Apparatus using a parallel interface for data transfer between a plurality of computers, as well as for transfer of data from computers to shared peripheral devices

Apparatus for a selective data exchange between each of two of a plurality of computers, or between each of said computers and at least one peripheral device through their parallel ports, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of computers with each of said computers having a parallel printer port;
• at least one shared peripheral device having a parallel computer port;
• and,
• a connecting element having at least two computer ports, at least one peripheral port, and switching means,
• said parallel printer ports of said plurality of computers being connected to said computer ports of said connecting element by parallel printer cables and said parallel computer port of said at least one shared peripheral device being connected to said at least one peripheral port of said connecting element by parallel printer cables,
• said parallel printer cables comprising control and status lines for monitoring a status of the peripheral device during a normal operation mode,
• said switching means connecting at least one computer port thereof to said at least one peripheral port thereof for enabling a data exchange between the computer connected to said computer port of said connecting element and the peripheral device connected to said peripheral port, during the normal operation mode, and,
• said switching means connecting at least two computer ports of said connecting element by using a cable allocation, which enables a particular data transfer between said at least two computers connected to said at least two computer ports of said connecting element on said parallel printer cables, upon receiving a sequence of data on said control and status lines, which does not occur during the normal operation mode.