Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an Emergency Alert System (EAS) display controller. The EAS display controller includes: (a) a processor, (b) a network interface controller configurable to be in communication with an out-of-band network, (c) a communication-interface controller configurable to be in communication with a signage device and in compliance with a control standard, a memory storing firmware. The firmware is configured to, when executed by the processor, (a) establish an out-of-band communication channel with at least one EAS message source, (b) receive an EAS message from the at least one EAS message source through the out-of-band channel, (c) extract an alert message from the EAS message, (d) construct a signage device control command in accordance with the control standard, and (e) send the command to the signage device to instruct the signage device to display the alert message.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are related to a signage device controller. In certain embodiments, the signage device controller has: (a) a processor, (b) a network interface controller, (c) a communication control point in accordance with a control protocol and (d) a memory containing firmware. The firmware is configured to, when executed at the processor, (a) be in communication with managed signage device through the communication control point, (b) receive, through the network interface controller, a management request in a communication protocol from a remote management system through an out-of-band network for instructing the firmware to perform a management operation at the managed signage device, and (c) construct a control command in accordance with the control protocol and send the control command to the managed signage device through the communication control point to instruct the managed signage device to perform the management operation.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of managing and delivering digital media content data. In certain embodiments, a management device in communication to a computing device via a universal serial bus (USB) connector is provided. The management device has a processor, a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes a first partition storing a firmware and a second partition. When executed at the processor, the firmware emulates an emulated bootable storage device for the computing device at the USB connector. In response to an access instruction from the computing device to access data stored at an emulated address of the emulated bootable storage device, the management device converts the emulated address to a physical address of the second partition, and accesses the data at the physical address. The data includes digital media content data and a control module configured to play the content data.

Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to a digital signage display system. In one embodiment, the digital signage display system includes: a camera configured to capture an image frame; a service processor in communication to the camera; and a digital signage display. The service processor includes a processor and a non-volatile memory storing a firmware. The firmware is configured, when executed at the processor, to process the captured image frame, detect persons in the image frame, generate a demographic-map data structure, and send the demographic-map data structure to a server system. The demographic-map data structure contains demographic information of the persons detected in the image frame. The digital signage display is configured to receive a display content provided by the server system in response to the demographic-map data structure.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method of performing web-based keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) redirection implemented by a baseboard management controller (BMC). The method includes: (a) receiving, at a BMC, first and second video frames redirected from a host computer, the BMC performing a management function of the host computer, (b) generating a webpage at a web server of the BMC and sending the webpage to a browser program running on a computing device in a network, the webpage being programmed to instruct the browser program to initiate a drawable area and to establish a Web Socket connection with the web server, (c) generating a processed image representing the second video frame, (d) establishing a Web Socket connection between the web server and the browser program, and (e) sending the processed image to the browser program through the Web Socket connection.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to an IPMI Compatible Digital Media Controller (DMC). The IPMI Compatible DMC includes: a processor, a network interface controller, and a memory. The memory contains a firmware, and when the it is executed at the processor, the firmware is configured: (a) to be in communication with a number of digital media devices in a local DLNA network, (b) to receive an IPMI message from a remote management device through the network interface controller; and (c) to execute, in response to the IPMI message, an DLNA operation of the DMR or DMS. The digital media devices include at least one digital media renderer (DMR) and at least one digital media server (DMS).

Abstract: An aspect relates to fail safe flashing techniques for a management device of a computer system. A non-volatile memory of the management device stores a current firmware, an actual critical information and a backup critical information, which is rewritable in a booting mode and read-only in a flash mode. A flasher module is launched to operate the management device in the flash mode. The actual critical information is copied to a volatile memory and erased in the non-volatile memory. A replacement firmware is used to upgrade the current firmware. The actual critical information is mixed and matched with a new critical information. A user input is requested to write the mixed and matched critical information back to the non-volatile memory as the actual critical information. When the user input is not received after a first predetermined time period, the mixed and matched critical information is automatically written back.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a computer-implemented method for managing at least one network interface of a computer system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of executing of a boot loader to initialize a dedicated network interface and a side-band network interface, determining if a boot loader priority setting designates a preference to use one of a detected dedicated network interface or side-band network interface, determining if preferred network interface is available for use, then passing the priority setting to an operating system to use for network communications during run time.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a baseboard management controller (BMC) managing a computer system including N computer nodes. The BMC has: (a) a processor, (b) a physical network interface controller, (c) a first communication interface controller, (d) a memory having firmware stored. The firmware can: (a) initiate N virtual BMC stacks each managing at least one health or performance related aspect of a respective one of the N computer nodes, and (b) initiate N virtual network interface controllers each communicating with the physical network interface controller. Each of the virtual BMC stacks has a network interface configured to communicate with a respective virtual network interface controller, and each of the N virtual BMC stacks is configured to communicate with a network connected to the physical network interface controller through a virtual network interface controller.

