Computer system with remotely located interface where signals are encoded at the computer system, transferred through a 4-wire cable, and decoded at the interface

• US 6,038,616 A
• Filed: 05/04/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: INT Labs Incorporated
• Inventors: Thornton, Barry, Heller, Andrew, Barrett, Daniel, Ely, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yuan, Chien
• Application Number:
  US09/072,320
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 348/465, 359/110, 370/385, 395/188.01, 395/200.57, 709/227, 709/244, 713/202, 713/323, 307/125, 361/683, 710/2
• US Class Current: 710/2
• 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 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A computer comprised of a computing system positioned at a first location and a human interface, which includes a video monitor, and plural I/O devices, specifically, a keyboard, mouse and printer, positioned at a second location remotely located relative to the first location. The computer further includes a first encoder coupled to the computer system, a first decoder coupled to the video monitor and the at least one I/O device and a transmission line which couples the encoder to the decoder. The first encoder receives, from the computing system, a video signal to be transmitted to the video monitor and a non-video signal to be transmitted to the at least one I/O device. The first encoder combines the video and the non-video signals into a combined signal and transmits the combined signal to the first decoder via the transmission line. The first decoder receives the combined signal, separates the video and non-video signals therefrom for respective propagation to the video monitor and the at least one I/O device.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

a computing system located at a first location;

a human interface located at a second location, said second location remotely located relative to said first location;

a first interface device coupled to said computing system;

a second interface device coupled to said human interface;

a 4-wire cable coupling said first and second interface devices;

said first interface device including means for converting a first plurality of signals generated by said computing system into first, second and third converted signals suitable for balanced mode transmission to said second interface device via said 4-wire cable and said second interface device including means for converting said first, second and third converted signals, received from said first interface device via said 4-wire cable, into a second plurality of signals suitable for transmission to said human interface.

2. A computer according to claim 1 wherein said computing system further comprises a computer chassis and at least one computing system component housed in said computer chassis and coupled to said first interface device.

3. A computer according to claim 2 wherein said human interface further comprises a monitor coupled to said second interface device.

4. A computer according to claim 3 wherein said human interface further comprises a printer coupled to said second interface device.

5. A computer according to claim 3 wherein said human interface further comprises a keyboard coupled to said second interface device.

6. A computer according to claim 3 wherein said human interface further comprises a mouse coupled to said second interface device.

22. A computer according to claim 1 wherein said 4-wire cable is comprised of first, second, third and fourth wires and wherein said first interface device further comprises:

means for transmitting a first component of said first converted signal over each one of said first and second wires of said 4-wire cable; and

means for transmitting a second component of said first converted signal over each one of said third and fourth wires of said 4-wire cable.

7. A computer, comprising:

a computing system located at a first location;

a human interface located at a second location, said second location remotely located relative to said first location, said human interface comprised of a video monitor and at least one input/output ("I/O") device;

a first encoder coupled to said computing system;

a first decoder coupled to said video monitor and said at least one I/O device;

a transmission line coupling said encoder and said decoder, said transmission line comprised of a 4-wire cable;

said first encoder receiving, from said computing system, first, second and third video signals to be transmitted to said video monitor and a non-video signal to be transmitted to said at least one I/O device and combining said first video signal and said non-video signal into a first combined signal;

said first encoder transmitting a first component of said first combined signal over each one of a first wire and a second wire of said 4-wire cable and transmitting a second component of said first combined signal over each one of a third wire and a fourth wire of said 4-wire cable;

said first decoder receiving said first combined signal from said first encoder and separating said first video signal and said non-video signal therefrom for respective propagation to said video monitor and said at least one I/O device.

8. A computer according to claim 7 wherein said human interface further comprises first, second and third I/O devices and said computer further comprises:

a second encoder, coupled to said computing system and said first encoder, said second encoder receiving a first non-video signal to be transmitted to said first I/O device, a second non-video signal to be transmitted to said second I/O device and a third non-video signal to be transmitted to said third I/O device and combining said first, second and third non-video signals into said non-video signal received by said first encoder; and

a second decoder, coupled to said first decoder and said first, second and third I/O devices, said second decoder receiving said non-video signal from said first decoder, separating said first, second and third non-video signals therefrom and transmitting said first, second and third non-video signals to said first, second and third I/O devices, respectively.

9. A computer according to claim 8 wherein said first I/O device is a keyboard, said second I/O device is a mouse and said third I/O device is a printer.

10. A computer according to claim 8 wherein said first encoder receives R, G, B, HSYNC and VSYNC video signals from said computing system and combines said R and HSYNC video signals into a second combined signal to be transmitted to said first decoder, combines said B and VSYNC video signals into a third combined signal to be transmitted to said first decoder and combines said G video signal and said non-video signal into said first combined signal.

11. A computer according to claim 10 wherein said first encoder transmits said HSYNC and VSYNC video signals to said second encoder, said second encoder using said HSYNC and VSYNC video signals to time combining said first, second and third non-video signals into said non-video signal.

12. A computer according to claim 11 wherein said first decoder transmits said HSYNC and VSYNC video signals to said second decoder, said second decoder using said HSYNC and VSYNC video signals to time separating said non-video signal into said first, second and third non-video signals.

25. A computer according to claim 10 wherein said first encoder transmits a first component of said second combined signal over said first wire of said 4-wire cable, a second component of said second combined signal over said second wire of said 4-wire cable, a first component of said third combined signal over said third wire of said 4-wire cable and a second component of said third combined signal over said fourth wire of said 4-wire cable.

