JPH09282059A - Input/output device switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To share a user interface device set constituted of a display, a keyboard and a mouse to plural computers different in architectures. SOLUTION: An input/output device switch 1 having a change-over switch 11 and protocol converters 13, 14 and 15 is used for sharing the user interface device set by the plural computers 3, 4 and 5 different in the architectures. The protocol converters 13, 14 and 15 convert signals transmitted from the user interface device set 2 through the switch 11 into the protocols of the connected computer 3 and transmit them to the computer 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection device for connecting a user interface device set to a computer, and more particularly to an input / output device switcher for sharing a user interface device set among a plurality of computer systems having different architectures.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art One set of conventional user interface devices such as a display, a keyboard and a mouse is required for each computer used. When an operator uses a plurality of computers at the same time, it is usually necessary to use different user interface device sets connected to the respective computers. According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-120247, there is a console switching device for sharing a display and a keyboard with a plurality of computers having the same architecture. Referring to FIG. 3 showing a switching device of the publication, a console switching controller 71 for switching and connecting a shared system console 72 to a plurality of service processors 73 is disclosed.

In this console switching controller 71, connection switching between a user interface device and a plurality of computer main bodies is performed simply by switching electrical connections, so that all computers sharing the device can be connected with the same interface. There must be. The term "connectable" as used herein means that the same protocol is used for communication between the user interface device and the computer main body in addition to the meaning of being electrically connectable. A protocol generally refers to a communication protocol for communication between computers, but here, a protocol for communication between a computer and a user interface device such as a display, a keyboard, and a mouse, and information communication. The expression method is collectively called a protocol. This protocol is generally architecture-specific. Computers of different architectures cannot share user interface devices, and each computer still requires a set of user interface devices.

[0004]

There is an input / output device switcher capable of connecting and sharing a user interface device set in each architecture to a plurality of computers having different architectures.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to save a setting area by sharing a set of user interface device sets among computers and to provide an operator with a set of user interface device sets. The purpose is to become familiar with the operation of.

Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a display device for displaying and outputting data, a keyboard for inputting character data, and a user interface device set consisting of a mouse for inputting pointing data and an input / output device switching device for switching connection between a plurality of computers. A switch for connecting and switching the signal lines of the user interface device set corresponding to a plurality of computers having different architectures, and a protocol converter for converting the signal of the user interface device set into a signal conforming to the protocol of each computer. A controller for controlling connection switching of the input / output device changeover switch and the protocol converter.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, an input / output device switching device 1 includes three computers 3, computers 4, 4 having different architectures.
It shows a case where the computer 5 connects and shares a set of user interface device set 2 including a display, a keyboard, and a mouse with the input / output device switch 1. The data input by the keyboard 22 and the mouse 23 passes through the changeover switch 11 and the protocol converter 1
Sent to 3. The protocol converter 13 converts the data into the protocol of the connected computer 3 and sends it to the computer 3. Display 21, keyboard 2
2, mouse 23 to protocol converters 13, 14, 15
In the meantime, any protocol can be used.
It may be the protocol of a specific computer, the protocol of the computers 3, 4, 5 or a completely different proprietary protocol. Further, the devices such as the keyboard 22 and the mouse 23 operated by the operator do not have to be those for a specific computer, and any device can be used.

In the protocol converters 13, 14, 15
Converts electrical characteristics and software protocols. The software-like protocol is a method of expressing device control commands such as device initialization commands and information such as character codes.

With respect to the protocol converters 13, 14 and 15, the configuration and function of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 by using the character code conversion table 6 of FIG. Explain. In FIG. 1, when the key “A” on the keyboard 22 is pressed, the value of “65” is notified to one computer 4 as the information to be notified, and “3” is notified to the other computers 13 and 15.
A value of "0" is notified. Even with the same input, the information actually sent to the computer differs depending on the computer architecture. To absorb this difference,
The conversion table 6 is held in the protocol converters 13, 14, 15 and the input character code is converted into a value corresponding to the connected computers 3, 4, 5 and sent to the respective computers 3, 4, 5. As a specification of each computer 3, 4 and 5, when the key "A" is pressed,
The value received is 3 for computer 3 and 5 for computer 5.
It is assumed that it is "0" and that it is "65" in the computer 4. In this case, the contents of the conversion table 6 held by the protocol converters 13, 14, and 15 are the values of the columns of the protocol converters 13, 14, and 15 in FIG.

From the keyboard 22, the character sequence "A",
When "B" and "C" are input, the protocol converter 1
3, the output of the protocol converter 15 is "30", "3
1 "and" 32 ", and the output of the protocol converter 14 becomes" 65 "," 66 "and" 67 ". When the computers 3 and 5 receive the input "30", "31", "32", they recognize that the character sequences "A", "B", "C" have been input from the keyboard 22.
Similarly, the computer 4 is "65", "66", "67".
When it receives the input "," it recognizes that the character sequences "A", "B", and "C" have been input from the keyboard 22.

Next, the operation of the controller 12 will be described. The switching process for the connected computers 3, 4, and 5 is performed by a specific operation from the keyboard 22 or the mouse 23. The notification of the switching is transmitted to the controller 12, and the controller 12 operates the changeover switch 11 to perform the actual switching process. The controller 12 also controls the configuration of each protocol converter 13, 14, 15. This is because the conversion process also needs to be changed according to the architecture of the computers 3, 4, and 5 connected to the protocol converters 13, 14, and 15, respectively. The computer 4 is connected to the protocol converter 14. The computer 5 can be connected to the protocol converter 14 by changing this connection. In this case, the controller 12 performs the updating process of the protocol conversion table 6 for converting the protocol of the computer 5.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of computers having different architectures can share a set of user interface devices by the input / output device switcher.

Further, according to the present invention, since one set of user interface device sets is shared, the number of user interface device sets and the installation area can be reduced.

According to the present invention, the operability can be unified by sharing the user interface set of a plurality of computers by one set of devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conversion table included in a protocol converter of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional console switching device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Input / Output Device Switch 2 User Interface Device Set 3, 4, 5 Computer 11 Changeover Switch 12 Controller 13, 14, 15 Protocol Converter 21 Display 22 Keyboard 23 Mouse

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input / output device switch for connecting and switching between a user interface device set including a display device for displaying and outputting data, a keyboard for inputting character data, and a mouse for inputting pointing data and a plurality of computers. A change-over switch for connecting and switching the signal lines of the interface device set corresponding to a plurality of computers having different architectures; a protocol converter for converting the signal of the user interface device set into a signal conforming to the protocol of each computer; An input / output device selector, comprising: an output device selector switch and a controller for controlling connection switching of the protocol converter.