System and method for combining computer video and remote universal serial bus in an extended cable

• US 6,735,658 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Thornton, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): LEFKOWITZ, SUMATI
• Application Number:
  US09/680,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/300-304, 710/305-315, 710/2, 710/62-74, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for operating a display device and one or more USB peripherals remotely from a host computer. The system may include a host computer, a display device, one or more USB compliant peripherals, a local extender operable to couple to the host computer system and a remote extender coupled to the local extender and to the display device and one or more USB peripherals. The local extender may be coupled to the remote extender through four twisted wire pairs which in one embodiment comprises a category 5 cable. The cable may be longer than the maximum length allowed by the USB specification. The host computer system may generate a video signal intended for the display device, as well as one or more peripheral signals intended for the one or more USB peripherals. The video signals may be received by the local extender from the host computer, converted to a form which is suitable for transmission over the cable, and transmitted to the second video converter which may then send the video signals to the display device. The local extender may receive the one or more peripheral signals from the host computer system over an internal computer bus, such as a PCI bus, convert the signals to a non-USB compliant protocol, such as Universal Serial Bus Extension (USBX) packets, and transmit the USBX packets to the remote extender over the cable. The video data may include RGB signals as well as HSync and VSync video synchronization signals.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a host computer system including a processor and a memory, wherein the host computer system is located at a first location;

a local extender coupled to the host computer system;

a first bus which is coupled to the local extender, wherein the first bus comprises a first transmission medium and a second transmission medium;

a remote extender which is coupled to the first bus, wherein the remote extender is further coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB);

at least one USB device, wherein the at least one USB device is coupled to the USB, wherein the at least one USB device is located at a second location remote from the first location; and

a display device coupled to the remote extender, wherein the display device is located at the second location;

wherein the local extender and the remote extender comprise a split USB host controller;

wherein the host computer system is operable to;

transmit first peripheral signals intended for the at least one USB device and video signals intended for the display device to the local extender, wherein the video signals include HSync and VSync video synchronization signals; and

wherein the local extender is operable to;

convert the video signals to a format suitable for transmission over the first but to the remote extender;

convert the first peripheral signals to first non-USB compliant peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the remote extender;

transmit the converted video signals to the remote extender over the first transmission medium of the first bus; and

transmit the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the remote extender over the second transmission medium of the first bus;

wherein the remote extender is operable to;

convert the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to first USB peripheral signals;

convert the converted video signals back to the video signals, including the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals;

transmit the first USB peripheral signals to the at least one USB device; and

transmit the video signals to the display device for display;

wherein the remote extender is further operable to;

receive second USB peripheral signals from the at least one USB device;

convert the second USB peripheral signals to second non-USB compliant peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the local extender;

transmit the second non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the local extender over the first bus; and

wherein the local extender is further operable to;

convert the second non-USB compliant peripheral signals to second peripheral signal; and

transmit the second peripheral signals to the host computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the local extender comprises:

a USBX host controller; and

a first video converter;

wherein in the local extender being operable to convert the first peripheral signals to first non-USB compliant peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the remote extender, the USBX host controller is operable to convert the first peripheral signals to first USBX peripheral signals; and

wherein in the local extender being operable to convert the video signals to a form which is suitable for transmission over the first bus, the first video converter is operable to convert the video signals to a form which is suitable for transmission over the first bus.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the local extender being operable to convert the second non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the second peripheral signals, the USBX host controller is operable to convert second USBX peripheral signals to the second peripheral signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote extender comprises:

a USB remote root hub; and

a second video converter;

wherein in the remote extender being operable to convert the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the first USB peripheral signals, the USB remote root hub is operable to convert first USBX peripheral signals to the first USB peripheral signals; and

wherein in the remote extender being operable to convert the converted video signals back to the first video signals, the second video converter is operable to convert the converted video signals back to the video signals.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote extender being operable to convert the second USB peripheral signals to the second non-USB compliant peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the local extender, the USB remote root hub is operable to convert the first USB peripheral signals to second USBX peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the local extender.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first bus comprises four twisted wire pairs.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first transmission medium comprises three twisted wire pairs, wherein the converted video signals comprise converted Red, Green, and Blue video signals, wherein the three twisted wire pairs are operable to communicate the converted Red, Green, and Blue video signals, respectively, between the local extender and the remote extender, and wherein the remote extender is operable to convert the converted Red, Green, and Blue video signals to Red, Green, and Blue video signals, and send the Red, Green, and Blue video signals to the display device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote extender further comprises three delay components operable to couple to the three twisted wire pairs, wherein the three delay components are operable to synchronize the Red, Green, and Blue video signals to compensate for different time-of-flight values for each of the three twisted wire pairs.

