CZ306638B6 - A device for automatic switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard, and a method of this automatic switching - Google Patents

Abstract

Each computer (1, 2) has at least one USB interface (11, 21) leading to the USB/HID driver (12, 22), each of which is connected to the driver (121, 221) of the common mouse (41) and to the driver (122, 222) of the common keyboard (42). The common mouse (41) and the keyboard (42) are connected to the computers (1, 2) unidirectionally via the automatic KVM switch (3) comprising the logical unit (31) for converting the movement of the common mouse (41) to the cursor position, unidirectionally connected to the logical unit (32) of switching the output of the data signal from the automatic KVM switch (3). The automatic KVM switch (3) is unidirectionally connected to each computer (1, 2) via the USB interface (11, 21) of the respective computer (1, 2). The method of automatic switching between the computers (1, 2) via the common mouse (41) and the common keyboard (42) lies in the fact that the automatic KVM switch (3) receives information about the movement of the mouse (41), without any feedback, it processes this information with its logical unit (31) for converting the relative coordinates of the movement of the common mouse (41) to the absolute coordinates of the position indicator on the a display units (131, 132, 231), and, in the successive logical unit (32 of switching the output of the data signal, it makes a decision, on the basis of exceeding the range of these absolute coordinates, about switching the data signal of the keyboard (42) to the specific respective computer (1, 2). Furthermore, the automatic KVM switch (3) generates, without any feedback, information on the position of the indicator on the display units (131, 132, 231) in the absolute coordinates for the same respective specific computer (1, 2). If the absolute coordinate exceeds the predetermined range, the signal is routed to the currently selected computer (1, 2). If the absolute coordinate exceeds the preselected range, the KVM switch (3) automatically switches the output in the logical unit (32) of switching the output of the data signal from the automatic KVM switch (3) to the next specific computer (1, 2). The multilevel driver (121, 221) of the common mouse (41) of each computer (1, 2) receives information about the position of the position indicator on the display unit (131, 132, 231) of the automatic KVM switch (3) in the absolute coordinates which this driver (121, 221) maps to the position of the indicator on the respective display units (131, 132, 231).

Description

Device for automatic switching between computers using a common mouse and common keyboard and method of this automatic switching

Field of technology

The invention relates to a device for automatically switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard. The device includes at least two computers, a KVM switch, and an input peripheral unit that includes a common mouse and a common keyboard. Each computer includes at least one display system, each of which is connected to at least one display unit.

The invention also relates to a method of automatic switching on this device. The user generates information on the movement of the common mouse and on the pressing or releasing of the common keyboard key using the input peripheral unit, namely the common keyboard and the common mouse.

Prior art

Common practice in computer control is the connection of standard peripheral units for character input (usually a computer keyboard) and positioning (so-called pointing devices, such as a computer mouse, tablet joystick, etc.) directly to a computer system with a display unit - monitor. On the monitor, the movement of the pointing device usually manifests itself as the movement of the cursor on the work surface, resp. parts of the desktop. These peripherals are generally known and standardized components of a computer system and, in addition to data input, are in the vast majority of cases used directly to control the system itself.

The trend of the last few years is the increasing emergence of computer systems, which allow using a special display subsystem with multiple outputs or several redundant display subsystems with a single output to generate several outputs at once and thus, for example, expand the desktop to several output display units - monitors. The control of such a system is usually based on the movement of the pointing device, or the keyboard, if the system allows, and switching the cursor between the individual display units when reaching the edge of the part of the work surface occupying the physical surface of the display device. With the exception of systems that allow direct cursor control using a computer keyboard, this input peripheral has no function when switching the current display unit. This solution is used, for example, in the control of railway traffic at the dispatching input computers of a single service workplace, where the relief of the track is usually displayed via several adjacent monitors, between which you can switch by moving the mouse, respectively. using the cursor keys on the keyboard. The disadvantage of this solution when operating multiple separate systems is that each system must be connected to its own set of input peripheral units, which take up valuable space on the table and at the same time increase the demands on the workplace by constantly thinking about which peripheral unit belongs to which system. For example, in rail transport, with an average of three separate systems in one workplace, this solution, although widely used, appears to be insufficient.

