SK288700B6 - Device for automatic switching between computers using common mouse and common keyboard and method of such automatic switching - Google Patents

Abstract

The computers (1, 2) with at least one display unit (131, 132, 231) are individually connected via a USB interface (11, 21) with an automatic "Keyboard-Video-Mouse" switch (3), which is controlled by the input peripheral unit (4), formed by a common mouse (41) and a keyboard (43). A method of automatically switching between computers (1, 2) by a common mouse (41) is that, the automatic KVM switch (3) receives information about the movement of the common mouse (41), which is processed by its own logical unit (31) for converting the relative motion coordinates of the common mouse (41) and to the absolute coordinates of the position indicator on the display units (131, 132, 231). Also included in the automatic KVM switch (3) is a data signal switching unit (32) switching the data signal of the keyboard (42) to a particular computer (1, 2). If the absolute coordinates do not exceed a predetermined range, the signal is routed to the currently selected computer (1, 2). When the absolute coordinates are exceeded, the automatic KVM switch (3) switches the logical unit output (32) to another computer (1, 2). The solution is applicable wherever there is a need for one user with multiple computers at the same time.

Description

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

The invention also relates to a method of automatic switching on this device. The user generates, by means of an input peripheral unit, a common keyboard and a common mouse, information on moving the common mouse and pressing or releasing the keys on the common keyboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common practice in computing is to connect standard peripheral units to input characters (usually a computer keyboard) and positioning (a pointing device 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 is usually reflected as the movement of the cursor on the desktop, respectively. parts of the desktop. These peripheral units are well-known and standardized components of a computer system, and in addition to data entry, in most cases, they are used directly to control the system itself.

The trend of the last few years has been increasingly emerging computer systems, which allow the use of a special display subsystem with multiple outputs or several redundant display subsystems with a single output to generate several outputs at the same time, and thus. extend the desktop to several output display units - monitors. The control of such a system usually takes place by moving the pointing device or the keyboard, if the system permits, and switching the cursor between the different display units when reaching the edge of a portion of the desktop occupying the physical surface of the display device. With the exception of systems that allow the cursor to be controlled directly via the computer keyboard, this input peripheral has no function when switching the current display unit. This solution is used eg. in railway traffic control at dispatching assignment computers of a uniform service station, where the railroad embossment is usually displayed through several side-by-side monitors, which can be switched by the movement of the legs, respectively. using the arrow keys on the keyboard. The disadvantage of this solution when operating several separate systems is that each system must be connected to its own with modification of input peripheral units, which occupy valuable space on the table surface and at the same time increase the demands on operating 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 per site, this solution, although widely used, appears to be inadequate.

To reduce the amount of input peripherals while controlling multiple separate computer systems, KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) switches are used to route data signals from the input peripherals to the selected computer system while simultaneously connecting a single set of input peripherals of this system to direct the output of the display subsystem to the connected display unit. Typically, the current computer system is selected by pressing the switch output port set number button or by using a combination of several keys on specialized switches. The disadvantage of these solutions is the restriction of the possibility of directing only one output of the display subsystem for each computer system involved. the requirement to display the station's relief across multiple monitors. In addition, switching the output of the display subsystems is in conflict with the rail traffic safety requirement, where the operator must have an overview of the entire control area and all downstream information systems at all times. While there is the possibility of connecting all the display subsystem outputs directly to the display units and switching only the data signals of the input peripheral units, but in the absence of operator feedback in the form of switching the display subsystem output, this solution appears to be non-intuitive and thus unusable.

US 2011/0010473 A1 discloses a manual KVM switch built into a monitor. The advantage of this solution is space saving, which is the only advantage over standard KVM switches

US 5,748,189 discloses a method of automatically switching input peripheral units between several display subsystems of a single computer system simultaneously with the ability to switch between multiple such separate computer systems. The disadvantage, however, is the use of a local computer network to transmit events generated by the input peripheral units; in the case of rail traffic management, it cannot be used due to the requirement for closure of the station interlocking network

S K 288700 B6 attachments. Another disadvantage is the need to install special software on each controlled computer system.

