Computer system having remotely located I/O devices where signals are encoded at the computer system through two encoders and decoded at I/O devices through two decoders

• US 6,385,666 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Thornton, Barry, Heller, Andrew, Barrett, Daniel, Ely, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/524,812
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 710/2, 710/101, 710/106, 710/129, 710/104, 348/465, 709/227, 709/228, 709/244, 375/219, 375/220, 375/295
• 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 system comprise a computing system and a human interface located remotely from the computing system. The human interface may comprise a display device and an input/output (“I/O”) device. The system may include a first interface device coupled to the computing system and a second interface device coupled to the display device and the I/O device of the human interface. The system may also include at least one transmission line coupling the first and second interface devices. The first interface device is operable to receive, from the computing system, a video signal to be transmitted to the display device and a non-video signal to be transmitted to the I/O device, and is operable to convert each of the video signal and the non-video signal into a format suitable for transmission to the second interface device. The converted video signal and the converted non-video signal may then be transmitted to the second interface device via the at least one transmission line. The second interface device is operable to receive the converted video signal and the converted non-video signal from the first interface device and to provide the video signal and the non-video signal to the display device and the I/O device, respectively.

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, said human interface comprised of a video monitor and first, second and third I/ O devices;

a first encoder coupled to said computing system;

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 a non-video signal received by said first encoder;

said first encoder receiving a video signal to be transmitted to said video monitor and receiving the non-video signal from the second decoder and combining said video and said non-video signals into a first combined signal;

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

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

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; and

a transmission line coupling said first encoder and said first decoder.

2. A computer according to claim 1 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.

3. A computer according to claim 1 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.

4. A computer according to claim 3 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.

5. A computer according to claim 4 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.

6. 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 said combined signal over a selected pair of said first, second, third and fourth transmission lines of said 4-wire cable;

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.

7. A computer according to claim 6 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 selected pair of said 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 selected pair of transmission lines.

8. A computer according to claim 7 wherein said first interface device further comprises:

a decoding circuit having first and second inputs coupled to respective ones of said selected pair of said 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.

9. A computer according to claim 8 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.

10. A computer according to claim 9 wherein said encoding circuit of said second interface device transmits said non-video I/O input signal during said selected time interval.

11. 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 two I/O devices;

a first encoder coupled to said computing system;

a second encoder, coupled to said computing system and said first encoder, said second encoder receiving at least two non-video signals to be transmitted respectively to said at least two I/O devices and combining said at least two non-video signals into a non-video signal received by said first encoder;

said first encoder receiving a video signal to be transmitted to said video monitor and receiving the non-video signal from the second decoder and combining said video and said non-video signals into a first combined signal;

a first decoder coupled to said video monitor;

said first decoder receiving said first combined signal from said first encoder and separating said video and non-video signals therefrom for respective propagation to said video monitor and said at least two I/O devices;

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

a transmission line coupling said first encoder and said first decoder.

12. A computer according to claim 11 wherein said at least two I/O devices comprise a keyboard and a mouse.

13. A computer according to claim 11 wherein said at least two I/O devices comprise a keyboard.

14. A computer according to claim 11 wherein said at least two I/O devices comprise a mouse.

15. A computer according to claim 11 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.

16. A computer according to claim 15 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 at least two non-video signals into said non-video signal.

17. A computer according to claim 16 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 at least two non-video signals, respectively.