9. The system of claim 7,

wherein two of the three twisted wire pairs are further operable to communicate the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals between the local extender and the remote extender, and wherein the remote extender is operable to send the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals to the display device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals comprise pulses which are converted from standard length pulses to short pulses by the local extender for transmission over the two twisted wire pairs, wherein the remote extender further comprises a pulse shaper operable to couple to the two twisted wire pairs, wherein the pulse shaper is further operable to convert the short pulses back to standard length pulses for use by the display device.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the second transmission medium comprises one twisted wire pair, wherein the one twisted wire pair is operable to communicate peripheral data between the local extender and the remote extender, and wherein the remote extender is operable to send the peripheral data to the one or more peripherals.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the first bus comprises four twisted wire pairs, and wherein the remote extender further comprises four equalization components operable to couple to the four twisted wire pairs, wherein the four equalization components are operable to compensate for attenuation of low (DC) and high frequency signals due to the length of the four twisted wire pairs.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is greater than 5 meters.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is greater than 10 meters.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral signals comprise PCI peripheral signals.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the host computer system comprises a blade computer.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second non-USB compliant peripheral signals comprise USBX signals in accordance with a USBX protocol.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the USBX protocol comprises one or more of the following operations:

JØ

—

a string of 1,1,0,0 (two high bits, two low bits, comprising a first single 12 mHz square wave segment);

J1—

a string of 1,1,1,1 (four high bits in a row, comprising the high half of a 6 MHz square wave segment);

KØ

—

a string of 0,0,0,0 (four low bits in a row, comprising the low half of a 6 MHz square wave); and

K1—

a string of 0,0,1,1 (two low bits, two high bits, comprising a second single 12 MHz square wave segment).

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the USBX protocol comprises one or more of the following commands:

Idle state, signified by a continuous JØ

(continuous 12 MHz square wave);

Mark start of USB Packet, signified by J1; and

Make State of Change Request, signified by KØ

.

20. A method for operating a display device and one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral remotely from a host computer;

the method comprising;

the host computer system generating a video signal intended for the display device, wherein the host computer system is located at a first location, and wherein the video signal includes HSync and VSync video synchronization signals;

the host computer system generating one or more first peripheral signals intended for the one or more USB peripherals;

a local extender receiving the video signal and the one or more first peripheral signals;

the local extender converting the one or more first peripheral signals to the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals;

the local extender converting the video signals to a format suitable for transmission to a remote location;

the local extender transmitting the converted video signal and the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals over a first bus to a remote extender, wherein the first bus comprises a first transmission medium and a second transmission medium, wherein the converted video signal is transmitted over the first transmission medium, and wherein the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals are transmitted over the second transmission medium;

the remote extender receiving the converted video signal and the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals from the local extender;

the remote extender converting the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to one or more USB peripheral signals for provision to the one or more USB devices;

the remote extender converting the converted video signals back to the video signals for provision to the display device, including the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals;

the remote extender providing the video signals to the display device; and

the remote extender providing the one or more USB peripheral signals to the one or more USB peripherals, wherein the one or more USB devices are located at a second location remote from the first location;

wherein the local extender and the remote extender comprise a split USB host controller.

21. The method of claim 20,

wherein the local extender receiving the video signal and the one or more peripheral signals comprise a first video converter receiving the video signal and a USBX host controller receiving the one or more peripheral signals.

