System and method for configuring a multi-user computer system

• US 20040119659A1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thinsoft Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Thinsoft, Inc.
• Inventors: Justice, Bradley, Jack, Ian, Siemsen, Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,030,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A system and method for configuring collections of non-display, input and output devices and display devices in a multi-user computer system. Initially, the invention heuristically creates at least two collections of non-display devices, each of which includes a keyboard, by analyzing connection patterns of each of the non-display devices to the computer data buses. Display devices are added to each collection by causing a user prompt to appear on a display, and then causing the display to be associated with the collection of the keyboard that is used to respond to the prompt. Each display device is associated with a particular collection in this manner. Thus, the collections are constructed by a heuristic methodology relative to the non-display devices, and manually relative to the display devices.

Claims

1. ) A method of configuring collections of input and output devices on a multi-user computer system, comprising the steps of:

a) automatically creating at least two collections of non-display devices by analyzing connection patterns of each of said non-display devices to the computer data buses;

b) providing at least two display devices to said system;

c) displaying a first user input prompt on a first of said display devices;

d) manually responding to said first prompt through a first one of said non-display devices;

e) adding said first display device to the same said collection as the first of said non-display devices used in providing said response in step d above;

f) displaying a second user input prompt on a second of said display devices;

g) manually responding to said second prompt through a second one of said non-display devices;

h) adding said second display device to the same said collection as the second of said non-display devices used in providing said response in step g above; and

i) sequentially continuing steps f, g, and h until each of said display devices are assigned to one of said collections, whereby all of said collections of said input and output devices are configured.

2. ) A system for configuring collections out of a plurality of input and output, non-display devices and a plurality of display devices on a multi-user computer system that utilizes a plurality of computer data buses, comprising:

a) means for automatically creating at least two collections of said non-display devices by analyzing connection patterns of each of said non-display devices to said computer data buses;

b) means for displaying a first user input prompt on a first of said display devices;

c) means for adding said first display device to the same said collection as the first of said non-display devices used in responding to said first user prompt.

3. ) The system according to claim 2, wherein said non-display devices include keyboards.

4. ) The system according to claim 2, wherein said non-display devices include at least one of a mouse, a microphone, a speaker, and a floppy disc drive.

5. ) The system according to claim 2, further comprising USB hubs interconnecting said computer data buses.