Patent ID: 8473654

Claim:
A switching device for automatically sharing a pointing input device between a plurality of computers, comprising: an input for receiving relative pointer position data from the pointing input device; a plurality of outputs, each connectable to a respective one of a plurality of computers to supply input data to a one of the plurality of computers; and a controller, the controller configured to: declare an absolute pointing device to each of the plurality of computers and provide each of the plurality of computers with a maximum x deflection absolute value and a maximum y deflection absolute value of the pointer device; receive from the input relative pointer x and y position data from the pointing device and convert the relative pointer position data to absolute pointer position data; determine which of the plurality of computers to route input data to based on the absolute pointer x position data being less than zero or greater than the maximum x deflection absolute value or the absolute pointer y position data compared to the maximum y deflection absolute value of the absolute pointing device; and route input data to the determined one of the plurality of computers so that a cursor position on a display device of the determined one of the plurality of computers can be controlled by the pointing input device.