22. The method of claim 21,

wherein the first transmission medium of the first bus comprising three twisted wire pairs, and wherein the second transmission medium of the first bus comprises a fourth twisted wire pair;

wherein the local extender converting the video signals to a format suitable for transmission to a remote location comprises the first video converter converting the video signals to the format suitable for transmission to the remote location; and

wherein the local extender transmitting the converted video signal over the first bus to the remote extender comprises the first video converter transmitting the converted video signal to a second video converter comprised in the remote extender over the three twisted wire pairs; and

wherein the local extender transmitting the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals over the first bus to the remote extender comprises the USBX host controller transmitting the one or more peripheral signals in the non-USB compliant form to a USB interface device over the fourth twisted wire pair.

23. The method of claim 22,

wherein the USB interface device is a remote root hub.

24. The method of claim 22,

wherein the converted video signal comprises converted Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) video signals, and wherein the converted Red video signal is transmitted over a first of the three twisted wire pairs, the converted Green video signal is transmitted over a second of the three twisted wire pairs, and the converted Blue video signal is transmitted over a third of the three twisted wire pairs.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the converted video signals comprise the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals, wherein the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals are transmitted over two of the three twisted wire pairs.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals are transmitted in accordance with a USBX protocol, wherein the USBX protocol comprises one or more of the following operations:

JØ

—

a string of 1,1,0.0 (two high bits, two low bits, comprising a first single 12 mHz square wave segment);

J1—

a string of 1,1,1,1 (four high bits in a row, comprising the high half of a 6 MHz square wave segment);

KØ

—

a string of 0,0,0,0 (four low bits in a row, comprising the low half of a 6 MHz square wave); and

K1—

a string of 0,0,1,1 (two low bits, two high bits, comprising a second single 12 MHz square wave strength).

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the USBX protocol comprises one or more of the following commands:

Idle state, signified by a continuous JØ

(continuous 12 MHz square wave);

Mark start of USB Packet, signified by J1; and

Make State of Change Request, signified by KØ

.

28. The method of claim 20,

wherein the remote extender receiving the converted video signal comprises a second video converter receiving the converted video signals;

wherein the remote extender converting the converted video signals back to the video signals for provision to the display device comprises the second video converter converting the converted video signals back to the video signals for provision to the display device; and

wherein the remote extender providing the video signals to the display device comprises the second video converter providing the video signals to the display device.

29. The method of claim 20,

wherein the remote extender receiving the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals from the local extender comprises a USB interface device receiving the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals from the local extender;

wherein the remote extender converting the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the one or more USB peripheral signals comprises the USB interface device converting the one or more first non-USB compliant peripheral signals back to the one or more USB peripheral signals; and

wherein the remote extender providing the one or more USB peripheral signals to the one or more USB peripherals comprises the USB interface device providing the one or more USB peripheral signals to the one or more USB peripherals.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is greater than 5 meters.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is greater than 10 meters.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is greater than that allowed by the USB specification.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the peripheral signals comprise PCI signals.

34. A system, comprising:

a host computer system including a processor and a memory, wherein the host computer system is located at a first location;

a local extender coupled to the host computer system;

a first bus which is coupled to the local extender;

a remote extender which is coupled to the first bus, wherein the remote extender is further coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB);

wherein the local extender and the remote extender comprise a split USB host controller;

at least one USB device, wherein the at least one USB device is coupled to the USB, wherein the at least one USB device is located at a second location remote from the first location; and

a display device coupled to the remote extender, wherein the display device is located at the second location;

wherein the host computer system is operable to;

transmit first peripheral signals intended for the at least one USB device and video signals intended for the display device to the local extender; and

wherein the local extender is operable to;

convert the video signals to a format suitable for transmission over the first bus to the remote extender;

convert the first peripheral signals to first USBX peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the remote extender; and

transmit the converted video signals and the first USBX peripheral signals to the remote extender over the first bus;

wherein the remote extender is operable to;

convert the first USBX peripheral signals to first USB peripheral signals;

convert the converted video signals back to the video signals;

transmit the first USB peripheral signals to the at least one USB device; and

transmit the video signals to the display device for display;

wherein the remote extender is further operable to;

receive second USB peripheral signals from the at least one USB device;

convert the second USB peripheral signals to second USBX peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the local extender;

transmit the second USBX peripheral signals to the local extender over the first bus; and

wherein the local extender is further operable to;

convert the second USBX peripheral signals to second peripheral signals; and

transmit the second peripheral signals to the host computer; and

wherein the USBX peripheral signals are transmitted in accordance with a USBX protocol, wherein the USBX protocol comprises one or more of the following operations;

JØ

—

a string of 1,1,0,0 (two high bits, two low bits, comprising a first single 12 mHz square wave strength);

J1—

a string of 1,1,1,1 (four high bits in a row, comprising the high half of a 6 MHz square wave segment);

KØ

—

a string of 0,0,0,0 (four low bits in a row, comprising the low half of a 6 MHz square wave); and

K1—

a string of 0,0,1,1 (two low bits, two high bits, comprising a second single 12 MHz square wave segment).

