Digital Video Switch and Method of Switching Between Multiple Digital Video Inputs and Multiple Outputs

• US 20080074343A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Tynis, Dave, Sasser, Carey
• Application Number:
  US11/672,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20080074343A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication

Abstract

A system and method to connect multiple digital visual interface sources (DVI) from one or multiple computers to any combination of multiple monitors that can be controlled through USB or manual selection. A video signal switching apparatus and circuitry, including an electronic crosspoint switch, enables switching very high speed video signals. The device can also be used to enable video signals from multiple computers with digital video interfaces to be displayed on multiple display devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more input modules adapted to receive digital video data signals;

a control module adapted to generate control signals;

a switching module adapted to receive the digital video data signals from the one or more input modules and the control signals from the control module and the switching module adapted to output digital video data signals; and

two or more output modules adapted to output digital video data from the one or more input modules as a function of the output digital video data signals.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a microcontroller.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

one or more serial buses coupled to the microcontroller and the output modules to provide communication between the microcontroller and the output modules.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the microcontroller generates video enable signals and provides the video enable signals to selected output modules.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module comprises switch selection module.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein selected digital video data is transmitted to any permutation of the output modules.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a switch selection module and a microcontroller.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the microcontroller overrides the switch selection module.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving digital video data input from one or more sources;

generating control signals;

selecting digital video data as a function of the received digital video data and the control signals; and

outputting digital video data, at two or more output locations, as a function of the selecting step.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

generating video enable signals; and

providing the video enable signals to selected output locations.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting digital video data to any permutation of the output locations.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving digital video data input from one or more sources;

means for generating control signals;

means for selecting digital video data as a function of the received digital video data and the control signals; and

means for outputting digital video data, at two or more output locations, as a function of the means for selecting.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for generating control signals includes a microcontroller.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the microcontroller generates video enable signals and provides the video enable signals to selected means for outputting.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for generating control signals includes switch selection module.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein selected digital video data is transmitted to any permutation of the means for outputting.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for controlling includes switch selection module and a microcontroller.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the microcontroller overrides the switch selection module.