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Interface device for coordinating control of an output device by multiple control consoles

  • US 8,667,206 B2
  • Filed: 03/12/2010
  • Issued: 03/04/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An interface device configured to coordinate control of at least one output device by a control system including first and second control consoles, the interface device comprising:

  • a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pathways;

    first and second connectors coupled to the circuit board, the first and second connectors each including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to a first and second control console, respectively;

    a third connector coupled to the circuit board, the third connector including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the output device; and

    a plurality of switches mounted to the circuit board, each switch being coupled to at least one conductive pathway of the circuit board to electrically couple the switches to at least one of the first, second and third connectors; and

    wherein the first and second connectors receive signals respectively comprising a first and second device selection input signal and a plurality of device control input signals from at least one device selection input, at least one device control input of the first and second control consoles, respectively;

    wherein, in response to receipt of said first device selection input signal for a selected output device from the first control console before receipt of said second device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected output device from the second control console, at least one of the plurality of switches enables and provides power to a first device control portion disposed in the first console in response to the at least one device control input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device, said first device control portion is enabled to send said plurality of device control input signals to said first connector only after said power is provided to said first device control portion;

    wherein in response to receipt of said second device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of said first device selection input corresponding to the same selected output device from the first control console, at least one of the plurality of switches enables and provides power to a second device control portion disposed in the second console in response to the at least one device control input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device, said second device control portion is enabled to send said plurality of device control input signals to said second connector only after said power is provided to said second device control portion;

    wherein said plurality of switches further includes an interface circuit coupled between the first and second device control portions and the at least one output device via said first, second, and third connectors, the interface circuit includes a first interface control section configured to selectively link the first or second device control portions to the at least one selected output device based on receipt of the first or second device selection input, the first interface control section further being configured to selectively block said plurality of device control signals transmitted by one of the first or second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the selected output device can only receive said plurality of device control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time.

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