Apparatus for providing I/O support to a computer system and method of use thereof
First Claim
1. An apparatus in a host computer system for enabling the host computer system to provide I/O support to a second computer system, wherein the host computer system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the apparatus comprising:
- a first connecting port for directly coupling the second computer system to the host computer system;
an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display and a keyboard, and a USB device; and
a second connecting port for coupling the plurality of host controllers in the host computer system to the internal control element,wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the second computer system and the host computer system via the first and second connecting ports respectively.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for providing I/O support to a computer system and a method of use thereof is disclosed. The apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes an internal control element located within the apparatus. The control element allows the apparatus in accordance with the present invention to relinquish ownership of the associated I/O devices for the purpose of being used by another computer. Accordingly, through the use of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention, expensive KVM switches and cabling, along with the accompanying I/O devices, are no longer needed to provide I/O support for computer networks. A first aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for providing I/O support to a computer system. The apparatus comprises an I/O device and an internal control element coupled to the I/O device for relinquishing ownership of the I/O device from the apparatus to the computer network. A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for providing I/O support to a computer system. The method comprises the steps of providing an apparatus wherein the apparatus includes an I/O device and an internal control element coupled to the I/O device and utilizing the internal control element to allow ownership of the I/O device to be relinquished from the apparatus to the computer system.
39 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An apparatus in a host computer system for enabling the host computer system to provide I/O support to a second computer system, wherein the host computer system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the apparatus comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the second computer system to the host computer system; an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display and a keyboard, and a USB device; and a second connecting port for coupling the plurality of host controllers in the host computer system to the internal control element, wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the second computer system and the host computer system via the first and second connecting ports respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus in a host computer system for enabling the host computer system to provide I/O support to a second computer system, wherein the host computer system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the apparatus comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the second computer system to the host computer system; a hub coupled to the plurality of I/O devices, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display and, a keyboard, and a USB device; an internal control element coupled to the hub and to the first connecting port; and a second connecting port for coupling the plurality of host controllers in the host computer system to the internal control element, wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the second computer system and the host computer system via the first and second connecting ports respectively. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus in a host computer system for enabling the host computer system to provide I/O support to a second computer system, wherein the host computer system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O device, the apparatus comprising:
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a hub coupled to the plurality of I/O devices, wherein the plurality of I/O device devices comprises a display and, a keyboard, and a USB device; an internal control element coupled to the hub, the internal control element including means for switching the apparatus to one of at least two operational modes, the at least two operational modes comprising a host mode and a hub mode wherein if the apparatus is operating in the host mode, the plurality of I/O devices are controlled by the host computer system and if the apparatus is operating in the hub mode, the plurality of I/O devices are controlled by the second computer system; a first connecting port coupled to the internal control element for coupling the second computer system directly to the host computer system, the first connecting port comprising a universal serial bus connector and a display device connector; and a second connecting port coupled to the internal control element and to the plurality of host controllers in the host computer system for coupling the host controllers to the plurality of I/O devices.
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25. A method of providing I/O support by a host computer system to a second computer system, wherein the host computer system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) directly coupling the second computer system to the host computer system via first connecting port in the host computer system; b) providing an internal control element in the host computer system coupled to the first connecting port and to the plurality of I/O devices, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display and, a keyboard, and a USB device; c) coupling the plurality of host controllers in the host computer system to the internal control element via a second connecting port in the computer system; and d) utilizing the internal control element to regulate control of the plurality of I/O devices by the second computer system and the host computer system via the first and second connecting ports respectively. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A processing system for providing I/O support to one of a plurality of network server computers, wherein the processing system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the processing system comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the one network server computer to the processing system; an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display and, a keyboard, and a USB device; and a second connecting port for coupling the plurality of host controllers in the processing system to the internal control element, wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the one network server computer and the processing system via the first and second connecting ports respectively. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A processing system for providing I/O support to one of a plurality of network server computers, wherein the processing system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the processing system comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the one network server computer to the processing system; an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display, a keyboard and a USB connecter; and a second connecting port for coupling the plurality of host controllers in the processing system to the internal control element, wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the one network server computer and the processing system via the first and second connecting ports respectively. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A processing system for providing I/O support to one of a plurality of network server computers, wherein the processing system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the processing system comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the one network server computer to the processing system; an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display, a keyboard and a USB device controlled by at least one of the plurality of host controllers; a second connecting port for coupling the plurality of host controllers in the processing system to the internal control element, and wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the one network server computer and the processing system via the first and second connecting ports respectively.
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48. A processing system for providing I/O support to one of a plurality of network server computers, wherein the processing system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the processing system comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the one network server computer to the processing system; an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display, a keyboard and a USB device; and a second connecting port for electrically coupling the plurality of host controllers in the processing system to the internal control element, wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the one network server computer and the processing system via the first and second connecting ports respectively.
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49. A processing system for providing I/O support to one of a plurality of network server computers, wherein the processing system includes a plurality of host controllers and a plurality of I/O devices, the processing system comprising:
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a first connecting port for directly coupling the one network server computer to the processing system; an internal control element coupled to the plurality of I/O devices and to the first connecting port, wherein the plurality of I/O devices comprises a display, a keyboard and a USB device; and a second connecting port for electrically coupling the plurality of host controllers in the processing system to the internal control element, wherein the internal control element regulates control of the plurality of I/O devices by the one network server computer and the processing system via the first and second connecting ports respectively; and wherein the processing system is capable of operating in one of at least two modes, a host mode and a hub mode, wherein the internal control element is capable of switching the at least two modes; and wherein if the processing system is operating in the host mode, the plurality of I/O devices are controlled by the processing system, and if the processing system is operating in the hub mode, the plurality of I/O devices are controlled by the one network server computer. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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Specification