Motorola Corporation

Avocent Corporation

Cybex Computer Products Corporation

Douglas D Reed

Charles E Polk, Jr

Christopher L Thomas

David H Stafford

Richard A Gautreaux, Ii

Steven R Blackwell

Philip M Kirshtein

Steven F Brown

William J Pinkston

David E Wilder

Remigus G Shatas

Mark M Nicolas

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

A KVM switch is disclosed having on screen display (OSD) circuitry coupled to a user workstation for providing a user a convenient interface by which to operate the KVM switch. First switching circuitry coupled to a plurality of computers and coupled to the OSD circuitry allows a user to access any of the computers or the control functions of the KVM switch. Second switching circuitry coupled to switch electrical power to the computers and further coupled to the OSD circuitry allows a user of the KVM switch to selectively control electrical power to the computers.

Keyboard, mouse, video and power switching apparatus and method

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.

Mouse ranking system for multiple users

A data communications system (100) has a controller (214) for managing the system containing a plurality of data communications devices (224). The data communication devices (224) have memory allocated for storing controller configuration information in order to serve as distributed controller backup units (226). If the controller (214) is replaced by a replacement controller (228), the controller configuration information is restored to the replacement controller (228) which receives the controller configuration information previously stored in the memory of the data communication devices serving as distributed controller backup units. The controller configuration information is stored in a page format (390) having identification (391), controller configuration information data (392), and error detection information (393).

Method and apparatus for storing and restoring controller configuration

A data communications system (10) has a system management controller (100) and multiple data communications devices (21-1 through 21-n). The system management controller has a processor (110) and random access memory (115). The various data communications devices (21-1 through 21-n) are coupled to the system management controller (100) through a common address bus (12) and a common management bus (11). Through the processor (110), the system management controller (100) sequentially addresses each of the data communications devices (21-1 through 21-n) at a default data rate and determines a requested data rate for each device (FIG. 6, 305-333). The system management controller (100), through the processor (110), stores this requested data rate information, correlated with the address of each data communication device, in the random access memory (115) (FIG. 6, 305), and communicates with each such device at its requested data rate (FIG. 6, 335; FIG. 10, 500-545). In the event of errors, both the system management controller (100) and the addressed data communications device revert to a default data rate (FIG. 9, 435; FIG. 10, 525).

Apparatus and method for controlling and varying multiple data rates

A data communication system 10 has a controller 14 for managing the system. A controller backup unit (CBU) 24 contains configuration information for the controller 14. If controller 14 is replaced, the new controller 14 obtains the configuration information from the CBU 24.

Growing community of inventors

Meridianville, AL, United States of America

Douglas D Reed