TWI389007B - Keyboard, video, mouse switch and setting method therefor by user interface - Google Patents

Description

KVM switch and setting method thereof

The present invention relates to a KVM switch and a method of setting a KVM switch, and more particularly to a KVM switch and a method for setting a KVM switch through a user interface.

Keyboard, Video, Mouse switch (KVM switch) has been widely used to control N computers or servers via a set of keyboards, display devices, and mice. Compared with the traditional N computer or server, the N-type keyboard, display device, and mouse should be configured. By using the KVM switch, the N-1 keyboard, display device, and slide can be omitted. mouse.

In general, a conventional KVM switch has an on-screen display (OSD) circuit for generating an on-screen menu superimposed on a picture for user to switch to multiple computers. The device operates. These operations are, for example, selecting the port of the KVM switch to be controlled, setting an account or password, editing the name of the host connected to the port, and the like. The KVM switch allows the screen menu to be superimposed on the screen by synchronizing the image signal of the screen menu with the video signal of the display device and outputting it to the display device.

However, if the video signal of the screen menu and the video signal of the display device cannot be completely synchronized, the image of the screen menu will flicker and affect the display quality. If you want to make the screen signal of the screen menu Fully synchronizing with the video signal of the display device will increase the difficulty and complexity of the design of the screen display circuit, and greatly increase the cost.

In addition, the screen of the traditional multi-computer switcher screen is mostly a text screen, and the color is monotonous, not humanized, and difficult to operate. In this way, how to balance the cost considerations with the display quality of the screen menu and provide a beautiful, rich and user-friendly interface for the user to operate is one of the topics of the industry.

The invention relates to a multi-computer switcher and a setting method thereof, which can enable a multi-host computer connected with the display to display a user interface with a beautiful, rich, user-friendly and high display quality to replace the screen menu for the user interface. User operation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for setting a KVM switch is provided. The KVM switch stores an application. The method includes the following steps: after the KVM switch is connected to a host, the KVM switch enumerates the host Forming a mass storage device; the KVM switch uploads an application to the host, and the host executes the application program to display a KVM switch management user interface on a display device; and under the control of the KVM switch management user interface Operate and set up the KVM switch.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for setting a KVM switch includes the following steps: a host inquires about a device type of a KVM switch connected to a host, and a KVM switch stores an application; the host switches the KVM The device is set to a mass storage device; the host receives an application from the KVM switch; the host executes the application and displays a multi-computer The switch manages the user interface on a display device; and the KVM switch manages the user interface to control and set the KVM switch.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a KVM switch is provided, wherein a plurality of hosts are controlled by at least one keyboard, mouse and display device. The KVM switch includes a microprocessor, a memory unit and a device controller. The microprocessor is configured to control a signal transmission path of a keyboard, a mouse, and a display device; the memory unit is electrically connected to the microprocessor and configured to store an application; the device controller is electrically connected to a host, and Controlled by the microprocessor; wherein, through the microprocessor, the KVM switch enumerates the host into a mass storage device, so that the host receives and executes the application to correspondingly display a KVM switch management user interface On the display device.

In order to make the above-mentioned contents of the present invention more comprehensible, a preferred embodiment will be described below, and in conjunction with the drawings, a detailed description is as follows:

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of a KVM switch 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The KVM switch 100 controls a plurality of hosts, such as first to fourth hosts 108, 110, 112, and 114, by at least one keyboard 102, mouse 104, and display device 106. The KVM switch 100 includes a microprocessor 116, a memory unit 118, and at least one device controller, such as the first device controller 120. The microprocessor 116 is used to control the signal transmission path of the keyboard 102, the mouse 104, and the display device 106. The memory unit 118 is electrically connected to the microprocessor 116 and is used to store an application. And the first device controller 120 is It is electrically connected to the first host 108 and controlled by the microprocessor 116. Through the microprocessor 116, the KVM switch 100 is listed as a mass storage device to the first host 108, so that the first host 108 receives and executes an application to correspondingly display a KVM switch management. The user interface is on the display device 106.

The KVM switch 100 can further include a switch 130. The switch 130 is coupled to the display device 106, the first through fourth hosts 108, 110, 112, and 114, and is controlled by the microprocessor 116. The microprocessor 116 transmits a switching signal to the switch 130 to transmit the video signals of one of the first to fourth hosts 108, 110, 112 and 114 to the display device 106 to display the corresponding picture.

The KVM switch 100 further includes second to fourth device controllers 122, 124, and 126, for example. The second device controller 122 is configured to be electrically connected to the second host 110 and controlled by the microprocessor 116. The third device controller 124 is configured to be electrically connected to the third host 112 and controlled by the microprocessor 116. The fourth device controller 126 is configured to be electrically connected to the fourth host 114 and controlled by the microprocessor 116.

Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a flow chart showing a method for setting the KVM switch 100 by managing the user interface. The first host 108 is taken as an example for illustration. First, step 202 is performed. After the KVM switch 100 is connected to the first host 108, the first host 108 queries the device type of the KVM switch 100 connected to the first host 108. Then, proceeding to step 204, the KVM switch 100 enumerates the first host 108 as a mass storage device, so that the first host 108 sets the KVM switch 110 to a large amount of storage. Set. The mass storage device is, for example, an optical disk drive containing an application optical disk.

Next, proceeding to step 206, the KVM switch 100 uploads an application to the first host 108, and the first host 108 receives the application from the KVM switch 100. This application is for example an application that can be executed automatically. Then, proceeding to step 208, the first host 108 executes the application and displays the KVM switch management user interface on the display device 106. Then, step 210 is executed to operate, control and set the KVM switch 100 under the control of the KVM switch management user interface.

The KVM switch management user interface is, for example, a graphical user interface (GUI), and the KVM switch management user interface is executed in an operating system of the first host 108. The multi-computer switcher management user interface generated by the first host 108 after executing the application program can replace the screen menu superimposed on the screen generated by the OSD circuit in the conventional method. Since the KVM switch management user interface is generated by the first host 108 itself and displayed directly on the screen of the display screen 106, the technique of superimposing the screen is not required. In this way, the KVM switch 100 of the present invention can eliminate the need to use the OSD circuit, and the OSD circuit does not need to synchronize the video signal of the screen menu with the video signal of the display device. In this way, the conventional method can be avoided, because the problem that the screen menu image generated by the screen cannot be completely synchronized, the display quality is not good, and the cost of the OSD circuit can be omitted.

Furthermore, since the KVM switch management user interface is executed in one of the operating systems of the first host 108, the KVM switch manages the user. The design of the interface has more flexibility and choice. Therefore, the KVM switch management user interface will provide a more beautiful, rich and user-friendly interface according to the needs of the user, and improve the user's convenience.

Further, the KVM switch 100 is connected to a plurality of hosts, a keyboard 102, and a mouse 104 by, for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. Thus, the first to fourth device controllers 120, 122, 124, and 126 described above are USB device controllers. However, the invention is not limited thereto. It is also within the scope of the invention to use other types of interfaces to interface with multiple hosts. The keyboard 102 and the mouse 104 can also be connected to the KVM switch 100 through other interfaces, such as the PS2 interface.

Thus, when the KVM switch 100 uses a USB interface to connect to a plurality of hosts, the keyboard 102, and the mouse 104, in step 204, the microprocessor 116 will cause the KVM switch 100 to enumerate to the first host 108. It is a composite device of USB mass storage device and a standard keyboard and mouse. For the first host 108, the KVM switch 100 is a composite device that combines a USB mass storage device, a standard keyboard, and a mouse. The first host 108 can operate the KVM switch 100 without additional driver installation.

Please refer to FIG. 3, which illustrates an example of a KVM switch user interface displayed on the display device 106. The KVM switch user interface 300 has, for example, a plurality of function menus, such as a Go-to function menu, a Set function menu, a Skip function menu, and a Scan function menu. 3 The picture is moved to the function menu as an example. This menu, for example, shows that it is connected to multiple ports of the KVM switch 100. The number, connection status and name of the first to fourth hosts 108, 110, 112 and 114 are connected. The user can operate the function menu by means of a mouse. The selection of each function menu can also be switched by using a plurality of function keys, for example, using the function keys F1 to F4 on the keyboard to switch between multiple function menus.

Through the application, the user can perform the following operations on the KVM management user interface, for example. First, the user can set the KVM switch 100 through the KVM switch management user interface. Secondly, the user can switch the connection port of the KVM switch 100 through the KVM switch management interface to enable the keyboard 102 and the mouse 104 to control other hosts. Third, the user can change the settings of each host through the KVM switch management user interface, for example, the name of each host. The various parameters modified by the user through the KVM switch management user interface, such as the KVM switch settings, will be stored in the memory unit 118 of the KVM switch 100. The parameters stored in the memory unit 118 are also transmitted to other hosts as necessary.

In addition, through the application, the first host 108 further has a function of loading the KVM switch settings stored in the memory unit 118 of the KVM switch 100. In this way, when the first host 108 is powered on next time or connected to other KVM switches, the KVM switch setting value can be directly transmitted to the connected KVM switch to save the set time.

The multi-computer switch disclosed in the above embodiments of the present invention and the method for setting the multi-computer switcher through the user interface can enable the multi-computer connected with the host to display a beautiful, rich, user-friendly, high display quality multi-computer switcher Manage the user interface to replace the screen menu for the user to operate. In this way, the service quality of the KVM switch can be improved, and the OSD circuit can be omitted to reduce the cost and increase the competitiveness of the KVM switch.

In view of the above, the present invention has been disclosed in a preferred embodiment, and is not intended to limit the present invention. A person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧Multicomputer switcher

102‧‧‧ keyboard

104‧‧‧ Mouse

106‧‧‧Display device

108‧‧‧First host

110‧‧‧Second host

112‧‧‧ third host

114‧‧‧fourth host

116‧‧‧Microprocessor

118‧‧‧ memory unit

120‧‧‧First device controller

122‧‧‧Second device controller

124‧‧‧ third device controller

126‧‧‧4th device controller

130‧‧‧Switcher

202~210‧‧‧ Process steps

300‧‧‧Multicomputer switcher management user interface

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a KVM switch according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method of setting a KVM switch by managing a user interface.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a KVM switch user interface displayed on a display device.

100‧‧‧Multicomputer switcher

102‧‧‧ keyboard

104‧‧‧ Mouse

106‧‧‧Display device

108‧‧‧First host

110‧‧‧Second host

112‧‧‧ third host

114‧‧‧fourth host

116‧‧‧Microprocessor

118‧‧‧ memory unit

120‧‧‧First device controller

122‧‧‧Second device controller

124‧‧‧ third device controller

126‧‧‧4th device controller

130‧‧‧Switcher

Claims (28)

A KVM switch setting method, the KVM switch controls a host by using at least one keyboard, a display device and a mouse, and the KVM switch stores an application, the method includes: After the KVM switch is connected to the host, the KVM switch enumerates the host as a mass storage device; the KVM switch uploads the application to the host, and the host executes the application. Generating a KVM switch management user interface and directly displaying the KVM switch management user interface on the display device; and operating and setting the KVM switch under the control of the KVM switch management user interface Device. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is an optical disk drive containing an application optical disk. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is an automatically executable application. The method of claim 1, wherein the KVM switch user interface is a graphical user interface (GUI). The method of claim 1, wherein the KVM switch management user interface is executed in an operating system of the host. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of enumerating the switch to the host, the KVM switch is further The host is enumerated as a composite device of the mass storage device and a standard keyboard and a mouse. The method of claim 1, wherein the KVM switch is connected to a plurality of hosts, a keyboard, and a mouse by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. The method of claim 1, wherein the host has a function of loading a set value stored in the KVM switch through the application. A setting method of a KVM switch includes: a host inquiring about a device type of a KVM switch connected to the host, the KVM switch controlling the host by using at least one keyboard, a display device, and a mouse, and the host The KVM switch stores an application; the host sets the KVM switch as a mass storage device; the host receives the application from the KVM switch; the host executes the application to generate a KVM switch Managing the user interface and directly displaying the KVM switch management user interface on the display device; and managing the user interface to control and set the KVM switch by the KVM switch. The method of claim 9, wherein the mass storage device is an optical disk drive containing an application optical disk. The method of claim 9, wherein the application is an automatically executable application. The method of claim 9, wherein the method The computer switcher management user interface is a graphical user interface (GUI). The method of claim 9, wherein the KVM switch management user interface is executed in an operating system of the host. The method of claim 9, further comprising: loading, by the host, one of the KVM switch settings stored in the KVM switch. The method of claim 9, wherein in the step of the host setting the KVM switch as the mass storage device, the host further sets the KVM switch to the mass storage device and the A standard keyboard and mouse composite device. The method of claim 9, wherein the KVM switch is connected to a plurality of hosts, a keyboard, and a mouse by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. A KVM switch, which controls a plurality of hosts by using at least one keyboard, a mouse, and a display device, the KVM switch comprising: a microprocessor for controlling a signal transmission path of the keyboard, the mouse, and the display device; The memory unit is electrically connected to the microprocessor and used to store an application; and the device controller is electrically connected to the host and controlled by the microprocessor; wherein the microprocessor is , the KVM switch to the host column The device is configured to receive and execute the application to generate a KVM switch management user interface and directly display the KVM switch management user interface on the display device. The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the mass storage device is an optical disk drive containing an application optical disk. The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the application is an automatically executable application. The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the KVM switch user interface is a graphical user interface (GUI). The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the KVM switch management user interface is executed in an operating system of the host. The KVM switch of claim 17, further comprising: a switch for coupling to the display device and the host, and controlled by the microprocessor. The KVM switch of claim 22, wherein the microprocessor transmits a switching signal to the switch to transmit the video signal of one of the plurality of hosts to the display device to display the corresponding picture. The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the microprocessor further causes the KVM switch to enumerate the host device as a composite device of the mass storage device and a standard keyboard and a mouse. The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the KVM switch is connected to a plurality of hosts, a keyboard, and a mouse by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the device controller is a USB device controller. The KVM switch of claim 26, wherein the KVM switch is listed as a USB mass storage device and a standard keyboard and mouse composite device (composite device) through the microprocessor. ). The KVM switch of claim 17, wherein the application further enables the host to have a function of loading a KVM switch set value stored in a memory unit of the KVM switch.