Patent ID: 8194697

Claim:
A selective connection device ( 1 . 1 ) allowing a connection of at least one peripheral ( 1 . 7 , 1 . 8 , 1 . 9 ) to a target computer ( 1 . 3 ) among a plurality of target computers ( 1 . 2 , 1 . 3 , 1 . 4 ), comprising: a. at least one controller ( 1 . 5 , 1 . 6 ) to control at least one peripheral ( 1 . 7 , 1 . 8 , 1 . 9 ), said at least one controller being connected to the at least one peripheral; b. a selector ( 1 . 17 , 1 . 18 ); c. a first link ( 1 . 13 , 1 . 25 ) for communicating data between said at least one controller ( 1 . 5 , 1 . 6 ) and the selector ( 1 . 17 , 1 . 18 ); d. a plurality of data communication links ( 1 . 11 , 1 . 12 ) between the plurality of target computers ( 1 . 2 , 1 . 3 , 1 . 4 ) and the selector ( 1 . 17 , 1 . 18 ), each link in the plurality of data communication links ( 1 . 11 , 1 . 12 ) being connected to a target computer in the plurality of target computers ( 1 . 2 , 1 . 3 , 1 . 4 ), the selector ( 1 . 17 , 1 . 18 ) allowing a connection of the first link to any one of the links in the plurality of data communication links in order to allow communication between said at least one controller ( 1 . 5 , 1 . 6 ) and any one of the target computers ( 1 . 2 , 1 . 3 , 1 . 4 ); and e. characterized in that the selective connection device comprises: means ( 1 . 20 , 1 . 21 ) for making each of said plurality of data communication links ( 1 . 11 , 1 . 12 ) between said selector and said any one of the target computers physically unidirectional, and wherein said means for making each of said plurality of data communications links between said selector and said any one of the target computers physically unidirectional, prevents any data exchange between the target computers using said selector.