US 2009/0251413 A1 discloses an apparatus for switching between computers. The device includes an automatic KVM switch that meets the functional requirements for automatically switching input peripherals between computer systems. The data that is sent from the mouse is sent to the switch driver over the DC communication channel. It is important to note that this data only signals the relative movement of the mouse since the last movement report. Thus, this does not allow the driver to infer the position of the mouse pointer on the host computer screen. The switch driver has a two-way 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 host-resident software detects 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 which controls the position of the pointer on the respective display. Furthermore, each computer must be provided with a resident controller which receives information about the motion of the pointing device through the switch device and the bidirectional communication channel and forwards the information about the movement of the pointer driver. Each computer must have a specialized service that monitors pointer movements using a pointer driver and communicates with a resident controller to detect that the controller sends a switch driver message when the pointer performs a defined movement.

For this reason, special software is required to be installed on each connected computer, and the software then instructs the switch driver. This technical solution utilizes two-way data communication between the computer system and the switch, which is unacceptable in the field of railway traffic management because of the requirement to ensure the required level of safety.

US 2006/0244 724 A1 discloses 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 either be directly connected to the corresponding workstation or to the automatic switching device. Output signals from the input devices are routed to the selected output port of the automatic switching device. The control switch automatically switches the output signals from the input devices between the output ports when the switch command signal is received from the selected port. The switching command signal is sent to the automatic switching device by the software in the workstation when the software detects that the mouse movement meets predetermined defined conditions, such as moving across the edge of the display.

The disadvantage of this solution is similar to the previous document. According to US 2006/0244 724 A1, the automatic switching device itself is not automatic as the switching command must give it the software that is installed for this purpose at each of the connected workstations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These disadvantages will eliminate or substantially reduce the device for automatic switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard according to the present invention, characterized in that each computer comprises at least one USB interface connected to a USB / HID driver, each connected to the common mouse control and the common keyboard control. The common leg and the common input peripheral keypad are unidirectionally connected to the computers, without any feedback, via an automatic KVM switch that includes a logical unit to recalculate the movement of the common mouse at the cursor position, unidirectionally connected to the logical unit to switch data output from the automatic KVM switch . The automatic KVM switch is unidirectional, with no feedback, connected to each computer via the USB interface of the computer.

The apparatus provides a method for automatically switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard according to the present invention, which is based on the fact that the user generates a common keyboard and a common mouse, common mouse movement and press and / or releasing the keyboard key. The automatic KVM switch receives common mouse movement information without any feedback, processes this information by its logical unit to convert relative mouse coordinate coordinates to absolute coordinates of the pointer on the display units, and decides on the subsequent logical unit to switch the data signal output by exceeding these absolute ranges. the automatic KVM switch generates, without any feedback, pointer position information 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 in the automatic KVM switch, the logic unit switches the data signal output switching

With K 288700 B6 from an automatic KVM switch to another specific computer. The multilevel common mouse control of each computer receives the position information of the position indicator on the display unit of the automatic KVM switch in absolute coordinates, which it 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 common mouse independently of the computer operating system without the need to install additional software, provided that the operating system supports the USB interface.

Another advantage is the unidirectional data flow, which is important for the possibility of use in applications where high technical security is required, such as. in railway operation according to ČSN EN 20 129.

Overview of the figures in the drawings

The 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 in the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying schematic drawings, of which FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a device for two computers, FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a two-computer device; and FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of the automatic switching method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example 1 (Fig. 1)

When controlling the railway traffic at the dispatching station, it is possible to apply the device according to the invention to reduce the number of input peripheral units 4 of multiple computers 1, 2 operated by one dispatcher The first computer 1 is usually an entry computer of the unified service station. The second computer 2 is generally a computer of the graphic-technological superstructure of the railway signaling equipment. It is possible to continuously move between the two computers 1, 2 by moving the common mouse 41.