13. A computer, comprising:

a computing system located at a first location;

a human interface located at a second location, said second location remotely located relative to said first location, said human interface comprised of a video monitor and an input/output ("I/O") device;

a first interface device coupled to said computing system, said first interface device including an encoding circuit;

a second interface device coupled to said monitor and said I/O device, said second interface device including a decoding circuit; and

a 4-wire cable coupling said first and second interface devices, said 4-wire cable being comprised of first, second, third and fourth transmission lines;

said encoding circuit receiving, from said computing system, plural video signals to be transmitted to said video monitor and a non-video output signal to be transmitted to said I/O device, combining said non-video signal with a selected one of said plural video signals to produce a combined signal and transmitting a first component of said combined signal over each one of said first transmission line and said second transmission line of said 4-wire cable and transmitting a second component of said combined signal over each one of said third transmission line and said fourth transmission line;

said decoding circuit receiving said combined signal from said first interface device and separating said combined signal into said video signal for transmission to said video monitor and said non-video signal for transmission to said I/O device.

14. A computer according to claim 13 wherein said second interface device further comprises:

an encoding circuit having an input coupled to said I/O device and an output coupled to said third and fourth transmission lines;

said encoding circuit encoding a non-video input signal, received from said I/O device, for transmission to said computing system over said third and fourth transmission lines.

15. A computer according to claim 14 wherein said first interface device further comprises:

a decoding circuit having first and second inputs coupled to said third and fourth transmission lines and an output coupled to said computing system;

said decoding circuit decoding said non-video input signal received from said encoding circuit of said second interface device for transmission to said computing system.

16. A computer according to claim 15 wherein said encoding circuit of said first interface device places said non-video I/O output signal in a selected time interval of said combined signal.

17. A computer according to claim 16 wherein said encoding circuit of said second interface device transmits said non-video I/O input signal during said selected time interval.

18. For a computer having a computing system positioned at a first location and a human interface comprised of a video monitor and an input/output ("I/O") device positioned at a second location remotely located relative to said first location, said computing system generating plural video signals and a non-video signal, a method of transmitting signals from said computing system to said human interface, comprising the steps of:

combining said non-video signal and said plural video signals into first, second and third combined signals;

transmitting said first, second and third combined signals to said human interface over a balanced 4-wire transmission system;

separating, at said human interface, said plural video signals and said non-video signal from said first, second and third combined signals; and

transmitting said plural video signals and said non-video signal to said video monitor and said I/O device, respectively.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein said plural video signals include red ("R"), green ("G"), blue ("B"), horizontal synchronization ("HSYNC") and vertical synchronization ("VSYNC") video signals and further comprising the steps of:

combining said R and HSYNC video signals into said first combined video signal;

combining said B and VSYNC video signals into said second combined video signal; and

combining said G video signal and said third non-video signal into said combined signal.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the step of combining said non-video signal and said selected one of said plural video signals further comprises the step of inserting said non-video signal into a selected portion of a selected one of said plural video signals, said selected portion coinciding with horizontal and vertical blanking pulse portions of said selected one of said plural video signals.

21. For a computer having a computing system positioned at a first location and a human interface comprised of a video monitor and first and second input/output ("I/O") devices positioned at a second location remotely located relative to said first location, said computing system generating first, second and third video signals and first and second non-video output signals and said first and second I/O devices generating first and second non-video input signals, respectively, a method of bi-directionally transmitting non-video signals between said computing system and said I/O device, comprising the steps of:

combining said first and second non-video signals into a combined non-video signal;

inserting said combined non-video signal into a selected portion of said first video signal, said selected portion coinciding with horizontal and/or vertical blanking pulse portions of said first video signal;

transmitting, in balanced mode, said first, second and third video signals to said human interface over first, second, third and fourth transmission lines;

separating, at said human interface, said combined non-video output signal from said first video signal;

further separating, at said human interface, said first and second non-video output signal from said combined non-video output signal;

transmitting said first and second non-video output signals to said first and second I/O devices, respectively; and

transmitting said non-video input signal to said computing system during said horizontal and/or vertical blanking pulses of said first video signal over said third and fourth transmission lines.

23. A computer according to claim 23 wherein said first interface device further comprises:

means for transmitting a first component of said second converted signal over said first wire; and

means for transmitting a second component of said second converted signal over said second wire.

24. A computer according to claim 24 wherein said first interface device further comprises:

means for transmitting a first component of said third converted signal over said third wire; and

means for transmitting a second component of said third converted signal over said fourth wire.

26. A computer, comprising:

a computing system located at a first location;

a human interface located at a second location, said second location remotely located relative to said first location, said human interface comprised of a video monitor;

a first encoder coupled to said computing system;

a first decoder coupled to said video monitor and said at least one I/O device;

a transmission line coupling said encoder and said decoder, said transmission line comprised of a 4-wire cable;

said first encoder receiving, from said computing system, first, second and third video signals to be transmitted to said video monitor;

said first encoder transmitting a first component of said first video signal over each of a first and a second wire of said 4-wire cable, transmitting a second component of said first video signal over each of a third and fourth wire of said 4-wire cable, transmitting a first component of said second video signal over said first wire of said 4-wire cable, transmitting a second component of said second video signal over said second wire of said 4-wire cable, transmitting a first component of said third video signal over said third wire of said 4-wire cable and transmitting a second component of said third video signal over said fourth wire of said 4-wire cable.