User interface control for communication system
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- first and second stations at respective first and second locations, the first station comprising a first display and a first user input device, the second station comprising a second display and a second user input device;
first and second communication devices, the first communication device being at the first location with the first station and the second communication device being at the second location with the second station;
switching means for performing a switching operation in response to a switch control signal;
the switching operation affecting a connection between the first and second communication devices; and
control means connected for receiving signals from the first and second user input devices requesting switches in the connection;
the control means further being connected for providing the switch control signal to the switching means in response to a respective one of the signals from the first and second user input devices;
the control means comprising a connection data structure containing connection data indicating the connection;
the control means updating the connection data structure after providing the switch control signal;
the control means further being connected for providing update data so that the first and second displays each present a respective representation of the connection between the first and second communication devices that is consistent with the updated connection data structure.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Switch connections in a communication network are represented and displayed to a user, enabling the user to provide switch request signals based on the state of the connections. The representation is presented on the display of a workstation, and the user provides a sequence of switch request signals with the workstation'"'"'s keyboard and mouse. A control procedure executed by the workstation generates a sequence of switch control signals based on the switch request signals. The switch control signals are provided to a switching server that converts them into commands to a switch that, in turn, switches connections between communication devices, such as cameras, monitors and microphones. These devices are positioned in groups, each group with one of the workstations. The representation may include a separate display feature representing each group, each group'"'"'s display feature being at a separate location. Connections may be represented by lines between the groups that are connected. The control procedure also provides data so that the representation shows the current connections, including update data when connections are switched. This update data is based on a connection data structure in a shared file accessible by all the workstations on a network. A locking file in the same shared file system prevents interference between switch request signals from different users. A user can modify the switch control signal sequence based on a switch request signal sequence by accessing a signal data structure used by the control procedure to generate the switch control signals.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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first and second stations at respective first and second locations, the first station comprising a first display and a first user input device, the second station comprising a second display and a second user input device; first and second communication devices, the first communication device being at the first location with the first station and the second communication device being at the second location with the second station; switching means for performing a switching operation in response to a switch control signal;
the switching operation affecting a connection between the first and second communication devices; andcontrol means connected for receiving signals from the first and second user input devices requesting switches in the connection;
the control means further being connected for providing the switch control signal to the switching means in response to a respective one of the signals from the first and second user input devices;
the control means comprising a connection data structure containing connection data indicating the connection;
the control means updating the connection data structure after providing the switch control signal;
the control means further being connected for providing update data so that the first and second displays each present a respective representation of the connection between the first and second communication devices that is consistent with the updated connection data structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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first and second communication devices; switching means connected for performing a respective switching operation in response to a switch control signal;
the respective switching operation switching a connection between the first and second communication devices;a user interface that includes a first display and a first user input device; and control means connected for receiving a signal from the first user input device requesting a switch in the connection;
the control means further being connected for providing the switch control signal to the switching means in response to the signal from the first user input device;
the control means further being connected for providing update data to the user interface after providing the switch control signal, the update data indicating the connection after the respective switching operation;the user interface, in response to the update data, providing a representation of the connection indicated by the update data on the first display, the user interface providing the representation by providing first and second device display features and a connection display feature on the first display, the first and second device display features representing respectively the first and second communication devices, each of the first and second device display features having a respective display location, the respective display location of each of the first and second device display features being different from the respective display location of the other, the connection display feature representing the connection between the first and second communication devices, the connection display feature extending between the respective display locations of the first and second device display features. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a plurality of stations, each station comprising a respective display, a respective user input device, and a respective communication device;
each station being at a respective location;switching means for performing a switching operation in response to a switch control signal;
the switching operation affecting a connection between first and second ones of the respective communication devices; andcontrol means connected for receiving signals from the respective user input devices requesting switches in the connection;
the control means further being connected for providing the switch control signal to the switching means in response to one of the signals from the respective user input devices;
the control means comprising a connection data structure containing connection data indicating the connection between the first and second respective communication devices;
the control means updating the connection data structure after providing the switch control signal;
the control means further being connected for providing update data so that the respective displays each present a respective representation of the connection between the first and second respective communication devices that is consistent with the updated connection data structure.
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17. A system comprising:
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first and second stations, the first station comprising a user interface that includes a first display and a first user input device, the second station comprising a second display and a second user input device; first and second communication devices;
the first and second communication devices being positioned in first and second groups, respectively;
the first station including the first group and the second station including the second group;switching means for performing a switching operation in response to a switch control signal;
the switching operation affecting a connection between the first and second communication devices; andcontrol means connected for receiving signals from the first and second user input devices requesting switches in the connection;
the control means further being connected for providing the switch control signal to the switching means in response to a respective one of the signals from the first and second user input devices;
the control means comprising a connection data structure containing connection data indicating the connection;
the control means updating the connection data structure after providing the switch control signal;
the control means further being connected for providing update data so that the first and second displays each present a respective representation of the connection that is consistent with the updated connection data structure;the user interface being responsive to the update data provided by the control means for providing a respective representation of each of said first and second groups on the first display and for providing a representation of the connection between the first and second communication devices on the first display as a connection between the respective representations of the first and second groups. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification