JP5859348B2 - Switching device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a switching device for switching and using a plurality of information processing devices.

  An information system in which an operation unit including a display device (for example, a display) and an input device (for example, a mouse / keyboard) and a plurality of information processing devices (for example, a personal computer (PC)) are connected via a switching device is known. It has been. A user operates a set of operation units, and can switch and use a plurality of PCs with a switching device. Information input from the input device (mouse / keyboard) of the operation unit is input to the corresponding PC and processed, and the information processed by the PC is displayed on the display device (display) of the corresponding operation unit. .

JP 2007-034376 A

  In the conventional information system, data from the input device is transmitted to the information processing device even when the power of the display device is turned off or when the display device is not connected to the switching device. . At this time, since the user cannot confirm the display screen of the information processing apparatus, there is a problem that it is difficult to notice an erroneous input from the input apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and suppresses erroneous input from an input device in a switching device for switching and using a plurality of information processing devices by an operation unit including a display device and an input device. With the goal.

  The present invention provides a first connection unit that can connect an input device, a second connection unit that can connect an information processing device that processes information input from the input device, and information output from the information processing device. A third connecting portion that can connect a display device to be displayed, and the display device is connected to the first connecting portion when the display device is powered off or when the display device is not connected to the third connecting portion. And a control unit that performs output prohibition control for prohibiting output of information input from the input device to the information processing device connected to the second connection unit. It is.

  In the above configuration, the control unit periodically transmits a command for acquiring power supply information to the display device connected to the third connection unit, and transmits the command from the display device in response to the command. Based on the supplied power information, it can be configured to determine whether or not the power of the display device is off and whether or not the display device is connected to the third connection unit.

  In the above configuration, the second connection unit can connect a plurality of information processing devices, and each of the input device connected to the first connection unit and the display device connected to the third connection unit. Is provided with a switching unit that performs switching so as to connect to any one of the plurality of information processing devices connected to the second connection unit, and the control unit is configured for each of the plurality of information processing devices. It can be configured that whether or not to perform the output prohibition control can be set.

In the above configuration, the first connection unit can connect a plurality of input devices,
The control unit may be configured to set whether to perform the output prohibition control for each of the plurality of input devices.

  The said structure WHEREIN: It can be set as the structure provided with the notification part which notifies a user whether the said output prohibition control is performed in the said control part.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the switching apparatus for switching and using a some information processing apparatus with the operation unit containing a display apparatus and an input device, the erroneous input from an input device can be suppressed.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of an information system. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the switching device according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the initial setting screen of a switching apparatus. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the switching device according to the second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of a switching apparatus. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the switching device according to the third embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the information system including the switching device according to the first embodiment. The operation unit 10 and the plurality of PCs 201 to 20n are connected to the switching device 30 respectively. The number (n) of PCs connected to one switching device 30 can be an arbitrary value.

  The operation unit 10 includes a display 11 that is an example of a display device, a keyboard 12 that is an example of an input device, and a mouse 13. The display 11 is a device for displaying information (for example, video signals) transmitted from any of the PCs 201 to 20n, and the keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 are information (for example, control signals) to any of the PCs 201 to 20n. ) Is input and operated. The display 11, the keyboard 12, and the mouse 13 are connected to corresponding interfaces (31, 32, 33) of the switching device 30, respectively.

  As the display device and the input device, various types of devices other than those described above can be used. For example, a touch panel display having both functions may be used as the display device and the input device. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which equips the operation unit 10 with an audio | voice output apparatus (not shown) as an apparatus which can output the audio | voice information from PC201-20n.

  The PCs 201 to 20n are examples of information processing apparatuses, and include processing units 211 to 21n and storage units 221 to 22n, respectively. The processing units 211 to 21n have a function of processing various types of information including information transmitted to and received from the operation unit 10, and include, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory. The storage units 221 to 22n have a function of storing various information including various programs, and are configured by, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a flash memory, or the like. The storage units 221 to 22n are connected to the processing units 211 to 21n, and write data from the processing units 211 to 21n to the storage units 221 to 22n and read data from the storage units 221 to 22n to the processing units 211 to 21n. Done. Each of the PCs 201 to 20n is connected to the interfaces 341 to 34n of the switching device 30.

  By using the switching device 30, the user can switch between a plurality of PCs 201 to 20 n with one operation unit 10. For example, when the user selects the PC 201, information input to the keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 by the user is input to the PC 201, and output information from the PC 201 is output to the display 11. When the user switches the operation target to the PC 202, information input to the keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 by the user is input to the PC 202, and output information from the PC 202 is output to the display 11.

  The switching device 30 includes a main control unit 40, a server switching control unit 42, a console control unit 44, a display information acquisition unit 46, and an OSD control unit 48 connected thereto. These functional units are realized by hardware such as the main CPU 50 of the switching device 30 and a memory. The switching device 30 further includes a display communication unit 60 (display control CPU) realized by hardware independent of the main CPU 50, and server communication units 701 to 70n (server control CPU).

  The switching device 30 includes interfaces 31, 32, 33, and 341 to 34n. The interfaces 32 and 33 are an example of a first connection unit to which an input device can be connected. The interfaces 32 and 33 are connected to the keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 of the operation unit 10, respectively, and are commonly connected to the console control unit 44 of the main CPU 50. Yes. The interfaces 341 to 34n are examples of a second connection unit that can connect the information processing apparatus, and are connected to the PCs 201 to 20n and the server communication units 701 to 70n, respectively. The interface 31 is an example of a third connection unit to which a display device can be connected, and is connected to the display 11 and the display communication unit 60 of the operation unit 10.

  The main control unit 40 performs various types of control necessary for the operation of the switching device 30 in addition to signal output inhibition control described later. The server switching control unit 42 is connected to the main control unit 40 and the server communication units 701 to 70n, and performs control related to connection switching between the operation unit 10 and the PCs 201 to 20n described above. The console control unit 44 receives input information from the input devices (keyboard 12 and mouse 13) of the operation unit 10 and controls these input devices. The display information acquisition unit 46 is connected to the main control unit 40 and the display communication unit 60 and acquires information about the display 11 (for example, power supply information) via the display communication unit 60. The OSD control unit 48 is connected to the main control unit 40 and the display communication unit 60, and controls the display 11 via the display communication unit 60.

  The display communication unit 60 transmits information from the main CPU 50 to the display 11 and outputs information received from the display 11 to the main CPU 50. The server communication units 701 to 70n transmit the information from the server switching control unit 42 to the PCs 201 to 20n and output the information received from the PCs 201 to 20n to the server switching control unit 42. The server communication units 701 to 70n are provided corresponding to the number of PCs 201 to 20n that can be connected to the switching device 30. Under the control of the server switching control unit 42, information is transmitted and received between the operation unit 10 and the PCs 201 to 20n via any one of the plurality of server communication units 701 to 70n.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the switching device according to the first embodiment. The following operations are all directly or indirectly executed by the main control unit 40. First, the main control unit 40 initializes a count for time management (step S10). Next, based on the count, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not a predetermined time set in advance as an interval for acquiring power supply information has passed (step S12). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to the previous stage of step S12.

  When the predetermined time has elapsed in step S12, the main control unit 40 transmits a power information acquisition command to the display 11 (step S14). For example, the main control unit 40 issues a command to the display communication unit 60 via the display information acquisition unit 46 and causes the display communication unit 60 to generate and transmit a command for acquiring power supply information. Can be realized.

  Here, the power supply information is information including at least information indicating whether the power of the display 11 is on or off. For example, a storage device (for example, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) in the display 11 is used. )) Is stored within. When the display 11 receives the power information acquisition command from the switching device 30, the display 11 transmits the power information in the EEPROM to the switching device 30.

  Next, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not the power supply information from the display 11 has been received (step S16). In the power information receiving step, for example, the power information received by the display communication unit 60 from the display 11 is once stored in an internal RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like. The stored power supply information is read by the display information acquisition unit 46 and transmitted to the main control unit 40 so that the main control unit 40 receives the power supply information. If the display 11 is connected to the interface 31 of the switching device 30, the main controller 40 should receive some power supply information. Therefore, when the power supply information is not received in step S <b> 16, the main control unit 40 determines that the display 11 is not connected to the switching device 30.

  When power supply information is received in step S16, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not the display 11 is turned on based on the power supply information (step S18). If power information is received in step S16 and it is determined in step S18 that the display 11 is turned on, the main control unit 40 uses the input device (keyboard 12, mouse 13) of the operation unit 10. Data transmission to the PCs 201 to 20n is permitted (step S20). If it is determined in step S16 that no power supply information has been received or the display 11 is not turned on in step S18, the main control unit 40 uses the input device (keyboard 12, mouse 13) of the operation unit 10. Transmission of data from the PC to the PCs 201 to 20n is prohibited (step S22). If any of the processing of step S20 and step S22 is performed, the process returns to the previous stage of step S10, the count is initialized, and the above processing is repeated again.

  According to the switching device according to the first embodiment, when the display 11 is not turned on or when the display 11 is not connected to the switching device 30, the main control unit 40 performs the input device (keyboard 12) of the operation unit. , A control for prohibiting output of information input from the mouse 13) to the PCs 201 to 20n (hereinafter referred to as “output prohibition control”) is performed. Thereby, when a user cannot confirm the screen of the display 11, it can suppress that information processing apparatus (PC201-20n) malfunctions by the erroneous input from an input device (keyboard 12, mouse | mouth 13).

  As a method of the above-described output prohibition control, for example, a method in which the console control unit 44 controls the input device (keyboard 12, mouse 13) to directly prohibit the output from the input device can be employed. As another method, it is also possible to employ a method in which input information from the input device is received once by the switching device 30 and then the input information is discarded inside the switching device 30. For example, in the server switching control unit 42, a method of discarding information on the assumption that the server is not connected to any PC can be considered.

  The second embodiment is an example in which details of output prohibition control can be set.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an initial setting screen of the switching device 30. The setting screen can be realized, for example, by causing the display 11 to display setting screen information via the display communication unit 60 by the OSD control unit 48 that has received an instruction from the main control unit 40.

  FIG. 3A is a screen for setting a PC to be subjected to the above-described output prohibition control when a plurality of PCs 201 to 20n are connected. “Server 1, server 2... Server n” corresponds to “PC 201, PC 202,... PC 20n” in FIG. For example, the user selects a PC to be subjected to output prohibition control by an input operation from the keyboard 12, the mouse 13, or the like. The output prohibition control may be set for one or a plurality of PCs, or may be set so that output prohibition control is not performed for any PC. For a PC that is subject to output prohibition control, when the display 11 is not turned on or when the display 11 is not connected to the switching device 30, the input device (keyboard 12, mouse 13) Output of input information is prohibited.

  FIG. 3B is a screen for setting an input device to be subjected to output prohibition control when a plurality of input devices (keyboard 12 and mouse 13) are connected. As in the case of FIG. 3A, the user selects an input device to be subjected to output prohibition control. For example, when “2” “mouse only” is selected as the target of output prohibition control, when the display 11 is turned off, the signal input from the mouse 13 is invalid, but the signal from the keyboard 12 is invalidated. Input continues to be valid.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the switching device based on the above setting, and shows an operation in place of step S22 in FIG. In other words, the flowchart of FIG. 4 starts when it is determined that NO (the display 11 is not turned on or the display 11 is not connected to the switching device 30) in step S16 or S18 of FIG. To do.

  First, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not a PC (assumed to be PC 201) connected to the operation unit 10 is selected as an output prohibition control target (step S30). Next, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not any of the input devices (keyboard 12 and mouse 13) has an input restriction (is selected as an input-prohibited device) (step S32). If “NO” is determined in either step S30 or S32, output prohibition control is not performed, and transmission of data from the keyboard 12 and mouse 13 to the PC 201 is permitted (step S34).

  When it is determined as “YES” in both steps S30 and S32, the main control unit 40 first determines whether or not the keyboard 12 is selected as an input-prohibited device (step S36). If “YES” in the step S36, the main control unit 40 prohibits transmission of data from the keyboard 12 to the PC 201 (step S38). If “NO” in the step S36, the transmission of data from the keyboard 12 to the PC 201 is not prohibited, and the process directly proceeds to the previous stage of the step S40.

  Next, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not the mouse 13 is selected as an input prohibited device (step S40). If “YES” in the step S40, the main control unit 40 prohibits data transmission from the mouse 13 to the PC 201 (step S42). If “NO” in the step S40, the transmission of data from the mouse 13 to the PC 201 is not prohibited, and the process directly proceeds to the previous stage of the step S10.

  According to the switching device according to the second embodiment, the user can arbitrarily set a PC and an input device that are targets of output prohibition control. As a result, output prohibition control can be performed flexibly in accordance with the usage status of the user. In the present embodiment, whether or not only the keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 are to be subject to output prohibition control is set. However, when there are other input devices, the other input devices are connected. It is desirable to make the same setting for this.

  In addition, it is possible to set so that the function for preventing malfunction shown in the entire flowchart of FIG. 2 is not activated at all according to a user instruction (output prohibition control is not performed for any PC and input device). is there.

  The third embodiment is an example provided with a mechanism for notifying the user when output prohibition control is performed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of the switching device according to the third embodiment. The switching device 30 is provided with a switch 80, a server power supply confirmation LED 82, a server selection LED 84, and a data transmission prohibition LED 90. The switch 80 is a switch for switching the PCs 201 to 20n to be operated by the operation unit 10. The server switching control unit 42 in FIG. 1 connects one PC among the PCs 201 to 20 n to the operation unit 10 in accordance with an input by the user switch 80. The server power check LED 82 is a display indicating whether or not the PC connected to the switching device 30 is turned on. For example, the server power check LED 82 is set so that the LED at the position corresponding to the PC that is turned on is lit. ing. The server selection LED 84 is a display indicating a PC connected to the operation unit 10, and is set such that, for example, an LED at a position corresponding to the corresponding PC is lit.

  The data transmission prohibition LED 90 is a display indicating whether or not output of data from the input device (keyboard 12, mouse 13) to the PC is prohibited, and is controlled by the main control unit 40 in FIG. For example, when data output from one or more input devices to the PC is prohibited as in step S22 of FIG. 2 or steps S38 and S42 of FIG. 4, the data transmission prohibition LED 90 is set to be lit. can do. The data transmission prohibition LED 90 is an example of a notification unit that notifies the user whether or not output prohibition control is being performed by the main control unit 40.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the switching device according to the third embodiment. First, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not output prohibition control is being performed on the PCs 201 to 20n from the input device (keyboard 12, mouse 13) (step S50). When the output prohibition control is being executed, the main control unit 40 turns on the data transmission prohibition LED 90 and notifies the user that the output prohibition control is being executed (step S52).

  According to the switching device according to the third embodiment, when the output prohibition control is performed in the main control unit 40 (output of data from the input device to the PC is prohibited), the user is notified of the fact. In this way, appropriate measures can be promoted.

  In this embodiment, the data transmission prohibition LED 90 is used as a method for notifying the user, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the user is notified by other methods (for example, warning by voice).

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. It can be changed.

10 Operation unit 11 Display 12 Keyboard 13 Mouse 20 PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 Processing part 22 Memory | storage part 30 Switching apparatus 31-34 Interface 40 Main control part 42 Server switching control part 44 Console control part 46 Display information acquisition part 48 OSD control part 50 Main CPU
60 Display communication unit 70 Server communication unit 80 Switch 82 Server power supply confirmation LED
84 Server selection LED
90 Data transmission prohibition LED

Claims (5)

A first connecting portion to which an input device can be connected;
A second connection unit capable of connecting an information processing device that processes information input from the input device;
A third connection unit connectable to a display device that displays information output from the information processing device;
When the display device is powered off or when the display device is not connected to the third connection portion, information input from the input device connected to the first connection portion is the second information. A control unit that performs output prohibition control for prohibiting output to the information processing device connected to the connection unit;
A switching device comprising: The controller is
A command for acquiring power supply information is periodically transmitted to the display device connected to the third connection unit, and the display is based on the power supply information transmitted from the display device in response to the command. The switching device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not the power of the device is off and whether or not the display device is connected to the third connection unit. The second connection unit can connect a plurality of information processing devices,
Each of the input device connected to the first connection unit and the display device connected to the third connection unit is any one of the plurality of information processing devices connected to the second connection unit. A switching unit that performs switching so as to connect to
The switching device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit can set whether to perform the output prohibition control for each of the plurality of information processing devices. The first connection unit can connect a plurality of input devices;
The switching device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit can set whether to perform the output prohibition control for each of the plurality of input devices.   The switching device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the user whether or not the output prohibition control is performed in the control unit.

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