This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No. 102134288, filed on Sep. 24, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device having a plurality of human-machine operation modules, and more particularly to an electronic device of a plurality of human-machine interfaces connected with input/output (I/O) module respectively.
2. Related Art
In the prior art, to increase the performance of the electronic device, researchers develop the technology that one machine is operated by multiple users, i.e., the same electronic device may simultaneously provide multiple operation platforms to different users. However, such an electronic device still has a single human-machine interface, generates multiple software working platforms only through software functions, coordinates with an extension component additionally set to correspond to each software working platform, to achieve that one machine is operated by multiple users, instead of making users have independent human-machine interface on the hardware.
A technical objective of the present invention lies in providing an electronic device having a plurality of human-machine operation modules.
The electronic device according to the present invention includes at least one I/O module and a plurality of human-machine operation modules, wherein each human-machine operation module is disposed in the electronic device, and several human-machine operation modules are connected with the I/O module respectively.
The present invention has the following characteristics, (1) through hardware configurations of a plurality of human-machine operation modules, different users can use corresponding human-machine operation modules by means of hardware operation; (2) the technology in the present invention is applicable to various electronic devices having data computing capability, for example, Desktop PC, mini PC, thin client PC, or electronic devices without data computing capability, for example, zero client device, and thus has higher applicability.
Preferred embodiments of the present creation are further described below with reference to the drawings.
First,
The electronic device includes more than one I/O module (I/O module) and a plurality of human-machine operation modules (Human-Machine Interface). The number of the human-machine operation modules that can be configured by the electronic device may be more than two, each human-machine operation module is disposed in the electronic device, and is connected with the I/O module respectively, and operation panel configurations of each human-machine operation module may be of the same type or different types, which depends on demands of the designer. In addition, each human-machine operation module should be designed to have an output unit, such as an indicator signal or an audible indicator. However, the type and the configuration manner of the output unit depend on demands of the designer, which are not limited.
The electronic device 100a in this embodiment is described with two human-machine operation modules (110a, 120a) and one I/O module 111 for the time being, but is not limited thereto. As stated previously, several human-machine operation modules (110a, 120a) are connected with the I/O module 111. The I/O module 111 processes message input and output operations of a target operation module, which has been started, of the human-machine operation modules (110a, 120a).
Referring to
The power control unit 150, in addition to connecting the human-machine operation modules (110b, 120b), connects the I/O modules (111, 121). The power control unit 150 provides power for an I/O module connected to a target operation module while providing power for the target operation module. For example, the target operation module is the human-machine operation module 110b, and the power control unit 150 provides power for the I/O module 111 connected to the human-machine operation module 110b while providing power for the human-machine operation module 110b.
In some embodiments, the human-machine operation modules may be detachable hardware components, for example, detachable panel components. For ease of description, a block diagram is used below for description.
The electronic device 100d includes a body 140 and human-machine operation modules (110c, 120c). The human-machine operation modules (110c, 120c) are mounted to or removed from the body 140 through a hardware connection component 160, for example, a combination of a connection joint and a connection socket, so as to be mounted on or removed from the body 140. When the human-machine operation modules (110c, 120c) are assembled to hardware, they may be connected with the power control unit 150.
In some embodiments, the human-machine operation modules store permission information internally, and when the I/O modules connect a target operation module of the human-machine operation modules, a corresponding function is started according to interface information of the target operation module.
By taking
Various types of I/O interfaces are used for connecting operation devices (Control Device) corresponding to the interfaces. For example, the display I/O interface (112, (22) connects a display (Monitor); the network communication I/O interface (115, 125) connects a modem, a server or other network devices having network communication capability through a network cable; the audio I/O Interface (114, 124) connects sound collector (microphone) and/or a speaker; and the USB I/O interface (113, 123) connects an external electronic device. Furthermore, other types of interfaces may be set, for example, a keyboard I/O interface connects a keyboard; a mouse I/O interface connects a mouse.