To reduce the large number of input peripherals, while controlling several separate computer systems, KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) switches are used, which allow connecting a single set of input peripherals to route data signals from the input peripherals to the selected computer system and from this system to route the output of the display subsystem to the connected display unit. The selection of the current computer system is usually done by pressing the button with the number of the set of output ports of the switch, or by a combination of several keys for specialized switches. The disadvantage of these solutions is the limitation of the possibility of routing only a single output of the display subsystem for each connected computer system, which contradicts in the field of railway traffic management, eg the requirement to display

- 1 CZ 306638 B6 relief of the station via multiple monitors. In addition, switching the output of the display subsystems is in conflict with the requirement for safety of railway traffic control, where the operator must have an overview of the entire controlled area and all related information systems at all times. Although it is possible to connect all outputs of the display subsystems directly to the display units and switch only the data signals of the input peripheral units, due to the absence of feedback to the operator in the form of switching the output of the display subsystem, this solution seems unintuitive and therefore unusable.

US 2011/0 010 473 A1 describes a manual KVM switch built directly into the monitor. The advantage of this solution is space saving, which is the only advantage over standard KVM switches.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,189 describes a method for automatically switching input peripherals between several display subsystems of one computer system simultaneously with the possibility of switching between several such separate computer systems. However, the disadvantage is the use of a local computer network for the transmission of events generated by the input peripheral units, which, for example in the case of railway traffic control, cannot be used due to the network closure requirement of the station signaling device. Another disadvantage is the need to install special software on each controlled computer system.

US 2009/0 251 413 A1 describes a device for switching between computers. The device contains an automatic KVM switch, which functionally meets the requirements for automatic switching of input peripheral devices between computer systems. The data that is sent from the mouse is sent to the switch driver over a one-way communication channel. It is important to note that this data only signals the relative movement of the mouse since the last movement message. Therefore, this does not allow the driver to infer the position of the mouse pointer on the host computer screen. The switch driver has a bidirectional communication channel with software that is resident on the connected host computer. When the user moves the mouse pointer to the edge of their currently active display, the software resident on the host computer recognizes that the pointer is located at the edge of the display and sends a message to the driver inside the switch. The main claim states that each computer must have a pointer driver that controls the position of the pointer on the respective display. In addition, each computer must be equipped with a resident controller that receives information about the movement of the pointing device through the switch device and the bidirectional communication channel and forwards said movement information to the pointer controller. Each computer must have a specialized service that monitors pointer movements using the pointer controller and communicates with the resident controller to ensure that the controller sends a message to the switch controller when the pointer makes a defined movement.

For this reason, this solution requires the installation of special software on each connected computer, and this software then gives instructions back to the switch driver. This technical solution uses two-way data communication between the computer system and the switch, which is unacceptable in the field of railway traffic management due to the requirement to ensure the required level of safety.

US 2006/0 244 724 A1 describes an apparatus and method for automatically switching resources between multiple workstations. Multiple computer workstations are connected to the output ports of an automatic switching device having a control switch. Input devices, such as a mouse and keyboard, are connected to the input port of the automatic switching device, and multiple displays can be either directly connected to the corresponding workstation or to the automatic switching device. Output signals from input devices are routed to the selected output port of the automatic switching device. The control switch automatically switches output signals from input devices between output ports when a switching command signal is received from the selected port. The switching command signal is sent to the automatic switching device by software in the workstation when the software detects that the movement of the mouse meets predetermined defined conditions, such as movement over the edge of the display.

-2EN 306638 B6

The disadvantage of this solution is similar to the previous document. According to US 2006/0 244 724 A1, the automatic switching device itself is not automatic in itself, because the switching instruction must be given to it by the software which is installed for this purpose in each of the connected workstations.

The essence of the invention

These disadvantages are eliminated or substantially reduced by the device for automatic switching between computers by means of a common mouse and a common keyboard, according to the invention, the essence of which consists in each computer having at least one USB interface connected to the USB / HID driver, each of which is connected. on the one hand to the common mouse driver and on the other hand to the common keyboard driver. The common mouse and the common keyboard of the input peripheral unit are unidirectionally connected to the computer, without any feedback, via an automatic KVM switch, which contains a logic unit for recalculating the movement of the common mouse at the cursor position, unidirectionally connected to the logic unit . The automatic KVM switch is unidirectionally, without any feedback, connected to each computer via the USB interface of the respective computer.

