Patent ID: 7472204

Claim:
A system for managing a plurality of connected devices from one or more controlling computers, comprising: a routing unit for transmitting media signals between a plurality of devices and one or more controlling computers, wherein the routing unit allows a first controlling computer to select at least one device without requiring the first controlling computer to select all of the devices, and further wherein the routing unit allows a user to manually map connections between the one or more controlling computers and one or more of the plurality of devices; a controller unit coupled to the routing and the first controlling computer for allowing the first controlling computer to map a connection between the first controlling computer and the at least one device, wherein the controller unit is coupled to the routing unit via a connection cable connected to a first auxiliary connection port coupled to the routing unit, the first auxiliary connection port comprising a media/data connection port that is associated with a second auxiliary connection port coupled to the routing unit; first and second computer connection ports coupled to the routing unit, the first computer connection port comprising a media/data connection port for connecting a second controlling computer to the routing unit via a connection cable, wherein the first computer connection port is associated with the second computer connection port; a plurality of peripheral connection ports coupled to the routing unit, wherein each of the plurality of peripheral connection ports comprises a media/data connection port for connecting the routing unit to a device via a connection cable; a plurality of connectivity ports equal in number to the plurality of peripheral connection ports, wherein each of the plurality of connectivity ports is associated with a peripheral connection port and comprises a media/data connection port for connecting the peripheral connection port via a connection cable to at least one of the second auxiliary connection port and the second computer port, such that the device connected to the peripheral connection port can be disconnected from at least one of the first and second controlling computers by removing the connection cable between the connectivity port and the at least one of the second auxiliary connection port and the second computer port while maintaining the connection between the device and the routing unit; and a system bus for connecting the first auxiliary connection port to the plurality of connectivity ports.