Console switch and system using the same

• US 20040153571A1
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Nagao, Naoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A console switch selectively connects a terminal to a port of an information processing device that has a plural number of ports connected through a network. This console switch includes: a first unit that obtains port information from the terminal, the port information specifying the port; and a second unit that refers to a predetermined database in accordance with the port information obtained by the first unit, and establishes a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

Claims

1. A console switch that selectively connects a terminal to a port of an information processing device that has a plurality of ports connected through a network, the console switch comprising:

a first unit that obtains port information from the terminal, the port information specifying the port; and

a second unit that refers to a predetermined database in accordance with the port information obtained by the first unit, and establishes a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

2. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a third unit that automatically connects to each port of the information processing device after activation.

3. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth unit that, after activation, obtains the MAC address and the IP address of the information processing device, associate the MAC address and the IP address of the information processing device with the port information, and stores the MAC address and the IP address associated with the port information in the predetermined database.

4. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a connection path has not yet been established between the terminal and the port of the information processing device corresponding to the port information obtained by the first unit, the second unit detects the IP address from the MAC address of the information processing device corresponding to the obtained port information, and then establishes a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

5. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fifth unit that outputs a message to notify that a connection to the terminal has been established, when a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device has been established by the second unit.

6. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the port information includes a port number allocated to the port of the information processing device, or a port name allocated to the port of the information processing device.

7. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined database is managed as a text file.

8. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a memory unit that stores transmission and reception data generated between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

9. The console switch as claimed in claim 8, wherein the memory unit stores messages to be outputted onto a screen of the terminal.

10. The console switch as claimed in claim 8, wherein the memory unit stores data outputted from the port of the information processing device.

11. The console switch as claimed in claim 8, wherein the memory unit stores the transmission and reception data in association with one of a date, a terminal path, user information, and a server connection path.

12. The console switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tuning button that exchange the port information with a device connected to the network.

13. A system comprising:

a terminal;

an information processing device that has a plurality of ports; and

a console switch that is connected to and interposed between the terminal and the information processing device, and establishes a connection path between the terminal and a port of the information processing device,

the console switch comprising;

a first unit that obtains port information from the terminal, the port information specifying the port; and

a second unit that refers to a predetermined database in accordance with the port information obtained by the first unit, and establishes a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information processing device is cascade-connected.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the console switch is bus-connected to the network.

16. A system comprising:

a first console switch; and

a second console switch that is connected to the first console switch through a network in such a manner that the first console switch and the second console switch face each other,

the first console switch and the second console switch each selectively connecting a terminal to a port of an information processing device that has a plurality of ports connected through a network,

the first console switch and the second console switch each comprising;

a first unit that obtains port information from the terminal, the port information specifying the port; and

a second unit that refers to a predetermined database in accordance with the port information obtained by the first unit, and establishes a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

17. A method of selectively connecting a terminal to a port of an information processing device that has a plurality of ports connected through a network,

the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining port information from the terminal, the port information specifying the port; and

referring to a predetermined database in accordance with the obtained port information, and then establishing a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of performing automatic connection to each port of the information processing device after activation.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of, after activation, obtaining the MAC address and the IP address of the information processing device, and storing the MAC address and the IP address of the information processing device in the predetermined database, the MAC address and the IP address being associated with the port information.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein, when a connection path has not yet been established between the terminal and the port of the information processing device corresponding to the port information obtained in the port information obtaining step, the IP address of the information processing device is detected from the MAC address of the information processing device corresponding to the obtained port information, and a connection path is then established between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of outputting a message to notify that a connection to the terminal has been established, when a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device has been established.

22. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the port information includes a port number allocated to the port of the information processing device, or a port name allocated to the port of the information processing device.

23. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of storing transmission and reception data generated between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

24. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of exchanging the port information with a device connected to the network.

25. A computer program product for causing a computer to selectively connect a terminal to a port of an information processing device that has a plurality of ports connected through a network,

the program comprising:

instructions for obtaining port information from the terminal, the port information specifying the port; and

instructions for referring to a predetermined database in accordance with the obtained port information, and then establishing a connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

26. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, further comprising instructions for performing automatic connection to each port of the information processing device after activation.

27. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, further comprising instructions for obtaining, after activation, the MAC address and the IP address of the information processing device, and then storing the MAC address and the IP address of the information processing device in the predetermined database, the MAC address and the IP address being associated with the port information.

28. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, wherein, when a connection path has not yet been established between the terminal and the port of the information processing device corresponding to the obtained port information, the IP address of the information processing device is detected from the MAC address of the information processing device corresponding to the obtained port information, and then a connection path is established between the terminal and the port of the information processing device.

29. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, further comprising instructions for outputting a message to notify that a connection to the terminal has been established, when the connection path between the terminal and the port of the information processing device has been established.

30. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, wherein the port information includes a port number allocated to the port of the information processing device, or a port name associated with the port of the information processing device.

31. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, further comprising instructions for storing transmission and reception data generated between the terminal and the port of the information transmission device.

32. The computer program product as claimed in claim 25, further comprising instructions for exchanging the port information with a device connected to the network.