KVM switch with on-screen-display and a computer switching method thereof

• US 7,584,306 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Inventors: Zhang, Jin-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Henry W. H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSENG, CHENG YUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/132,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20060262138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 710/62, 710/301, 710/305, 345/629, 345/168, 345/156, 709/253, 715/810
• US Class Current: 710/5
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/24 Keyboard-Video-Mouse [KVM] switch

Abstract

An input signal from a set of user interface devices is captured, and the input signal is converted into a packet by a console processor. The packet is transferred to a remote processor, and the remote processor generates an update command according to the packet. The update command is transferred to the console processor, and an OSD image is generated according to the update command. The OSD image is overlapped onto a video signal from the computers, and the overlapped video signal is output to the set of the user interface devices.

Claims

1. A KVM switch, for a set of user interface devices to share a plurality of computers, the KVM switch comprising:

a switching device, arranged to route paths between the set of user interface devices and the computers, wherein the switching device has a remote processor; and

at least one console module, electrically connected between the switching device and the set of user interface devices, the console module comprising;

an input circuit, arranged to receive an input signal from the set of user interface devices, wherein the input signal represents information for controlling an On Screen Display (OSD);

a console processor, arranged to convert the input signal received from the input circuit into an OSD information packet which represents information for controlling the OSD and transfer the OSD information packet to the remote processor, wherein the remote processor is arranged to control an OSD running status of the KVM switch and to generate an OSD update command according to the OSD running status and the OSD information packet which has been received from the console processor, the OSD update command being a command for updating the OSD;

a display memory, arranged to store content for an OSD image, wherein the console processor is arranged to update the content according to the OSD update command received from the remote processor;

an OSD generator, arranged to generate an On Screen Display (OSD) image based on the updated content provided from the display memory; and

an overlap circuit, arranged to overlap the OSD image onto a video signal from the computers and output the overlapped video signal to the set of user interface devices.

2. The KVM switch of claim 1, wherein the input signal is a keyboard signal or a mouse signal.

3. The KVM switch of claim 1, wherein the console module is electrically connected to the switching device through a CAT5 cable or a wireless connection.

4. A computer switching method for a set of user interface devices to share a plurality of computers, the method comprising:

capturing an input signal from the set of user interface devices, wherein the input signal represents information for controlling an On Screen Display (OSD);

converting the input signal into an OSD information packet by a console processor, wherein the OSD information packet represents information for controlling the OSD;

transferring the OSD information packet to a remote processor;

controlling an OSD running status and generating an OSD update command according to the OSD running status and the OSD information packet by the remote processor, the OSD update command being a command for updating the OSD;

transferring the OSD update command to the console processor;

updating content for an On Screen Display (OSD) image stored in a display memory according to the OSD update command by the console processor;

generating the OSD image based on the updated content by an OSD generator;

overlapping the OSD image onto a video signal from the computers by an overlap circuit; and

outputting the overlapped video signal to the set of the user interface devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input signal is a keyboard signal or a mouse signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the packet and the update command are transferred through a CAT5 cable or a wireless connection.

7. A KVM switch, for a set of user interface devices to share a plurality of computers, the KVM switch comprising:

a switching device, arranged to route paths between the set of user interface devices and the computers, the switching device comprising;

a remote processor arranged to generate an On Screen Display (OSD) image; and

an overlap circuit, arranged to overlap the OSD image onto a video signal from the computers and output the overlapped video signal to the set of user interface devices; and

at least one console module, electrically connected between the switching device and the set of user interface devices, the console module comprising;

an input circuit, arranged to receive an input signal from the set of user interface devices, wherein the input signal represents information for controlling an On Screen Display (OSD); and

a console processor, arranged to convert the input signal received from the input circuit into an OSD information packet which represents information for controlling the OSD and transfer the OSD information packet to the remote processor, wherein the remote processor receives the OSD information packet, controls an OSD running status of the KVM switch, and generates the OSD image according to the OSD running status and the OSD information packet.

8. The KVM switch of claim 7, wherein the input signal is a keyboard signal or a mouse signal.

9. The KVM switch of claim 7, wherein the console module is electrically connected to the switching device through a CAT5 cable or a wireless connection.

10. A computer switching method for a set of user interface devices to share a plurality of computers through a switching device, the method comprising:

capturing an input signal from the set of user interface device, wherein the input signal represents information for controlling an On Screen Display (OSD);

converting the input signal into an OSD information packet by a console processor, wherein the OSD information packet represents information for controlling the OSD;

transferring the OSD information packet to a remote processor in the switching device;

controlling an OSD running status and generating an On Screen Display (OSD) image according to the OSD running status and the OSD information packet by the remote processor;

overlapping the OSD image onto a video signal from the computers by the switching device; and

outputting the overlapped video signal to the set of the user interface devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the input signal is a keyboard signal or a mouse signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the packet is transferred to the remote processor through a CAT5 cable or a wireless connection.