Switchless KVM network with wireless technology

• US 8,558,795 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RIIP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: RIIP, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoerl, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H
• Application Number:
  US10/799,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20050204026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,504 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/2.1, 345/2.3, 345/157, 345/163, 345/168, 345/204, 709/202, 709/203, 709208-211, 709217-219, 709223-226, 709/227, 709/229, 709/246, 348/14.02, 348/14.05, 348/14.11
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/24 Keyboard-Video-Mouse [KVM] switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/04 Network management architectures or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication

Abstract

The present invention discloses a wireless remote network management system for wirelessly interfacing a series of remote devices (e.g., computers, servers, etc.) to one or more user workstations. Each remote device is coupled to a wireless transmitter, and each user workstation includes a wireless user station coupled to a keyboard, a video monitor and a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse). Preferably, the transmitters and user stations utilize an 802.11 compatible ad-hoc network for communication. Alternatively, a central wireless access point may be utilized to centralize communications between the transmitters and user stations. The wireless network enables a user workstation to access, monitor and control a remote device. An option menu containing a list of all the remote devices allows a user to select any of the remote devices for operation.

Claims

1. A system for providing wireless monitoring and control of remote devices, said system comprising:

a plurality of first transceivers each having a first wireless communications device and each said first transceiver being coupled to a user station comprising a keyboard, a video monitor and a cursor control device for receiving signals from said keyboard and said cursor control device; and

a plurality of second transceivers each having a second wireless communications device and each said second transceiver being coupled to at least one of said remote devices for receiving video data from said remote devices and for transmitting said video data to a respective first transceiver over a wireless network,

wherein each of said first and second wireless communication devices is configured to condition keyboard-video-mouse signals to operate in a peer-to-peer network, thereby enabling ones of said user stations to monitor and control ones of said remote devices directly without using a central switch to control connection between any one of said first transceivers and said second transceivers; and

wherein each of said second transceivers is configured to receive a connection request message over a broadcast channel from one of said first transceivers coupled to a first one of the user stations, and to transmit a denial message when the at least one remote device coupled to said second transceiver is under the control of another one of the user stations.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless network is an 802.11 wireless network.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said wireless network is an ad-hoc wireless network.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said wireless network is an infrastructure wireless network.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless network is a Bluetooth network.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless network includes a wireless enabled computer interface module.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein each said first transceiver includes circuitry for displaying a list of said remote devices on said video monitor.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said one first transceiver is configured to transmit said connection request message to one of said plurality of second transceivers in response to a user'"'"'s selection of a remote device coupled to said one second transceiver from said displayed list.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said connection request message includes a select channel for wireless communications between said first and second wireless communications devices over said wireless network.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein said displayed list is generated by an on-screen display processor.

11. A system according to claim 7, wherein said displayed list is generated by software implemented on a general purpose processor.

12. A system according to claim 7, wherein said displayed list includes information related to said remote devices.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said displayed list is automatically updated when one or more additional remote devices join the peer-to-peer network.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein each of said second transceivers is configure to compress said video data before transmitting said video data to said respective first transceiver.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein each of said first and second transceivers is configured to encrypt said video data, keyboard data, and cursor control device data for transmission.

16. A wireless remote network management system for remotely monitoring and controlling devices comprising:

a plurality of first wireless-enabled transceivers each coupled to a keyboard, a video monitor and a cursor control device;

a plurality of second wireless-enabled transceivers each coupled to a remote device; and

a central switch enabled for wireless communication and wired communication;

wherein each said first wireless-enabled transceiver communicates keyboard and cursor control device signals from said keyboard and said cursor control device to said central switch via a first wireless network,

wherein said central switch routes said signals via a second wireless network to one of said second wireless-enabled transceivers,

wherein each said second wireless-enabled transceiver communicates video data via said second wireless network from said remote device to said central switch, and

wherein said central switch communicates said video data to one of said plurality of first wireless-enabled transceivers via said first wireless network

wherein said first and second wireless-enabled transceivers condition keyboard-video-mouse signals where appropriate to enable wireless transmission thereof,

wherein each said first transceiver includes circuitry for displaying a menu of said remote devices on said video monitor, wherein said menu includes information related to said remote devices and said menu is automatically updated with additional remote devices without a monitoring workstation entering a different operational mode.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said first wireless network and said second wireless networks are 802.11 wireless networks.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein each said first transceiver transmits a connection request message to the central switch and the central switch transmits the connection request message to one of said plurality of second transceivers in response to a selection from said menu.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein said menu is generated by an on-screen display processor.

20. A system according to claim 16, wherein said menu is generated by software implemented on a general purpose processor.

21. A system according to claim 16, wherein said video data is compressed before being transmitted by said second transceiver.