The device performs a method of automatically switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard according to the present invention, the essence of which consists in generating by the input peripheral unit, namely a common keyboard and a common mouse, information on the movement of the common mouse and pressing and / or or release a common keyboard key. The automatic KVM switch receives information about the movement of the common mouse without any feedback, processes this information by its logic unit to convert the relative coordinates of the common mouse to absolute coordinates of the position indicator on display units and in the subsequent logic unit to switch the data signal output based on exceeding the range of these absolute coordinates to switch the keyboard data signal to the particular computer, and the automatic KVM switch generates, without any feedback, information about the position of the pointer on the display units in absolute coordinates for the same particular computer. If the absolute coordinates do not exceed a predetermined range, the signal is routed to the currently selected computer. If the absolute coordinates exceed the preselected range, then the automatic KVM switch switches in the logic unit of switching the data signal output from the automatic KVM switch to another specific computer. The multi-level controller of the common mouse of each computer receives the position indicator information on the display unit of the automatic KVM switch in absolute coordinates, which this controller maps to the position of the pointer on the respective display units.

The main advantage of the present invention is the automatic switching of the common keyboard and the common mouse independently of the computer's operating system without the need to install additional software, provided that the operating system supports the USB interface. Another advantage is the one-way data flow, which is important for the possibility of use in applications where high technical safety is required, such as in railway traffic according to ČSN EN 50 129.

Explanation of drawings

Automatic switching between computers by means of a common mouse and a common keyboard between two or more PCs according to the invention is described in detail by way of exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying schematic drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a device for two computers; device for two computers and Fig. 3 is a timing diagram of the automatic switching method.

-3 CZ 306638 B6

Examples of embodiments of the invention

Example 1 (Fig. 1)

When controlling the railway traffic at the dispatching workplace, the device according to the invention can be applied to reduce the number of input peripheral units 4 of more computers 1, 2 operated by one dispatcher. The first computer 1 is usually the input computer of a single service workplace, on which the relief of the track is shown, usually on several adjacent display units 131, 132. The second computer 2 is usually the computer of the graphic-technological superstructure of the railway signaling device. A common mouse 44 can be moved smoothly between the two computers 1, 2.

Fig. 1 shows one of the possible examples of connecting a device for automatic switching between two computers 1, 2 by means of a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42 comprising a first computer 1, a second computer 2, a KVM switch 3 and an input peripheral unit 4.

The first computer 1 comprises a USB interface 11 connected to the USB / HID driver 12, which communicates with the driver 121 of the common mouse 41 and with the driver 122 of the common keyboard 42. The first computer 1 comprises a display system 13, e.g. a graphics card. The display system 13 is connected to the first display unit 131 and the second display unit 132.

The second computer 2 comprises a USB interface 21 connected to the USB / HID driver 22, which communicates with the driver 221 of the common mouse 41 and with the driver 222 of the common keyboard 42. The second computer 2 comprises a display system 23, e.g. a graphics card. The display system 23 is connected to the display unit 231.

The device according to the invention always comprises at least two computers 1, 2, as for the simplification also in the specific embodiment according to Fig. 1. In this exemplary embodiment, each of the computers 1, 2 has one USB interface 11, 21. It is also possible to use their bigger amount. Each computer f, 2 can also have more than one display system 13, 23. Each display system 13, 23 is connected to at least one display unit 131, 132, 231. The display unit 131, 132, 231 may be, for example, a monitor or a projector. A pointer, such as a cursor, moves on the display unit 131, 132, 231.

The device according to the invention each comprises one automatic KVM switch 3. The KVM switch 3 comprises one logic unit 31 for recalculating the movement of the common mouse 41 at the cursor position, and one logic unit 32 for switching the data signal output. Logic unit 31 is unidirectionally connected without any feedback to logic unit 32.

The input peripheral unit 4 comprises a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42.

The common mouse 41 and the common keyboard 42 of the input peripheral unit 4 are unidirectionally connected to each computer 1, 2 via any feedback via the automatic KVM switch 3. The automatic KVM switch 3 is unidirectionally connected to each computer 1, 2 via any USB interface without any feedback. 11, 2f of the respective computer 1, 2.

