The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 29, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 22, 1998
George T. Hu, Kirkland, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and system for sharing a communications port by running a communications program that only occupies the communications port when a user action indicates that the communications port is needed. The communications port is released when it is determined that the user no longer needs it, however the communications program continues to run. The communications program is implemented in a shell extension that separates its functionality into two states, a resident state that is essentially available at all times but does not occupy the communications port, and an exclusive state that intelligently occupies the communications port when needed. When a user intuitively opens a folder related to device communication, the communications program enters the exclusive state, and returns to the resident state when the folder is closed, thereby freeing the communications port for use by other programs. While in the resident state, the user can connect for network communications while leaving the communications port available.