Human interface device virtualization using paravirtual USB system

• Main Authors: HERBERT JENNIFER, LEJOSNE JEAN-EDOUARD, PHILIPSON ROSS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.03.2016
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; PHYSICS

Methods and systems for performing device virtualization are described herein. Hardware devices may be virtualized for use by multiple operating system instances executing on a single device. The device may be virtualized by detecting input at the device, notifying a control domain of the input, the control domain determining a virtual machine (e.g., a guest domain) for which the input is intended, and passing the input from the control domain to the guest domain. There may be multiple guest domains on the device, each capable of receiving input from the hardware being virtualized. The virtualized hardware may include, e.g., a digitizer such as a touch digitizer capable of recognizing multiple concurrent inputs. Other hardware devices can also be virtualized. Virtualization may be performed using device emulation in the control domain, or using USB passthrough, among other techniques.