kastens Jayson L
• Froese Philip A
• Yang Cong

Classifications

• H04W84/20

  Leader-follower arrangements · CPC title

• H04W52/0261 Primary

  managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level · CPC title

• H04L41/0803 Primary

  Configuration setting · CPC title

• Y02D30/70

  in wireless communication networks · CPC title

• Y02D70/144

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic