Method of operating a system of co-located computers and remote human interfaces

• US 6,944,826 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Thornton, Barry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US10/279,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20040080526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715716-719, 715/733, 715740-743, 715/748, 715/751, 715/761, 715/764, 707/10, 709/201, 709203-205, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 715/733
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units

Abstract

A system and method for providing a consistent work environment to a plurality of users is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may include a plurality of computing systems which are located at a common location and connected by a network. Each of a plurality of human interfaces may be coupled to one of the plurality of computing systems by a communications link. Each human interface is located at a user location. The user location may be remote from the plurality of computing systems. Each of the human interfaces may be operable to present to a user a graphical user interface for application software, a graphical user interface for conducting telephone calls with external parties, and a video window for displaying television programming.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of computing systems, wherein the plurality of computing systems are collocated and coupled by a network;

a plurality of remote human interfaces, wherein each of the plurality of remote human interfaces is located at a remote user location;

a plurality of communication links, wherein each communication link is coupled between one of the plurality of collocated computing systems and one of the plurality of remote human interfaces;

wherein each of the plurality of collocated computing systems is operable to present on its respective remote human interface;

     1) a graphical user interface for application software executing on its respective collocated computing system;

     2) a graphical user interface for conducting telephone calls; and

     3) a video window; and

wherein each one of the plurality of collocated computing systems provides, on its respective remote human interface, each of the graphical user interface for the application software, the graphical user interface for conducting telephone calls, and the video window.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cage having a plurality of slots, wherein each of the plurality of slots is operable to receive a computer blade; and

a plurality of computer blades, wherein each computer blade comprises one of the plurality of collocated computing systems.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each computer blade comprises:

a frame;

a printed circuit board mounted to the frame;

a central processing unit (CPU) comprised on the printed circuit board;

a memory comprised on the printed circuit board;

a non-volatile memory comprised on the frame;

network interface logic comprised on the printed circuit board for interfacing to a network;

human interface logic comprised on the printed circuit board which is operable to receive two or more human interface signals and encode the two or more human interface signals into a format suitable for transmission to a remote location;

wherein the human interface logic is further operable to receive two or more encoded human interface signals from the remote location and decode the two or more encoded human interface signals from a format suitable for transmission from the remote location;

a human interface connector coupled to the human interface logic, wherein the human interface connector is operable to couple to the one or more cables for communication of the encoded human interface signals with a remote location; and

a power supply comprised on the frame, wherein the power supply is operable to couple to an external power source and supply power to the plurality of collocated computing systems.

4. The system recited in claim 3, wherein the plurality of collocated computing systems further includes a removable function module, wherein the removable function module is operable to electrically couple to at least a subset of the plurality of collocated computer blades, wherein the removable function module is operable to provide additional functionality to each of the collocated computer blades comprised in the slots of the cage.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of computer blades is further operable for communication of network signals with a network.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of computer blades is operable to couple to one or more cables for communication of encoded human interface signals with a respective remote human interface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of collocated computing stems are located in the same room.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote user location is at least 10 feet from the plurality of collocated computing systems.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of collocated computing systems is configured to display television programming from the same channel in the video window of their respective remote human interfaces.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of remote human interfaces presents the same graphical user interface.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the graphical user interface of each of the plurality of collocated computing systems is not modifiable by its respective user.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of collocated computing systems stores the same set of application software.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a database for storing results for user interaction with the application software.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of collocated computing systems is configured to access the same database.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of collocated computing systems comprises a plurality of independent computing systems.

16. A system, comprising:

a plurality of computer blades, wherein each computer blade comprises one of a plurality of collocated computing systems;

a plurality of remote human interfaces, wherein each of the plurality of remote human interfaces is located at a remote user location;

a plurality of communication links, wherein each communication link is coupled between one of the plurality of collocated computing systems and one of the plurality of remote human interfaces;

wherein each of the plurality of collocated computing systems is operable to present on its remote human interface;

     1) a graphical user interface for application software executing on its respective collocated computing system;

     2) a graphical user interface for conducting telephone calls; and

     3) a video window.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a cage having a plurality of slots, wherein each of the slots is operable to receive a computer blade.

18. The system claim 17, further comprising a power supply comprised on the frame, wherein the power supply is operable to couple to an external power source and supply power to the plurality of collocated computing systems.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a removable function module, wherein the removable function module is operable to electrically couple to at least a subset of the plurality of computer blades, wherein the removable function module is operable to provide additional functionality to each of the computer blades comprised in the slots of the cage.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein each computer blade comprises:

a frame;

a printed circuit board mounted to the frame;

a CPU comprised on the printed circuit board;

a memory comprised on the printed circuit board;

a non-volatile memory comprised on the frame;

network interface logic comprised on the printed circuit board for interfacing to a network;

human interface logic comprised on the printed circuit board which is operable to receive two or more human interface signals and encode the two or more human interface signals into a format suitable for transmission to a remote human interface;

wherein the human interface logic is further operable to receive two or more encoded human interface signals from the remote human interface and decode the two or more encoded human interface signals from a format suitable for transmission from the remote human interface; and

a human interface connector coupled to the human interface logic, wherein the human interface connector is operable to couple to the one or more cables for communication of the encoded human interface signals with a remote human interface.