Abstract: Method, application, and medium of remote management of a computer system using voice and gesture based input are disclosed. An application module is executed on a processor of a computing device. The application module (a) displays a first user interface on the computing device, the interface allowing a user to enter a first input which includes at least one of a voice input and a gesture input, (b) receives input data which include at least one of audio input data and multitouch input data from the computing device representing the first input, (c) determines, based on the input data, a first command from a plurality of commands targeted to a baseboard management controller (BMC) managing a computer system, (d) constructs a first message including the determined command, and (e) sends the first message to the BMC over a network.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a baseboard management controller (BMC) managing a computer system including N computer nodes and N is an integer greater than 1. The BMC has: (a) a processor, (b) a first communication interface controller, (c) a memory. The memory stores a firmware, and the firmware is executed by a processor of the BMC. The firmware, when executed by the processor, is configured to (a) dynamically obtain the value of N, and (b) initiate N virtual BMC stacks each managing at least one health or performance related aspect of a respective one of the N computer nodes. The first and second virtual BMC stacks of the N virtual BMC stacks communicate, through the first communication interface controller, with the first and second computer nodes of the N computer nodes, respectively.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method of performing a virtual media redirection. The method includes: (a) establishing a Web Socket connection between a web server of a baseboard management controller (BMC) and a browser program of a computing device in a network, the BMC performing a management function of a host computer; (b) emulating, at the BMC, virtual media to the host computer; (c) receiving, at the BMC, a read command from the host computer and directed to the emulated virtual media, the read command specifying a first file; (d) in response to the read command, sending, at the BMC, a request for the first file according to the read command to the browser program through the Web Socket connection; and (e) receiving, at the web server, the first file from the browser program through the Web Socket connection.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to an IPMI bridge server configured to expand the management functions of an IPMI control system to a plurality of non-IPMI protocol specific managed devices. The IPMI bridge server includes: a processor, a network interface controller assigned with a network address; and a memory containing a firmware. When the firmware is executed at the processor, it is configured to be in communication with a group of first protocol specific managed devices through a first protocol control point and a first communication link, and a group of second protocol specific managed devices through a second protocol control point and a second communication link, and to receive management requests each for performing a protocol specific management function at one of the group of first protocol specific managed devices or the group of second protocol specific managed devices.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method of performing web-based keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) redirection implemented by a baseboard management controller (BMC). The method includes: (a) receiving, at a BMC, first and second video frames redirected from a host computer, the BMC performing a management function of the host computer, (b) generating a webpage at a web server of the BMC and sending the webpage to a browser program running on a computing device in a network, the webpage being programmed to instruct the browser program to initiate a drawable area and to establish a Web Socket connection with the web server, (c) generating a processed image representing the second video frame, (d) establishing a Web Socket connection between the web server and the browser program, and (e) sending the processed image to the browser program through the Web Socket connection.

Abstract: Method, system, and storage media for remotely installing a virtual service processor (VSP) to a computing device are disclosed. The computer device initiates a preboot execution environment (PXE) client and receives a VSP installation file from a PXE server. The VSP installation file includes a VSP file, a universal plug and play (UPnP) service file, and a remote procedure call (RPC) service file. The UPnP service is discoverable by a management station in a network through UPnP. The computer device initiates a RPC service based on the RPC service file, sends hardware information of the computing device to the management station through the RPC service, receives configuration parameters for the VSP through the RPC service. The RPC service installs the VSP based on the VSP installation file and the configuration parameters.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a mobile IPMI remote management application program. The application program is executed on a processor of a handheld device and configured to: (a) display a first user interface on the handheld device, (b) receive a user input through the first user interface, (c) determine an IPMI request message and a target baseboard management controller (BMC) based on the user input, and (d) construct the request message and transmit the request message to the target BMC through a network. The application program includes (a) a management module, (b) a user interface module, (c) a message module, (d) a network module, and (f) a data module. The application program is also configured to: (a) encapsulate the request message in network packet, (b) determine a network address of the target BMC, and (c) transmit the network packet to the network.

Abstract: System and method for installation of a virtual service processor (VSP) are disclosed. The system include a computer that has a processor, a physical drive having a first partition and a master boot record (MBR) with initial settings indicating the first partition as an active bootable partition, and a non-transitory computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions. The instructions cause the processor to (a) load and execute a hypervisor from the computer storage medium, the hypervisor having a privileged domain and an unprivileged domain; (b) initiate a VSP in the privileged domain, the VSP being configured to manage at least one health, operation, or performance related aspect of the computer system; (c) configure the unprivileged domain to allow an operating system to run therein, the operating system (OS) being executable directly on the computer system; and (d) load and execute the OS in the unprivileged domain.

Abstract: In one aspect, the a system for charging an electrical storage device of a computer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one user input device that is operatively connected to the computer and configured to communicate input data to the computer in response to an action of a user. The input device has one or more transducers that are configured to receive a mechanical force resulting from user input to the input device and to convert the received mechanical force into electrical energy. The input device also has a connector that is configured to operatively connect the user input device to the electrical storage device of the computer and to deliver the electrical energy from the user input device to the electrical storage device.

Abstract: A method of flashing a BIOS memory of a computer system is described herein. The method includes executing a kernel of baseboard management controller (BMC) to create a partition for the BMC memory and a second partition for the BIOS memory; detecting whether the host processor is accessing the BIOS memory; controlling a multiplexer (MUX) to allow the first processor to access the BIOS memory when the host processor is not accessing the BIOS memory; and retrieving first BIOS software from the BMC memory and writing the first BIOS software to the BIOS memory.

Abstract: A hypervisor and a DMAP server in a network are described herein. The hypervisor is configured to generate a universally unique identifier (UUID), associate the UUID with a virtual NIC, construct a discover message including the UUID and the hypervisor's network address, broadcast the discover message in the network. The DMAP server is configured to generate a MAC address that is unique in the network, receive the discover message, and associate the generated MAC address with the UUID in response to the discover message, construct an offer message having the MAC address, the UUID, and the network address of the DMAP server, and transmit the offer message to the hypervisor.