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the USBX protocol comprises one or more of the following commands:

Idle state, signified by a continuous JØ

(continuous 12 MHz square wave);

Mark start of USB Packet, signified by J1; and

Make State of Change Request, signified by KØ

.

36. A system, comprising:

a host computer system including a processor and a memory, wherein the host computer system is located at a first location;

a local extender coupled to the host computer system;

a first bus which is coupled to the local extender;

a remote extender which is coupled to the first bus, wherein the remote extender is further coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB);

at least one USB device, wherein the at least one USB device is coupled to the USB, wherein the at lest one USB device is located at a second location remote from the first location, wherein the second location is more than approximately 10 meters from the first location; and

a display device coupled to the remote extender, wherein the display device is located at the second location;

wherein the local extender and the remote extender comprise a split USB host controller;

wherein the host computer system is operable to;

transmit first peripheral signals intended for the at least one USB device and video signals intended for the display device to the local extender; and

wherein the local extender is operable to;

convert the video signals to a format suitable for transmission over the first bus to the remote extender;

convert the first peripheral signals to first non-USB compliant peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the remote extender;

transmit the converted video signals and the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the remote extender over the first bus; and

wherein the remote extender is operable to;

convert the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to first USB peripheral signals;

convert the converted video signals back to the video signals;

transmit the first USB peripheral signals to the at least one USB device; and

transmit the video signals to the display device for display;

wherein the remote extender is further operable to;

receive second USB peripheral signals from the at least one USB device;

convert the second USB peripheral signals to second non-USB compliant peripheral signals for transmission over the first bus to the local extender;

transmit the second non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the local extender over the first bus; and

wherein the local extender is further operable to;

convert the second non-USB compliant peripheral signals to second peripheral signals; and

transmit the second peripheral signals to the host computer.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the first bus comprises a first transmission medium and a second transmission medium, and wherein, in transmitting the converted video signals and the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the remote extender over the first bus, the local extender is operable to:

transmit the converted video signals to the remote extender over the first transmission medium of the first bus; and

transmit the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the remote extender over the second transmission medium of the first bus.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the first bus comprises a first transmission medium and a second transmission medium, and wherein, in transmitting the converted video signals and the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals to the remote extender over the first bus, the local extender is operable to:

transmit converted Red, Green, and Blue video signals to the remote extender over the first transmission medium of the first bus; and

transmit the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals and HSync and VSync video synchronization signals to the remote extender over the second transmission medium of the first bus.

39. The system of claim 38,

wherein the first bus comprises four twisted wire pairs;

wherein the first transmission medium comprises three twisted wire pairs, and wherein the second transmission medium comprises a fourth twisted wire pair; and

wherein the fourth twisted wire pair is operable to communicate the first non-USB compliant peripheral signals and the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals between the local extender and the remote extender, and wherein the remote extender is operable to send the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals to the display device.

40. The system of claim 39,

wherein the remote extender comprises a first video converter and a remote root hub;

and

wherein the remote extender is operable to couple to a pulse shaper, wherein the remote root hub is operable to receive the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals from the local extender, wherein the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals comprise pulses which are converted from standard length pulses to short pulses by the local extender for transmission over the one twisted wire pair, and wherein the pulse shaper is operable to receive the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals from the remote root hub, convert the short pulses back to standard length pulses for use by the display device, and send the converted signals to the display device.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

the local extender transmitting the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals to the remote extender over the fourth twisted wire pair and sending the HSync and VSync video synchronization signals to the display device.

42. The system of claim 36, wherein the video signals and the USB peripheral signals are combined on the first bus.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the video signals and the peripheral signals are combined via one of time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing.