Patent ID: 7817537
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A matrix switcher including a switcher unit having connection switches respectively provided at intersections formed by a plurality of input signal lines and a plurality of output signal lines and a control unit configured to control the switcher unit, the control unit comprising: a main controller and a backup controller, each of which has an interface for a general-purpose network and an interface for a dedicated communication line, wherein during normal operation of the main controller, the backup controller only operates a Web server program to transfer a setup command to the main controller upon receiving the setup command, addressed to the matrix switcher and/or another matrix switcher not having the interface for the general-purpose network, from a Web browser via the general-purpose network, and wherein during normal operation of the main controller, the main controller only executes (a) processing of switching a connection relation between the input signal lines and output signal lines in the switcher unit upon receiving a switching command addressed to the matrix switcher via the dedicated communication line; (b) processing of transferring a switching command to another matrix switcher via the dedicated communication line upon receiving the switching command addressed to another matrix switcher via the dedicated communication line; (c) processing of setting up the matrix switcher upon receiving from the backup controller the setup command addressed to the matrix switcher; and (d) processing of converting the setup command into a protocol of the dedicated communication line and transferring the setup command to another matrix switcher via the dedicated communication line upon receiving from the backup controller the setup command addressed to another matrix switcher not having the interface for the general-purpose network.