For example, the permission information that the human-machine operation module 110c has includes control rights of the display I/O interface and the network communication I/O interface. Suppose the user assembles the human-machine operation module 110c on the body 140, when the human-machine operation module 1100 connects the I/O module 111, the I/O module 111 may read the permission information that the human-machine operation module 110c has, and starts the display I/O interface 112 and the network communication I/O interface 115, for the user to operate and use. However, the permission information that the human-machine operation module 110c has only records the control rights of the display I/O interface and the network communication I/O interface, and thus the user cannot use other types of interface functions of the I/O module 111 through the human-machine operation module 110c. Likewise, when the human-machine operation module 1100 is assembled to connect the I/O module 121, the I/O module 111 may only start the display 110 interface 122 and the network communication I/O interface 125.
Also, the permission information that the human-machine operation module 120c has includes control rights of the display I/O interface, the network communication I/O interface and the USB I/O interface. Suppose the user assembles the human-machine operation module 120c on the body 140, when the human-machine operation module 120c connects the I/O module 121, the I/O module 121 may read the permission information that the human-machine operation module 120c has, and starts the display I/O interface 122, the network communication I/O interface 125 and the USB I/O interface 123, for the user to operate and use. However, the permission information that the human-machine operation module 120c has only records the control rights of the display I/O interface, the network communication I/O interface and the USB I/O interface, and thus the user cannot use other types of interface functions of the I/O module 121. through the human-machine operation module 120c. Likewise, when the human-machine operation module 120c is assembled to connect the I/O module 111, the I/O module 111 may only start the display I/O interface 112, the network communication I/O interface 115 and the USB I/O interface 113.
In some embodiments, each of the human-machine operation modules (110c, 120c) store device information, and each I/O module (111, 121) records function information that can be enabled by the device information. When the I/O module (111, 121) connects a target operation module of the human-machine operation modules (110c, 120c), a corresponding function is started according to the device information of the target operation module.
In other embodiments, the hardware connection component 160 may be a regularized design, i.e., the I/O module (111, 121) of the body 140 and its connection joint or connection socket is a regularized design, the human-machine operation modules (110c, 120c) has different corresponding connection joints or connection sockets, and the I/O module (111, 121) may start interfaces which have been successfully connected according to connection conditions.
For example, the connection module 130 includes one or more connection ports 131. The external device 200 is connected to one of the single one or more connection ports 131. When the connection module 130 obtains an external message output by any one I/O modules (111, 121), it may analyze the message, and then transmit the message to the external device 200 according to at least one of the address of the external device 200, the name of the external device 200 and the number of the connection ports connected with the external device 200 included in the message. The type of the connection module 130 may include: a network transmission device having capability of transmitting network data such as a network hub, a router, or a network switch, or may be a device having capability of transmitting serial data such as a USB-Hub or a serial port Hub.
In addition, when the connection module 130 is a network transmission device having capability of transmitting network data, for example, a router, the administrator may, as required, make similar or dissimilar domain settings on the human-machine operation modules (110b, 120b) of the electronic device 100e, to make the plurality of human-machine operation modules (110b, 120b) located in the same internal domain, or grouped and located in different internal domains.
However, the I/O modules (111, 121) may connect the connection module 130 by means of network connection or serial bus connection or universal serial bus connection.
In other embodiments, the connection manner in Which the connection module 130 connects the I/O modules (111, 121) is the same as or different from the connection manner in which the connection module 130 connects the external device 200. For example, (1) the connection module 130 connects the I/O Modules (111, 121) by means of network connection, and also connects the external device 200 by means of network connection; (2) the connection module 130 connects the I/O modules (111, 121) by means of USB connection, and also connects the external device 200 by means of USB connection; (3) the connection module 130 connects the I/O modules (111, 121) by means of USB connection, but connects the external device 200 by means of network connection. The connection manner is not limited, and the same or similar connection manners are also applicable.
The above merely describes embodiments of technical measures employed by the present invention for solving the problem, but is not to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. Equivalent variations and modifications consistent with the literal meaning of the claims of the present invention or made according to the scope of the present invention should fall within the scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
102134288 | Sep 2013 | TW | national |