Abstract:
A system and method for extending a separation distance between a PC and its accompanying keyboard, video display, mouse and serial port, which includes an internal expansion card disposed in a PC where the expansion card combines/multiplexes conventional keyboard, video display, mouse and serial signals, to/from a combined signal on a single elongated link cable extending to a remote module disposed near the remote keyboard, video display, mouse and ports.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   In recent years, personal computers have become increasingly prevalent in industries. It is not uncommon today for a company to have scores, if not of PCs in one room with a similar number of stations from which to access these PCs. Often, it is desirable to have the video display, keyboard, and mouse from the location of the PC. Various prior art keyboard, video display, mouse and serial port extenders have been used in the past. One example of a prior art extender system is shown in  FIG. 1 . This system includes a local module which is adjacent to and external to the PC. 
   While these extender systems have been used extensively in the past, they do have some drawbacks. First of all, with the local module exterior to the PC, it is necessary to have an additional power supply for the local module. Secondly, there must be a location for this local module; this can be especially troubling when the is an industrial PC disposed in a rack having little additional space for additional modules. Thirdly, the cabling between the local module and the PC often interferes with other cabling. 
   Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for extending the separation distance of peripherals and a PC in an efficient manner. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for extending the separation distance of peripherals and a PC in an efficient manner. 
   It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a single half-size expansion extender card having both ISA and PCI bus connections thereon to perform as a local module. 
   It is another feature of the present invention to include loop wires to connect normal PC video, mouse, keyboard and serial connections to the video, mouse, keyboard and serial connections of the extender card. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention to achieve improved efficiency in installation, manufacture and maintenance of equipment for extending the separation of video, mouse, keyboard and serial port from personal computers. 
   The present invention is an apparatus and method for extending the separation distance of peripherals and personal computers, designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in a “wasted installation time-less” manner in a sense that the time consumed with installing an extender system for a PC, especially a PC in a rack of PCs, has been greatly reduced. 
   Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method including a single extender card having both ISA and PCI bus connections and loop wires to externally couple the video, mouse, keyboard and serial signals. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram view of a system of the prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram view of a system of the present 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cut-away view of a portion of the system of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of a rear portion of a PC of the present invention having a blind-mateable connector thereon. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Now referring to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like matter throughout, and more specifically referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a system of the prior art, generally designated  100 , including a prior art PC  102  which is to a local module  104  via independent cables, such as mouse extension cable  106 , keyboard extension cable  108 , video extension cable  110  and serial extension  111 . Local module  104  is well known in the art and is known to be used to separate keyboard, mouse, video and serial signals onto a single cable, such as cable  112 , which is often a category 5 unshielded twisted pair cable having male  45  connectors on either end. Link cable  112  provides the communication path between local module  104  and remote module/receiver/transmitter  114 . Remote module/receiver/transmitter  114  is also well known in the art and is known to separate signals on link cable  112  into distinct cables for communication with remote video display  118 , remote keyboard  120 , remote mouse  122 , and remote serial port or I/O device  121 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a system of the present invention, generally designated  200 , including a rack  201  including a plurality of industrial PCs  203  and an expansion slot equipped PC  202  having a PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse extender expansion card  204  therein. The term “industrial PC” is used to refer to any type of PC which is configured and adapted to be housed in a rack which would contain multiple similar PCs. Expansion slot equipped PC  202  can be any type of PC which is capable of receiving therein an expansion card or other device coupled to an internal expansion bus. PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  is preferably a single card having both ISA and PCI mating regions thereon. Expansion slot equipped PC  202  is coupled to remote module/receiver/transmitter  114  by link cable  112 . Remote module/receiver/transmitter  114  is coupled to power source  116 , remote video display  118 , remote keyboard  120 , remote serial I/O device  121  and remote mouse  122  in a well-known manner. 