Example 2 (Fig. 1)

On the device according to the invention comprising two computers 1, 2, an automatic KVM switch 3 and an input peripheral unit 4, comprising a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42 described in

In the previous exemplary embodiment, automatic switching according to the invention is performed between the computers 1, 2 by means of a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42.

The user generates, by means of the input peripheral unit 4, namely the common keyboard 42 and the common mouse 44, information on the movement of the common mouse 41 and the pressing or releasing of the key of the common keyboard 42.

Information on pressing or releasing the key of the common keyboard 42 is processed by the keyboard driver 122, 222 of the respective computer 1, 2, the switching to the respective computer 1, 2 being decided by the logic unit 32 of the automatic KVM switch 3 of the data signal, as described below.

The automatic KVM switch 3 receives information about the movement of the common mouse 44. This information is processed by its logic unit 34 to convert the relative coordinates of the movement of the common mouse 41 to absolute coordinates of the position indicator on the display units 131, 132, 231, and in the subsequent logic unit 32 to switch the data output. based on exceeding the range of these absolute coordinates, it switches the data signal of the keypad 42 to the respective specific computer J, 2. The automatic KVM switch 3 further generates pointer position information on the display units 131, 132, 231 in absolute coordinates for the same respective specific computer 1. , 2.

The multi-level controller 121, 221 of the common mouse 44 of each computer 1, 2 receives, via the USB interface U, 21 and subsequently via the USB / H1D controller 12, 22 of the respective computer 1, 2, position indicator information on the display units 131, 132, 231 of the automatic KVM switch 3 in absolute coordinates, which this controller 121,221 maps to the position of the pointer on the respective display units 131, 132, 231. The display systems 13, 23 generate an output signal for the display units 131, 132, 231.

If the absolute coordinates do not exceed a predetermined range, the signal is routed to the currently selected computer 1, 2.

If the absolute coordinates exceed the preselected range, then in the automatic KVM switch 3 the output in the logic unit 32 switches the output of the data signal from the automatic KVM switch 3 to another specific computer J, 2.

Example 3 (Fig. 2, 3)

Illustratively, the principle of a method of automatically switching between computers 1, 2 using a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42 is explained on the simplified device shown in Fig. 2 with a minimalist basic connection. The device consists of two computers J, 2 of automatic KVM switch 3, a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42. A display unit 131 is assigned to the first computer 1, a display unit 231 is assigned to the second computer 2. A specific possible brief time course of this automatic switching method is shown in Fig. 3.

The default state in the specific example is that the common mouse 41 and the common keyboard 42 are switched to the first computer L. When the user works with this first computer J, he moves the common mouse 41 or by pressing the common keyboard key 42 within the first computer J. mouse 41, the coordinates of the common mouse 41 are converted to an absolute coordinate system in the automatic KVM switch 3, and since only the first computer 1 is operated, the range of absolute coordinates is not exceeded and the automatic KVM switch 3 remains switched to the first computer L.

Subsequently, the user decides to work with the second computer 2. The user uses the common mouse 44 to move the common mouse 41 beyond the edge of the display unit 131 of the first computer J. In

-5 CZ 306638 B6 the automatic KVM switch 3 converts the coordinates of the common mouse 41 to an absolute coordinate system. Due to the movement of the common mouse 41 beyond the edge of the display unit 131 of the first computer 1, the range of absolute coordinates for this first computer is exceeded by switching to the second computer 2 by means of the automatic KVM switch 3.

The user now has a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42 switched to the second computer 2. Subsequently, the user uses a common mouse 41 or a common keyboard 42 within this second computer 2. Each time the common mouse 41 moves, the coordinates of the common mouse are recalculated in the automatic KVM switch 3. 41 to an absolute coordinate system. Due to the operation only on the second computer 2, the range of absolute coordinates is not exceeded and the automatic KVM switch 3 remains switched to the second computer 2.

Due to the need to work on the first computer, the user decided to control the first computer 1, and move the common mouse 41 beyond the edge of the display unit 231 of the second computer 2. The automatic KVM switch 3 converts the coordinates of the common mouse 41 to an absolute coordinate system. Due to the movement of the common mouse 41 beyond the edge of the display unit 231 of the second computer 2, the range of absolute coordinates is exceeded and the first computer f is switched.

