On-screen display system

• US 7,737,964 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Inventors: Liu, Chien-hsing
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Henry N
• Application Number:
  US11/398,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/168, 345/204, 345/213, 710/1, 710/5, 710/64, 710/65, 710/72, 710/73, 710/100, 710/305, 710/316, 715/716, 715/748, 715/810, 348/705, 348/706
• US Class Current: 345/213
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/24 Keyboard-Video-Mouse [KVM] switch
• 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: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

An on-screen display system is located externally a KVM switch. The on-screen display system includes a first end, an on-screen display circuit, a switch circuit and a second end. The first end receives a video signal from a computer. The on-screen display circuit generates an on-screen display menu signal. The switch circuit receives the video signal from the computer and the on-screen display menu signal from the on-screen display circuit. The on-screen display system combines the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlaps the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal to be displayed on the display according to a control signal.

Claims

1. A cable for coupling an electronic apparatus, connected to a computer, to a display of a console device, the cable comprising:

a first end, receiving a video signal, a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal from the computer through the electronic apparatus;

an on-screen display circuit, generating an on-screen display menu signal;

a switch circuit, receiving the video signal from the computer and the on-screen display menu signal to combine the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlap the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal;

a sync polarizer for converting the polarity of either the vertical synchronization signal or the horizontal synchronization signal; and

a second end, coupled to the display to output the video signal received from the switch circuit to be displayed on the display.

2. The cable of claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a keyboard-video-mouse switch and a console sharing device.

3. The cable of claim 1, wherein the on-screen display circuit is controlled by the electronic apparatus via two wires.

4. The cable of claim 1, wherein the on-screen display circuit is controlled by the electronic apparatus via an Inter Integrated circuit bus.

5. The cable of claim 1, wherein the on-screen display circuit is controlled by the electronic apparatus via a display data channel.

6. The cable of claim 5, wherein the first end further comprises a first connector having a first pin configuration, wherein the first connector further comprises a DDC-SDA pin and a DDC-SCL pin.

7. The cable of claim 5, wherein the second end further comprises a second connector having a second pin configuration corresponding to the first pin configuration, wherein the second connector further comprises a DDC-SDA pin and a DDC-SCL pin.

8. The cable of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit combines the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlaps the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal to constitute a frame on the display according to a control signal.

9. The cable of claim 8, wherein the control signal is generated by one apparatus selected from the group consisting of the on-screen display circuit, the keyboard-video-mouse switch and the console sharing device.

10. The cable of claim 1, further comprising a power circuit, providing a power source for the cable.

11. The cable of claim 10, wherein the power circuit is one selected from the group consisting of an external power supply, a power supplying wiring of the cable and a transformation from the vertical sync signal or the horizontal sync signal.

12. The cable of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit is selected from the group consisting of a multiplexer, a tri-state buffer, a select circuit, a transmission gate and a logic combination gate.

13. The cable of claim 1, wherein the on-screen display circuit and the switch circuit are embedded in the cable between the first end and the second end.

14. A cable, for coupling a computer to an electronic apparatus connected to a display of a console, the cable comprising:

a first end, receiving a video signal, a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal from the computer;

an on-screen display circuit, generating an on-screen display menu signal;

a switch circuit, receiving the video signal from the computer and the on-screen display menu signal to combine the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlap the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal;

a sync polarizer for converting the polarity of either the vertical synchronization signal or the horizontal synchronization signal; and

a second end, coupled to electronic apparatus to output the video signal received from the switch circuit to be displayed on the display.

15. The cable of claim 14, wherein the switch circuit is one selected from the group consisting of a multiplexer, a tri-state buffer, a select circuit, a transmission gate and a logic combination gate.

16. The cable of claim 14, wherein the electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a keyboard-video-mouse switch and a console sharing device.

17. The cable of claim 14, wherein the on-screen display circuit is controlled by the electronic apparatus via two wires.

18. The cable of claim 14, wherein the on-screen display circuit is controlled by the electronic apparatus via an Inter Integrated circuit bus.

19. The cable of claim 14, wherein the on-screen display circuit is controlled by the electronic apparatus via a display data channel.

20. The cable of claim 19, wherein the first end further comprises a first connector having a first pin configuration, wherein the first connector further comprises a DDC-SDA pin and a DDC-SCL pin.

21. The cable of claim 19, wherein the second end further comprises a second connector having a second pin configuration corresponding to the first pin configuration, wherein the second connector further comprises a DDC-SDA pin and a DDC-SCL pin.

22. The cable of claim 14, wherein the switch circuit combines the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlaps the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal to constitute a frame on the display according to a control signal.

23. The cable of claim 22, wherein the apparatus generating the control signal is generated by one apparatus selected from the group consisting of the on-screen display circuit, the keyboard-video-mouse switch and the console sharing device.

24. The cable of claim 14, further comprising a power circuit, providing a power source for the cable.

25. The cable of claim 24, wherein the power circuit is one selected from the group consisting of an external power supply, a power supplying wiring of the cable and a transformation from the vertical sync signal or the horizontal sync signal.

26. The cable of claim 14, wherein the on-screen display circuit and the switch circuit are embedded in the cable between the first end and the second end.

27. A system, located between a computer and a console including a display, a keyboard and a mouse, the system comprising:

an electronic apparatus, connected to the computer and connected directly to the keyboard and the mouse; and

an on-screen display system which comprises;

a first end, receiving a video signal, a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal from the computer through the electronic apparatus;

an on-screen display circuit, generating an on-screen display menu signal;

a switch circuit, receiving the video signal from the computer and the on-screen display menu signal to combine the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlap the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal;

a sync polarizer for converting the polarity of either the vertical synchronization signal or the horizontal synchronization signal; and

a second end, coupled to the display to output the video signal received from the switch circuit to be displayed on the display.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a keyboard-video-mouse switch and a console sharing device.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the on-screen display system is an external module embedded in a cable.

30. An on-screen display system, located between a computer and an electronic apparatus, connected to a display of a console device, the on-screen display system comprising:

a first end, receiving a video signal, a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal from the computer;

an on-screen display circuit, generating an on-screen display menu signal;

a switch circuit, receiving the video signal from the computer and the on-screen display menu signal to combine the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlap the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal;

a sync polarizer for converting the polarity of either the vertical synchronization signal or the horizontal synchronization signal; and

a second end, coupled to electronic apparatus to output the video signal received from the switch circuit to be displayed on the display.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a keyboard-video-mouse switch and a console sharing device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the on-screen display system is an external module embedded in a cable.