   A more detailed understanding of the present invention can be achieved by referring to  FIG. 3 , which shows an enlarged cut-away view of expansion slot equipped PC  202  of  FIG. 2 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, expansion slot equipped PC  202  is an industrial PC which has sensors therein monitor fan speeds and a temperature of a microprocessor therein and further generates an alert when said fan speeds and said temperature exceed predetermined limits. The sensors are not shown, but are well known in the art. It can be seen that expansion slot equipped PC  202  includes therein a PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204 , of the present invention. PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse, and serial extender expansion card  204  is preferably a half-length planar expansion card. PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse, and serial extender expansion card  204  communicates with expansion slot PC  202  via cables  312 ,  314 , and  316 . Expansion slot equipped PC  202  has thereon PC to keyboard connector  302 , which is well known in the art for making such connections. Expansion slot equipped PC  202  further includes PC to mouse connector  304 , PC to video connector  306 , and PC to serial connector  307 , which also well known in the art for making such connections. Cables  312 ,  314 ,  316  and  318  are preferably well-known keyboard, mouse, video and serial cables respectively. Cables  312 ,  314 ,  316  and  318  are coupled to keyboard PC to expansion card connector  322 , mouse PC to expansion card connector  324 , video PC to expansion card connector  326 , and serial PC to expansion card connector respectively. 
   PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  also includes an expansion card to remote module cable link connector  330  which is used to couple to link cable  112 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  is powered by connections provided through PCI mating regions  342 ,  344 , and  346 . PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  also includes thereon a first ISA mating region  350  and a second ISA mating region  352 , which could be used for coupling with an ISA bus connector in expansion slot equipped PC  202  or another PC having an ISA bus. ISA mating regions  350  and  352  can be used to power the preferred embodiment in lieu of PCI regions  342 ,  344 , and  346  when placed in a PC ISA slot. First PCI mating region  342 , second PCI mating region  344 , and third PCI mating region  346  are shown disposed in PCI expansion slot  340 . Typically, PCI expansion slot  340  might be used to couple any type of PCI expansion card with the main processor of the expansion slot equipped PC  202 ; however, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connection between PCI expansion slot  340  and first PCI mating region  342 , second PCI mating region  344 , or third PCI mating region  346  would provide only power to the PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204 . All of the keyboard, mouse, video and serial signals to be communicated between the PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  and the main processor of expansion slot equipped PC  202 , is done through the cables  312 ,  314 ,  316  and  318 . 
   Also shown is a serial internal ribbon cable  360 , which couples to an internal connector  362  and a second serial ribbon cable connector  364 , which could be either internal or external. 
   In operation, the apparatus and method of the present invention as described  FIGS. 2–3 , could function as follows:
         a PC with either a PCI or ISA expansion bus is provided;   a PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  is inserted into the expansion bus and receives power therefrom;   keyboard, mouse, serial and video signals are communicated between the PC and the PCI/ISA keyboard, video, mouse and serial extender expansion card  204  jumpers or cables  312 ,  314 ,  316  and  318  which connect to the standard keyboard, mouse and video connectors found on the back of the PC, and the serial header typically found internal or external to a PC;   keyboard, mouse, serial and video signals are combined into a single port;   a link cable  112  is coupled to remote module/receiver/transmitter  114 ;   the combined signals are transmitted over Category 5 UTP link cable  112  to remote module/receiver/transmitter  114  where the combined signals are and,   the then separated signals are delivered to keyboard, mouse, serial and video devices.       

   Now referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a rear portion of a PC  202  of the present invention which includes connector cables  312 ,  314 ,  316  and  318  of  3 . This  FIG. 4  includes a blind-mateable male connector, generally designated  400 , having a female RJ-45 jack thereon for receiving jumper Category 5 UTP cable  412 , which is similar to elongated cable  112 , except for length. Connector  400  includes a male blind-mating connector  404 . Also shown is an associated blind-mating female connector  406 , which is part of the rack  201 . The elongated cable  112  is shown coupled to a female RJ-45 connector  408 . It should be understood this is merely a preferred embodiment, and variations of the present invention, including, but not limited to, switching male and female connectors, etc., are contemplated and intended to be included herein. 
   Throughout this description, reference is made to an industrial PC because it is believed that the beneficial aspects of the present invention would be most readily apparent when used in connection with industrial PCs; however, it should be understood that the present invention is not intended to be limited to industrial and should be hereby construed to include other non-industrial PCs as well. 
   It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps, and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.