Multi-user computer system

• US 7,496,666 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Anderson, John Richard, McDermott, John Aloysius, Bates, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell; Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ailes; Benjamin A
• Application Number:
  US11/325,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/227, 709/223, 709/226, 709/238, 709/208, 713/182, 726/34, 345/156, 345/168
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/40 Constructional details, e.g. power supply, mechanical construction or backplane

Abstract

A system for connecting multiple users to multiple computers uses a switch for making and breaking connections between individual computers and input/output devices such as display screens, keyboards and pointing devices at user locations. A supervisory computer system includes one or more helper computers which run programs to aid the user in selecting connections to be made. The switch is arranged to capture preselected input sequences as designating commands, such as a command to connect the helper computer, and to forward these to the supervisory computer system. The supervisory computer system actuates the switch in response to these commands so that the user can establish communication with the helper computer.

Claims

1. A method for selecting one of a plurality of server computers within a KVM system for controlling remotely located server computers with output and input devices at a plurality of user locations, said method comprising:

receiving input signals sent by input devices included in said input and output devices at user locations, conveying input signals from said input devices to server computers associated with said user locations and conveying output signals from such server computers to output devices at said user locations; and

operating an interactive computer program in a supervisory computer system in response to predetermined input signals via said input devices at any of said user locations, said interactive computer program having a graphical user interface and facilitating selection of one or more of said server computers by a user at said user location that sent said predetermined input signals by providing said user with a listing via said graphical user interface of appropriate ones of said server computers, organization of content of said listing being in accordance with at least one user provided criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said supervisory computer system records information about usage of said server computers by a user, recorded usage information being displayable using said graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein different types of computer programs are available on different ones of the server computers and the criteria arranges said server computers into groups in accordance with the available computer programs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said interactive program allows a user at a particular user location in said plurality of user locations to select one or more server computers for connection to that particular user location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said interactive program run by the supervisory computer system allows a user at a particular user location in said plurality of user locations to select one or more server computers for connection to another user location in said plurality of user locations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the supervisory computer system includes routines which require each user to enter an indication of his/her identity along wit a secret password associated with that identity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein users at the plurality of user locations have different rights with respect to accessing the server computers and said appropriate ones of said server computers are those server computers for which a given user at said user location has the right to access.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving and conveying are performed at said supervisory computer system, said input signals being transmitted on a common channel from said user locations to said supervisory computer system.

9. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising the step of instructing switching devices to connect or disconnect connections between said one or more selected server computers and said input/output devices in response to said input signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said instructing is performed by a switching circuit within said supervisory computer system.

11. The method of claim 9, said method further comprising the step of maintaining data defining a running set of said server computers devices for each said user location, said instructing further including switching said input/output device that supplied said input signals between said server computers.

12. A method for selecting one of a plurality of server computers within a KVM system for controlling remotely located server computers with output and input devices at a plurality of user locations, said method comprising:

receiving input signals sent by input devices included in said input and output devices at user locations, conveying input signals from said input devices to server computers associated with said user locations and conveying output signals from such server computers to output devices at said user locations;

characterized by

detecting one or more predetermined helper codes in such input signals connecting a supervisory computer system to the input and output devices at the user location that sent such helper codes;

running computer program in said supervisory computer system that interacts with the connected input and output devices, said computer program facilitating selection of one or more of said server computers by a user at said user location by providing said user with a listing of selected ones of said server computers, content of said list being organizeable in accordance with at least one user provided criteria.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said supervisory computer system records information about usage of said server computers by a user, recorded usage information being displayable using a graphical user interface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein different types of computer programs are available on different ones of the server computers and the criteria arranges said server computers into groups in accordance with the available computer programs.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said interactive program allows a user at a particular user location in said plurality of user locations to select one or more server computers for connection to that particular user location.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said interactive program run by the supervisory computer system allows a user at a particular user location in said plurality of user locations to select one or more server computers for connection to another user location in said plurality of user locations.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the supervisory computer system includes routines which require each user to enter an indication of his/her identity along with a secret password associated with that identity.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein users at the plurality of user locations have different rights with respect to accessing the server computers and said predetermined ones of said server computers are those server computers for which a given user at said user location has the right to access.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving and conveying are performed at said supervisory computer system, said input signals being transmitted on a common channel from said user locations to said supervisory computer system.