In FIG. 1 shows one possible example of connecting an automatic switching device 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 a USB / HID controller 12, which communicates with a common mouse controller 121 and a common keyboard controller 122. The first computer 1 comprises a display system 13, e.g. graphics card. The display system 13 is coupled to the first display unit 131 and the second display unit 132.

The second computer 2 comprises a USB interface 21 downstream of the USB / HID controller 22, which communicates with the common mouse controller 41 and the common keyboard controller 42. The second computer 2 comprises a display system 23, e.g. graphics card. The display system 23 is connected to a display unit 231. The device according to the invention always comprises at least two computers 1, 2, as is, for the sake of simplicity, also in the particular embodiment of FIG. In this exemplary embodiment, each of the computers 1, 2 has a single USB interface 11, 21. A plurality of them can also be used. Each computer 1, 2 may also have multiple display systems 13, 23 as one. Each display system 13, 23 is connected to at least one display unit 131, 132, 231. The display unit 131, 132, 231 may be e.g. monitor or projector. On the display unit 131, 132, 231, an indicator, e.g. cursor.

The device according to the invention always comprises one automatic KVM switch 3. The KVM switch 3 comprises one logical unit 31 for calculating the movement of the common mouse 41 at the cursor position, and one logical unit 32 for switching the output of the data signal. The logic unit 31 is unidirectionally coupled to the 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 connected to each computer 1, 2 via a automatic KVM switch 3. The automatic KVM switch 3 is connected to each computer 1 , 2 via the USB interface 11, 21 of the respective computer 1, 2.

N K 288700 B6

Example 2 (Fig. 1)

On a 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 the previous embodiment, the automatic switching according to the invention is performed between the computers 1, 2 using a common mouse 41 and common keyboard 42.

The user generates, by means of an input peripheral unit 4, a common keyboard 42 and a common mouse 41, information about moving the common mouse 41 and pressing or releasing the common keyboard 42 key.

The information on pressing or releasing the common keyboard key 42 is handled by the keyboard controller 122, 222 of the respective computer 1, 2, and the switching to the respective computer 1, 2 is decided by the logical unit 32 of the automatic KVM switch 3 of the data signal.

The automatic KVM switch 3 receives information about the movement of the common mouse 41. This information is processed by its logic unit 31 to convert the relative coordinates of the common mouse's motion 41 to absolute coordinates of the position indicator on the display units 131, 132, 231. by exceeding the extent of these absolute coordinates by switching the keyboard data signal 42 to the respective particular computer 1, 2. The automatic KVM switch 3 further generates pointer position information on the display units 131, 132, 231 in absolute coordinates for the same particular particular computer 1, second

The multi-level controller 121, 221 of the common mouse 41 of each computer 1, 2 receives, via the USB interface 11, 21 and subsequently via the USB / HID controller 12, 22 of the respective computer 1, 2, the position pointer position information on the automatic KVM display units 131, 132, 231. In absolute coordinates, this controller 121, 221 maps to a pointer position on respective display units 131, 132, 231. Display systems 13, 23 generate an output signal for 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 a 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 particular computer 1, 2.

Example 3 (Fig. 2, 3)

Illustratively, the principle of the method of automatic switching between computers 1, 2 by means of a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42 is explained on the simplified device shown in FIG. 2 with minimalist basic wiring. The device consists of two computers 1, 2, an automatic KVM switch 3, a common mouse 41 and a common keyboard 42. The first computer 1 is associated with a display unit 131, the second computer 2 is associated with a display unit 231. A concrete possible concise timing of this automatic method The switching is shown in FIG. Third

The default state in a particular example is that the common mouse 41 and the common keyboard 42 are switched to the first computer 1. When the user is working with the first computer 1, he moves the common mouse 41 or presses the common keyboard 42 within the first computer 1. The common mouse 41 in the automatic KVM switch 3 recalculates the coordinates of the common mouse 41 to an absolute coordinate system, and since only the first computer 1 is operated, the absolute coordinate range is not exceeded and the automatic KVM switch 3 remains switched to the first computer 1.

