US6112264A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer interconnection system having analog overlay for remote control of the interconnection switch
Assignee: Avocent Redmond Corp
•
Filing: 1999-02-04
•
Granted: 2000-08-29
•
Expires: 2019-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A computerized switching system for coupling a workstation to a remotely located computer. A signal conditioning unit receives keyboard and mouse signals generated by a workstation and generates a data packet which is transmitted to a central crosspoint switch. The packet is routed through a crosspoint switch to another signal conditioning unit located at a remotely located computer. The second signal conditioning unit applies the keyboard and mouse commands to the keyboard and mouse connectors of the computer as if the keyboard and mouse were directly coupled to the remote computer. Video signals produced by the remote computer are transmitted through the crosspoint switch to the workstation. Horizontal and vertical sync signals are encoded on to the video signals to reduce the number of cables that extend between the workstation and the remote computer. The signal conditioning units connected to the workstations include an onscreen programming circuit that produces menus for the user on a video display of the workstation.
Inventors
- 👤 Danny L. Beasley
- 👤 Robert V. Seifert, Jr.
- 👤 Paul Lacrampe
- 👤 James C. Huffington
- 👤 Thomas Greene
- 👤 Kevin J. Hafer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/14; H04N7/15; H04N7/152; G06F13/40; G06F13/4004; G06F13/4022; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/163; G06F15/173; G06F15/17356; G06F15/17368; G06F15/17375; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/02; G06F3/023; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/66; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/56; H04L67/561; H04L67/567; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
A switching system comprising: a computer-side interface for simultaneously physically connecting to independent, dedicated cables of respective keyboard and analog video outputs of plural computers; a user-side interface for physically connecting to a first set of independent, dedicated cables of a first keyboard and an analog video input of a first monitor; an analog video receiving circuit, connected to the computer-side interface, for receiving analog video signals from one of the plural computers through the computer-side interface; an analog video overlay image generating circuit, disposed between the computer-side interface and the user-side interface, for producing an analog overlay video signals internal to the switching system; and an analog video overlay circuit, disposed between the computer-side interface and the user-side interface, for combining (1) a portion of the analog video signals received by the analog video receiving circuit and (2) the analog overlay video signals generated internally to the switching system to form a combined analog signal that is output to the first monitor via the user-side interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
A switching system comprising: a computer-side interface for simultaneously physically connecting to independent, dedicated cables of respective keyboard and analog video outputs of plural computers; a user-side interface for physically connecting to a first set of independent, dedicated cables of a first keyboard and an analog video input of a first monitor; an analog video receiving circuit, connected to the computer-side interface, for receiving analog video signals from one of the plural computers through the computer-side interface; an analog video overlay image generating circuit, disposed between the computer-side interface and the user-side interface, for producing an analog overlay video signals internal to the switching system; and an analog video overlay circuit, disposed between the computer-side interface and the user-side interface, for combining (1) a portion of the analog video signals received by the analog video receiving circuit and (2) the analog overlay video signals generated internally to the switching system to form a combined analog signal that is output to the first monitor via the user-side interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analog video receiving circuit further comprises a synchronization signal detecting circuit for detecting one of a horizontal- and a vertical-synchronization signal corresponding to the analog video signals from the one of the plural computers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer-side interface further comprises a computer-side mouse interface for transceiving signals to and from mouse ports of the plural computers, and wherein the user-side interface further comprises a user-side mouse interface for transceiving signals to and from a first computer mouse.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analog video overlay circuit comprises a multiplexer for multiplexing (1) the portion of the analog video signals received by the analog video receiving circuit and (2) the analog overlay video signals generated internally to the switching system without requiring a frame buffer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a keyboard translator disposed between the computer-side and the user-side interfaces for translating a keyboard code from a first format used on the user-side to a second format used on the computer-side.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analog video receiving circuit receives separate analog red, green and blue signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the analog video receiving circuit comprises a receiving circuit for receiving real-time, analog video signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the analog video receiving circuit comprises a receiving circuit for receiving real-time, analog video signals including the at least one of the horizontal- and a vertical-synchronization signal superimposed on the real-time, analog video signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the analog video receiving circuit receives separate analog red, green and blue signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the analog video receiving circuit receives separate analog red, green and blue signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a digital backplane; and an analog backplane, wherein keyboard information is routed from the computer-side interface to the user-side interface on the digital backplane independent of the analog video signals that are routed from the computer-side interface to the user-side interface on the analog backplane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer-side interface comprises a parallel switch for connecting the plural computers to the computer-side interface in parallel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-side interface further comprises a secondary user-interface for connecting to a second set of independent, dedicated cables of a second keyboard and an analog video input of a second monitor, wherein the analog video signals of any one of the plural computers can be routed simultaneously to both the first and second monitors in parallel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a keyboard command detector, disposed between the computer-side interface and the user-side interface, for detecting when the first keyboard requests that the analog video signals of the one of the plural computers be replaced by analog video signals of another of the plural computers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a digital backplane; and an analog backplane, wherein keyboard information is routed from the computer-side interface to the user-side interface on the digital backplane independent of the analog video signals that are routed from the computer-side interface to the user-side interface on the analog backplane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a keyboard command detector, disposed between the computer-side interface and the user-side interface, for detecting when the first keyboard requests that the analog video signals of the one of the plural computers be replaced by analog video signals of another of the plural computers in response to the combined analog signal that is output to the first monitor via the user-side interface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: a digital backplane; and an analog backplane, wherein keyboard information is routed from the computer-side interface to the user-side interface on the digital backplane independent of the analog video signals that are routed from the computer-side interface to the user-side interface on the analog backplane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5721842A
Cited
US5884096A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-29 | 2004-02-28 | 2004-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-29 | 2008-02-28 | 2008-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-29 | 2012-02-28 | 2012-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |