KVM SWITCH FOR CONTROLLING COMPUTERS AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090006680A1
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Inventors: Ke, Cheng-chang, Tseng, Kuo-chou
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A system for connecting a console device to computers comprising a graphic user interface menu apparatus for controlling the computers. The system comprises a user-side circuit, a central crosspoint switch, a plurality of computer-side circuits, a menu generating unit and a first switching device. The user-side circuit coupled to the console device receives electronic signals produced by the keyboard and cursor control device and creates a data packet. The central crosspoint switch is coupled to the user-side circuits, receives the data packets and routes the data packets. The computer-side circuits coupled to the central crosspoint switch and the computers receive the data packets from the central crosspoint switch for supplying the data packets to the computers. The menu generating unit generates a menu to be displayed. The first switching device alternately outputs a video signal of the menu data and a video signal from the computers to the video monitor according to a vertical synchronization signal.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. In a system for connecting a console device to a plurality of computers, a graphic user interface menu generating apparatus connected between the console device and the plurality of computers, the apparatus comprising:

an image capture device disposed between the console device and the plurality of computers for capturing a plurality of first video signals, each first video signal originating from one of the plurality of computers, to generate a plurality of preview images for the corresponding computers;

a menu generating unit for generating menu data;

a video signal generator for generating a second video signal based on the menu data and the plurality of preview images, the second video signal representing a menu frame containing a representation of at least some of the plurality of computers, the menu frame further including one or more of the plurality of preview images arranged in a non-overlapping relationship; and

a first switching device for outputting the second video signal or one of the plurality of first video signals to the console device.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the representation of the at least some of the plurality of computers has a graphical tree structure.

35. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the representation indicates a selected one of the plurality of computers and the menu frame contains a preview image corresponding to the selected computer.

36. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the representation indicates a selected subset of the plurality of computers and the menu frame contains one or more preview images corresponding to the selected subset of computers.

37. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising a second switching device for selecting one of the plurality of computers to output a selected one of the first video signals to the first switching device, wherein the second switching device and the first switching device are enclosed in a common housing.

38. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising a second switching device for selecting one of the plurality of computers to output a selected one of the first video signals to the first switching device, wherein the second switching device and the first switching device are enclosed in different housings.

39. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter disposed between the plurality of computers and the image capture device for transforming the first video signals from an analog form into digital video data.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising a differential-to-analog converter disposed between the plurality of computers and the analog-to-digital converter for transforming the first video signals from a differential form into the analog form.

41. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising an analog-to-differential converter disposed between the video signal generator and the first switching device for transforming the second video signal from an analog form into a differential form.

42. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the menu generating unit generates an OSD menu.

43. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising a synchronization signal source for the menu generating unit to generate the menu data.

44. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising a vertical synchronization signal source for the first switching device, and wherein the first switching unit outputs the second video signal or the first video signals according to the vertical synchronization signal.

45. A method implemented in an apparatus connected between a plurality of computers and a console device, the method comprising:

capturing first video signals, each first video signal originating from one of the plurality of computers, to generate a plurality of preview images for the corresponding computers;

generating menu data;

generating a second video signal based on the menu data and the plurality of preview images, the second video signal representing a menu frame containing a representation of at least some of the plurality of computers, the menu frame further including one or more of the plurality of preview images arranged in a non-overlapping relationship; and

outputting the second video signal or one of the first video signals to the console device.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the representation of the at least some of the plurality of computers has a graphical tree structure.

47. The method according to claim 45, wherein the representation indicates a selected one of the plurality of computers and the menu frame contains a preview image corresponding to the selected computer.

48. The method according to claim 45, wherein the representation indicates a selected subset of the plurality of computers and the menu frame contains one or more preview images corresponding to the selected subset of computers.

49. The method according to claim 45, further comprising selecting one of the plurality of first video signals to be outputted.

50. The method according to claim 45, further comprising transforming the first video signals from an analog form into video data.

51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising transforming the first video signals from a differential form into an analog form before the step of transforming the first video signal from the analog form into the video data.

52. The method according to claim 45, further comprising transforming the second signal from an analog form into a differential form.

53. A method for controlling a number of computers by a console device including a keyboard, a cursor control device and a video monitor, comprising:

(a) receiving a first video signal from one of the computers;

(b) generating a second video signal representing a menu image; and

(c) outputting the first video signal or the second video signal to the video monitor according to a vertical synchronization signal.

55. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

(d) before step (b), generating a menu data;

wherein in step (b), the second video signal is generated based on the menu data.

54. The method of claim 54, wherein step (c) includes:

outputting frames of the first video signal and frames of the second video signal alternately according to the vertical synchronization signal.