Subsystem, shared-control apparatus and method

• US 7,770,131 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ross Video Limited
• Original Assignee: Malmstrom R. Dean
• Inventors: Malmstrom, R. Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TING ZHOU
• Application Number:
  US12/057,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 715/788, 715/765, 715/700
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/24 Keyboard-Video-Mouse [KVM] switch
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method for integrating and sharing the monitoring and control of multiple subsystems. The method may include identifying an integration system comprising a first display processor and a first command processor. The first display processor may receive a display signal from each subsystem of the subsystems being monitored and controlled. The method may also include storing personalized display layouts, receiving commands from multiple workstations, and routing the commands received to the appropriate subsystems.

Claims

1. A method for sharing control of subsystems, the method comprising:

identifying an integration system comprising a first display processor and a first command processor;

receiving, by the first display processor, a plurality of display signals comprising a display signal from each subsystem of a plurality of subsystems, the plurality of display signals further comprising two display signals physically disparate in form sufficient to be incompatible with one another;

translating, by the first display processor, the two display signals that are incompatible with one another into a common form and integrating the translated display signals into first and second composite display signals that are passed from the first display processor to respective displays of a first and second workstation;

storing, by the integration system, a first display layout personalized by a first operator interacting with the integration system via the first workstation;

storing, by the integration system, a second display layout personalized by a second operator interacting with the integration system via the second workstation;

monitoring, simultaneously by the first and second operators via the first and second workstations, respectively, functionality of the plurality of subsystems

receiving, by the integration system via the first workstation, a first command input by the first operator into the first workstation;

receiving, by the integration system via the second workstation, a second command input by the second operator into the second workstation;

translating, by the first command processor, one or both of the first and second commands into a form compatible with a first subsystem whenever the one or both of the first and second commands, as originally generated, is incompatible with the first subsystem; and

routing, by the first command processor, the translated first and second commands to the first subsystem of the plurality of subsystems.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing by the first subsystem the first and second commands.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating, by the integration system, data displayed within the first and second display layouts in accordance with changes to the first subsystem implemented in response to the first command.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising updating, by the integration system, data displayed within the first and second display layouts in accordance with changes to the first subsystem implemented in response to the second command.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the integration system comprises a first integrator and a second integrator, the first integrator comprising the first display processor and the first command processor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second integrator comprises a second display processor and a second command processor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein routing further comprises passing the second command from the second workstation to the second integrator, from the second integrator to the first integrator, and from the first integrator to the first subsystem.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first and second display layouts comprise a first and a second plurality of windows, respectively.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each signal of the plurality of display signals corresponds to at least one window of the first plurality of windows and at least one window of the second plurality of windows.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising personalizing, by the first operator, the first display layout by inputting first layout commands into the first workstation, the first layout commands controlling the sizing and positioning of a window of the first plurality of windows.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one display signal of the plurality of display signals corresponds to an image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first layout commands control the portion of the image displayed within a window of the first plurality of windows.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each display of the a plurality of display signals is of a form selected from the group consisting of digital component image signal, analog component image signal, digital composite image signal, analog composite image signal, digital compressed image signal, a voltage, a current, a contact condition, an encoded digital signal, and a value corresponding to a state of a component.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second display layouts comprise a first and a second plurality of windows, respectively; and

each signal of the plurality of display signals corresponds to at least one window of the first plurality of windows and at least one window of the second plurality of windows.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising personalizing, by the first operator, the first display layout by inputting first layout commands into the first workstation, the first layout commands controlling the sizing and positioning of a window of the first plurality of windows.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

at least one display signal of the plurality of display signals corresponds to an image; and

the first layout commands control the portion of the image displayed within a window of the first plurality of windows.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each display of the plurality of display signals is of a form selected from the group consisting of digital component image signal, analog component image signal, digital composite image signal, analog composite image signal, digital compressed image signal, a voltage, a current, a contact condition, an encoded digital signal, and a value corresponding to a state of a component.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the integration system comprises a first integrator and a second integrator;

the first integrator comprising the first display processor and the first command processor;

the second integrator comprises a second display processor and a second command processor; and

routing further comprises passing the second command from the second workstation to the second integrator, from the second integrator to the first integrator, and from the first integrator to the first subsystem.

19. A method for sharing control of subsystems, the method comprising:

identifying an integration system comprising a display processor and a command processor;

receiving, by the display processor, a plurality of display signals comprising a display signal from each subsystem of a plurality of subsystems, the plurality of display signals further comprising two display signals physically disparate in form sufficient to be incompatible with one another;

translating, by the display processor, the two display signals that are incompatible with one another into a common form and integrating the translated display signals into first and second composite display signals that are passed from the display processor to respective displays of a first and second workstation;

personalizing, by a first operator, a first display layout by inputting first layout commands into the first workstation, the first layout commands controlling the size and position of at least one window of a first plurality of windows, each window of the first plurality of windows corresponding to a signal of the plurality of display signals;

personalizing, by a second operator, a second display layout by inputting second layout commands into the second workstation, the second layout commands controlling the size and position of at least one window of a second plurality of windows, each window of the second plurality of windows corresponding to a signal of the plurality of display signals;

storing, by the integration system, the first display layout;

storing, by the integration system, the second display layout;

receiving, by the integration system via the first workstation, a first command input by the first operator into the first workstation;

receiving, by the integration system via the second workstation, a second command input by the second operator into the first workstation;

translating, by the command processor, one or both of the first and second commands into a form compatible with a first subsystem whenever the one or both of the first and second commands, as originally generated, is incompatible with the first subsystem; and

routing, by the command processor, the translated first and second commands to the first subsystem of the plurality of subsystems.

20. A method for sharing control of subsystems, the method comprising:

identifying an integration system comprising a display processor and a command processor;

receiving, by the display processor, a plurality of display signals comprising a display signal from each subsystem of a plurality of subsystems, the plurality of display signals further comprising two display signals physically disparate in form sufficient to be incompatible with one another;

translating, by the display processor, the two display signals that are incompatible with one another into a common form and integrating the translated display signals into first and second composite display signals that are passed from the display processor to respective displays of a first and second workstation;

storing, by the integration system, a first display layout personalized by a first operator via the first workstation;

storing, by the integration system, a second display layout personalized by a second operating via the second workstation;

receiving, by the integration system via the first workstation, a first command input by the first operator;

receiving, by the integration system via the second workstation, a second command input by the second operator;

translating, by the command processor, one or both of the first and second commands into a form compatible with a first subsystem whenever the one or both of the first and second commands, as originally generated, is incompatible with the first subsystem; and

routing, by the command processor, the translated first and second commands to the first subsystem of the plurality of subsystems;

executing by the first subsystem the routed first and second commands; and

updating, by the integration system, data displayed within the first and second display layouts in accordance with changes to the first subsystem implemented in response to the routed first and second commands.