Thereby, the common mouse 41 and the common keyboard 42 are switched to the first computer 1.

Example 4 (Fig. 2)

The automatic switching according to the invention is based on the conversion of the relative coordinates of the movement of the common mouse 41 to absolute coordinates from a known predefined range and the monitoring of its exceeding.

In general, switching for both horizontal and vertical directions can be described by the following algorithm:

1) If, after adding the increment of the relative coordinate value to the current absolute coordinate value in the switching direction, the range is exceeded below the minimum range value, then: if the output of common keyboard 42 and common mouse 41 is redirected to USB interface 11 of first computer 1, absolute the coordinate value is initialized to the minimum range value, otherwise the size of the absolute coordinate range in the switching direction is added to the current absolute coordinate value, i.e. the maximum absolute coordinate range value minus its minimum value plus one, and the common keyboard 42 and common mouse 44 output is redirected to the USB interface 11 of the first computer 1.

2) If, after adding the increment of the value of the relative coordinate to the current value of the absolute coordinate in the switched direction, the range is exceeded above the maximum value of the range, then:

if the output of the common keyboard 42 and common mouse 41 is redirected to the USB interface 24 of the second computer 2, the absolute coordinate value is initialized to the maximum range value, otherwise the magnitude of the absolute coordinate range in the switched direction is subtracted from the current absolute coordinate value, i. the maximum value of the range of absolute coordinates minus its minimum value plus one, and the output of the common keyboard 42 and the common mouse 41 is redirected to the USB interface 21 of the second computer 2.

Claims (2)

PATENT CLAIMS A device for automatically switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard, comprising at least two computers (1, 2), a KVM switch (3) and an input peripheral unit (4), comprising a common mouse (41) and a common keyboard (42) and each computer (1, 2) comprises at least one display system (13, 23), each display system (13, 23) being connected to at least one display unit (131, 132, 231), characterized in that each the computer (1, 2) comprises at least one USB interface (11, 21) connected to the USB / HID controller (12, 22), each of which is connected to the controller (121, 221) of the common mouse (41) and to the controller (122, 222) a common keyboard (42), wherein the common mouse (41) and the common keyboard (42) of the input peripheral unit (4) are unidirectionally connected to the computers (1, 2) without any feedback via an automatic KVM switch (3) , which contains one logic unit (31) for recalculating the movement of the common mouse (41) at the cursor position, unidirectionally connected b from any feedback to one logic unit (32) of switching the data signal output from the automatic KVM switch (3), and the automatic KVM switch (3) is unidirectionally connected without any feedback to each computer (1, 2) via USB interface (11). , 21) of the respective computer (1, 2). A method of automatically switching between computers (1, 2) of a device according to claim 1, wherein the user generates, by means of an input peripheral unit (4), a common keyboard (42) and a common mouse (41). pressing or releasing the key of the common keyboard (42), characterized in that the automatic KVM switch (3) receives information about the movement of the common mouse (41) without any feedback, processes this information by its logic unit (31) for converting relative coordinates of the common mouse (41) to the absolute coordinates of the position indicator on the display units (131, 132, 231), and in the subsequent logic unit (32) switching the data signal output decides to switch the data signal of the keyboard (42) to the respective specific computer (1, 2), and further automatic KVM switch (3) generates without any feedback information about the position of the pointer on the display units (131, 132, 231) in absolute coordinates for the same particular computer (1,2), and if the absolute coordinates do not exceed a predetermined range, the signal is unidirectionally routed to the currently selected computer (1,2), or if the absolute coordinates exceed the preselected range, then in automatic KVM switches (3) to switch in the logic unit (32) to switch the output of the data signal from the automatic KVM switch (3) unidirectionally to another specific computer (1,2), and subsequently to the controller (121, 221) of the common mouse (41) of each computer ( 1,2) receives without any feedback information on the position of the position indicator on the display unit (131, 132, 231) of the automatic KVM switch (3) in absolute coordinates, which this controller (121, 221) maps to the position of the pointer on the respective display units (131, 132, 231).