US 6,983,340 B1
Method and system for extending a distance between a personal computer and a keyboard, video display, a mouse, and serial port
Todd A. Hermanson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (US); John R. Bodensteiner, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (US); David T. Medin, Marion, Iowa (US); and Steven R. Waller, Hiawatha, Iowa (US)
Assigned to Crystal Group Inc., Hiawatha, Iowa (US)
Filed on Feb. 09, 2001, as Appl. No. 9/681,175.
Int. Cl. G06F 13/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 710—301 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
20. A system for extending a separation range of a keyboard, a video display and a mouse from a PC, the system comprising:
a rack for receiving therein industrial PCs;
a PC, disposed in said rack, said PC having an expansion slot therein;
said PC being an industrial PC having sensors therein which monitor fan speeds and a temperature about a microprocessor in said PC;
said PC having PC-mounted conventional keyboard, video display, mouse and serial connectors thereon configured for coupling with conventional keyboard, video display, mouse and serial connection cables;
said expansion slot being configured for provision of power and digital information when said expansion slot is occupied;
a half-length planar keyboard, video display, mouse and serial extender expansion card which is configured for combining and separating keyboard, video display, serial and mouse signals; said keyboard, video display, mouse and serial extender expansion card disposed in said expansion slot, and receiving power therefrom, but not communicating keyboard, video display, serial and mouse signals across said expansion slot;
said keyboard, video display, mouse and serial extender expansion card having extender card mounted conventional keyboard, video display, mouse and serial connectors thereon which are coupled to and looped back from said PC-mounted conventional keyboard, video display, mouse and serial connectors via connecting cables having conventional keyboard, video display, mouse and serial connectors thereon;
said keyboard, video display, mouse and serial extender expansion card further having an extender card mounted elongated cable jack for receiving an elongated cable therein which carries previously independent keyboard, video display, mouse and serial signals which have been combined; said elongated cable having a first end and a second end;
a remote module/receiver/transmitter coupled to said second end of said elongated cable, said remote module/receiver/transmitter adapted and configured to combine previously independent signals into a combined signal and to separate earlier combined signals for distribution to keyboard, video display, mouse and serial devices;
wherein said keyboard, video display, mouse and serial extender expansion card has disposed on opposing sides thereof, a PCI bus mating region and an ISA bus mating region;
wherein said elongated cable is a UTP cable;
wherein said UTP cable is a Category 5 UTP cable;
wherein said UTP cable has a first end with a first male connector and a second end with a second male connector thereon;
wherein said first male connector and said second male connector are identical;
wherein said first male connector and said second male connector are RJ-45 connectors;
wherein each of said connecting cables has identical connectors on each end thereof; and,
wherein said keyboard, video display, mouse and serial extender expansion card is provided only power through said expansion slot.