Avocent Corporation

David H Stafford

Christopher L Thomas

Philip M Kirshtein

Paul D Durden

Steven R Blackwell

Douglas D Reed

James Vernon Pursel

William J Pinkston

Charles H Williams

Mark M Nicolas

In a KVM system, a system provides for USB devices to be accessed by target computers. A KVM switch connects a client with a target server via a network, the client computer having at least one device attached thereto. A second mechanism connects to a USB port of the target and communicates with the target using a USB protocol. A client mechanism communicates with the second mechanism via the network. A virtual media mechanism enables the target server to access the USB device attached to the client.

Virtual media systems, methods and devices

A KVM switch having a uniprocessor architecture that accommodate multiple users and multiple computers&mdash;even multiple users to a single computer&mdash;via interrupt servicing provides dramatic improvements over common matrix-type KVM switches. Further, such features as hot-plugging computers, and keep alive computers (during power outages) are not inhibited by the present architecture. OSD menuing is accommodated, even as to both users, and OSD configurations are field upgradeable using flash memory downloading. The present architecture also accommodates tiered arrangements.

KVM switch having a uniprocessor that accomodate multiple users and multiple computers

An apparatus, method, and system for providing control, status, and security functions in a peripheral switch for connecting one or more computers to one or more user stations. Information from a remote terminal is transferred on a network in a packet where the switch information in the packet uses a standardized management protocol. When the packet is received by a network interface card in the peripheral switch the switch information is translated to a proprietary protocol. The peripheral switch then responds to the switch information by performing a control function, providing status information to the remote terminal, or by changing security information. In addition to the transfer of peripheral information from the remote terminal, the peripheral switch is capable of transferring switch information from one of the user stations.

KVM (keyboard, video, and mouse) switch having a network interface circuit coupled to an external network and communicating in accordance with a standard network protocol

A multi-user KVM switch system is disclosed in which the KVM switch utilizes a pre-determined routine to determine which types of mice are connected to the KVM switch user ports. When the multiple mice communicate with a common computer via the KVM switch, the present invention provides a hierarchical mouse ranking structure which the KVM switch,uses to determine which of the disparate mouse driver types the KVM switch will emulate to the commonly selected computer. In this manner, disparate mouse types speaking to a common KVM switch and to a commonly selected computer by a mouse emulation type which is advantageously selected from a hierarchical ranking of mouse types in flash memory of the KVM switch.

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, AL, United States of America

David H Stafford