20. The method of claim 12, said method further comprising the step of instructing a switching device to connect or disconnect connections between said one or more selected server computers and said input/output devices in response to said input signals.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said instructing is performed by a switching circuit within said supervisory computer system.

22. The method of claim 20, said method further comprising the step of maintaining data defining a running set of said server computers for each said user location, said instructing further including switching said input/output device that supplied said input signals between said server computers.

23. A method for selecting one of a plurality of server computers with output and input devices at user locations remote from said server computers for KVM control of said server computers, said method comprising:

receiving input signals sent by said input devices at user locations for KVM control of said server computers, conveying said input signals from said input devices to server computers associated with said user locations and conveying output signals from such server computers to output devices at said user locations; and

selectively invoking an interactive computer program in a supervisory computer system through a given set of commands from said input devices, said interactive computer program being operable to graphically display, by way of a graphical user interface, a selectively organizeable listing of at least a group of said plurality of server computers which are available for connection with said input and output devices.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said user may select connection to one of said plurality of servers in said group utilizing said graphically displayed listing.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said interactive computer program responsive to selections of said graphically displayed listing communicates to one or more switches in order to make automatic connection between said server computers and said remote input and output devices.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the interactive computer program couples to said one or more switches by way of a network connection.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said supervisory computer system records information about usage of said server computers by a user, recorded usage information being displayable using said graphical user interface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein one or more of said input or output devices communicate in said KVM system via a wireless interface.

29. A method of operating a KVM system in order to control one of a plurality of server computers through the use of input and output devices, said input and output devices remotely located from said server computers, said method comprising:

viewing a list of server computers within said KVM system by invoking an interactive computer program in a supervisory computer system, wherein organization of content of said list is selectable by a remote user;

selecting connection to one or more of said server computers utilizing said list, said selection being made by said devices remotely located from said server computers.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said list is arrangeable according to a criteria in the group consisting of location and function.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said list is part of an interactive computer program having a graphical user interface, wherein the interactive computer program provides differing access rights to said servers depending on identity of a user.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said interactive computer program responsive to selections of said graphical user interface communicates to one or more switches in order to make connection between said server computers and said remote input and output devices.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said supervisory computer system records information about usage of said server computers by a user, recorded usage information being displayable using said graphical user interface.

34. A KVM system for selecting one of a plurality of server computers with input and output devices locatable at a plurality of user locations remote from said server computers, said KVM system operable to receive input signals sent by input devices included in sets of input and output devices at user locations, and to convey input signals from said input devices to server computers associated with said user locations and conveying output signals from such server computers to output devices at said user locations;

said system comprising;

a supervisory computer system having an interactive computer program operated in response to predetermined input signals provided by said input devices at any of said plurality of user locations;

a graphical user interface included in said interactive computer program and facilitating selection of one or more of said server computers by a user at said user location that sent said predetermined input signals by providing said user with a listing via said graphical user interface of appropriate ones of said server computers, organization of content of said listing being in accordance with at least one user provided criteria.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said interactive computer program responsive to selections made via said graphical user interface communicates to one or more switches in order to make connection between said server computers and said remote input and output devices.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein one or more of said input or output devices communicate in said KVM system via a wireless interface.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein said supervisory computer system records information about usage of said server computers by a user, recorded usage information being displayable using said graphical user interface.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the interactive computer program couples to said one or more switches by way of a network connection.

39. A KVM system for selecting one of a plurality of server computers for KVM control thereof through the use of input and output devices, said input and output devices remotely located from said server computers, said system comprising:

a supervisory computer system including an interactive computer program for viewing a list of servers within said KVM system;

a graphical user interface operable for viewing said list of servers, wherein organization of content of said list is selectable by a user,

said graphical user interface in connection with said interactive computer operable to provide selective connection to one or more of said servers utilizing said list, said selection being made by said devices remotely located from said server computers.