US 4,048,672 A · Switch matrix control and display

Abstract

Various data systems as represented by several processing units have permanent multiple switch connections to a common set of peripheral devices. A coordinating actuator means is provided for each set of switches connecting together a peripheral device and a CPU so that the coordinating actuator means for all possible combinations may be conceived as being arranged in a matrix consisting of columns and rows, along one axis of which are arranged the CPU's and along the other axis of which are arranged the peripheral devices. The present invention provides a panel means having indicator elements arranged in a matrix pattern of columns and rows to simulate the switching matrix so that each column repesents a particular device of one kind, CPU or peripheral device, and each row represents a particular device of the other kind. Associated with each row and column is a manually actuated switch element and between the switch elements and coordinating actuator means are gate means for each of the coordinating actuator means, with two inputs, one from a column and one from a row. Simultaneous signals at the gate means permit activation of the coordinating actuator means to connect the represented devices when there is simultaneous actuation of the manually actuated switch elements in their respective row and column. The gating feature permits either an output signal to directly activate the coordinating actuator means or a coded output designed to actuate a specific remote coordinating actuator means. Such coding may employ "Touch-Tone," ASCII, or other code and the code may be transmitted on the same channel used for data transmission in the data system or on a separate channel.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A display and control system for a switching matrix in a data processing system for indicating and controlling device interconnection, each interconnecting node of the switching matrix including a plurality of switch elements operable together by coordinating actuator means to connect a selected data processing device to a selected peripheral device, comprising,

panel means having indicator elements arranged in a matrix pattern of columns and rows, the matrix being arranged so that each column represents a particular device of one kind and each row represents a particular device of the other kind,
gate means corresponding to matrix nodes, each gate means having an output terminal and column and row input terminals, both of which input terminals must be energized simultaneously to produce an output at the output terminal,
output coupling means connecting each gate means with associated coordinating actuator means and responding to an output at the output terminal of the gate means to cause such actuator means to interconnect its devices,
a plurality of manually actuated control switches, one for each data processing device and one for each peripheral device, each coupled to the appropriate input terminal of each of the gate means in its column or row,
energizing means associated with each manually actuated control switch whereby simultaneous manual manipulation of a selected pair of manually actuated control switches in a selected column and in a selected row will cause the gate means to generate an output causing interconnection of a specific device of one type with a specific device of another type, and circuit means responsive to the manual actuation of the control switches for activating that indicator element in the panel means representative of the devices interconnected thereby.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Switch matrix control and display

Life of this patent

Switch matrix control and display

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25