Subsequently, the user decides to work with the second computer 2. The user uses the common mouse 41 to move the common mouse 41 beyond the display unit 131 of the first computer 1. In the automatic KVM switch 3, the coordinates of the common mouse 41 are converted to an absolute coordinate system. mouse 41 beyond the edge of the display unit 131 of the first computer 1, the absolute coordinate range for that first computer 1 is exceeded and switched to the second computer 2 by the automatic KVM switch 3.

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

For working on the first computer, the user chose 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 common mouse 41 coordinates to an absolute coordinate system. beyond the display unit 231 of the second computer 2, the absolute coordinate range is exceeded and switched to the first computer 1.

N K 288700 B6

Thus, 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 into absolute coordinates from a known predefined range and monitoring its overrun.

Generally, the horizontal and vertical switching can be described by the following algorithm

1. If, after adding the relative coordinate value increment to the actual value of the absolute coordinate in the toggled direction, the range is exceeded below the minimum range value, then:

- if the output of the common keyboard 42 and the common mouse 41 is redirected to the USB interface 11 of the first computer 1, the absolute value of the coordinate is initialized to the minimum value of the range,

otherwise, the magnitude of the absolute coordinate range in the toggled direction is added to the current absolute coordinate value, i. j. the maximum value of the absolute coordinate range 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 11 of the first computer 1.

2. If, after adding the relative coordinate value increment to the actual value of the absolute coordinate in the toggled direction, the range exceeds the maximum range value, then:

- if the output of the common keyboard 42 and the common mouse 41 is redirected to the USB interface 21 of the second computer 2, the absolute value of the coordinate is initialized to the maximum range value,

otherwise, the magnitude of the absolute coordinate range in the toggled direction is subtracted from the current absolute coordinate value, i. j. the maximum value of the absolute coordinate range 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.

Industrial Usability

The solution is suitable wherever simultaneous work of one user with more computers is needed.

Claims (3)

A device for automatically switching between computers using a common mouse and a common keyboard, comprising at least two computers (1, 2) each comprising at least one USB interface, a KVM switch (3) and an input peripheral unit (4) comprising a common a 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 the USB interface (11, 12) of each computer (1, 2) is connected to a USB / HID controller (12, 22), each of which is connected to a controller (121, 221) in common. a mouse (41) and a controller (122, 222) of a common keyboard (42), the common mouse (41) and a common keyboard (42) of the input peripheral unit (4) being unidirectionally connected to the computers (1, 2) links through automatic A KVM switch (3) comprising one logical unit (31) for converting the movement of a common mouse (41) to a cursor position, unidirectionally coupled without any feedback to one logical 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 the USB (11, 21) of the respective computer (1, 2). Method for automatically switching between computers (1, 2) by 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), movement information of the common mouse (41) and depressing or releasing the common keyboard key (42), wherein the automatic KVM switch (3) receives the common mouse movement information (41) without any feedback, processing this information by its logical unit (31) to convert relative motion coordinates the common mouse (41) to the absolute coordinates of the position indicator on the display units (131, 132, 231) and the downstream data signal switching logical unit (32) decides to switch the keyboard data signal (42) to the respective specific data computer (1, 2), and further automatic KVM switch (3) generates without of any feedback position information 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 directed to the currently selected computer ( 1, 2), or if the absolute coordinates exceed a preselected range, then in the automatic KVM switch (3) the logic unit (32) switches the output of the data signal from the automatic KVM switch (3) unidirectionally to another particular computer (1, 2), and then the common mouse controller (121,221) of each computer (1, 2) receives, without any feedback, the position indicator position information 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 in the respective views shunting units (131, 132, 231). 3 \ Drawings