Option menu for use with a computer management system

• US 8,427,421 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Lee, Alex, Liaw, Yee, Hsu, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDIN, SHAHEDA A
• Application Number:
  US10/734,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,420 Days
• Field of Search: 345/132, 345/154, 345/156, 345/157, 345/589, 345/1.1, 715/810, 715/856, 312126-130, 312/294, 312/281, 725 37- 38
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units

Abstract

The present invention discloses an option menu for use with a computer management system. In operation, the option menu circuit combines or organizes a plurality of video signals generated by various OSD ICs to provide an option menu that is capable of various modes of operation. The option menu circuit is capable of displaying the option menu alone or in place of a portion of the video received from the selected connected computer. The option menu produced by the option menu circuit provides, inter alia, a list of computers that may be accessed by the computer management system. By utilizing a keyboard and/or cursor control device, a user may select the desired computer from the option menu.

Claims

1. A user terminal device for producing an option menu, said user terminal device comprising:

a first set of on-screen display circuits capable of producing a first video output for display on a video display;

a second set of on-screen display circuits capable of producing a second video output for display on the video display; and

a processor coupled to said first and second sets of on-screen display circuits, for configuring the video outputs of ones of the first set of on-screen display circuits and ones of the second set of on-screen display circuits to generate an option menu on the video display,

wherein a first number of first video outputs of the first set of on-screen display circuits are selectably combined by the processor according to a mode index of the display to form a non-cursor portion of the option menu, the combination of first video outputs producing an increase in available colors to be displayed as compared to a first video output from a single one of the first set of on-screen display circuits, and

wherein the second set of on-screen display circuits are cursor image producing circuits for producing a cursor image within said option menu.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first set of on-screen display circuits are capable of producing multiple background colors, multiple foreground colors, and a video display having a plurality of rows and columns of characters, and wherein each character comprises a plurality of pixels.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first set of on-screen display circuits are capable of displaying characters in a plurality of fonts.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first set of on-screen display circuits are capable of displaying a plurality of colors.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first number of combined video outputs of the on-screen display circuits from the first set of on screen display circuits for display on said video display is at least two.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said device is disposed in a keyboard, video and cursor control device (KVM) switching system.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein dimensions of said option menu are variable.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein said option menu is displayed on the entire video display when the mode index has a first predetermined value.

9. A device according to claim 6, wherein color depth of said option menu can be changed using a keyboard or a cursor control device.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein said cursor image is controlled via an attached keyboard and/or cursor control device.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein said second set of on-screen display circuits are comprised of at least one outline generating on-screen display circuit for producing an outline of said cursor image and at least one on-screen display circuit for generating a body of said cursor image.

12. A device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first clock for controlling a first timing of said first set of on-screen display circuits; and

a second clock for controlling a second timing of said second set of on-screen display circuits.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein said device is implemented on a daughter board to facilitate connection to a KVM switch system.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor produces an option menu in digital video format.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor produces said option menu in analog video format.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein said option menu is displayed on a 4:

3 ratio video monitor.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein said option menu is displayed on a 16:

9 ratio video monitor.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein said option menu is displayed in conjunction with an external video source.

19. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first number of video outputs from the first set of on-screen display circuits are combined and a second number of video outputs from the first set of screen display circuits are combined, such that each combination of said numbers of video outputs is displayed on a different section of said video display.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first set of on-screen display circuits contains at least four on-screen display circuits and the second set of on-screen display circuits contains at least two on-screen display circuits.

21. A device according to claim 1, wherein the combination of first video outputs produce an increase in a number of characters to be displayed in the non-cursor portion of the option menu as compared to a first video output from a single one of the first set of on screen display circuits.