Virtual UART Multiplexer for Remote Server Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current server management systems rely on local terminals for monitoring and control, which are limited to text-based serial communication, lacking remote management capabilities, making it costly and inefficient for administration and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A system incorporating a monolithic integrated circuit with multiple universal asynchronous receiver transmitters (UARTs) and a multiplexer, enabling remote terminal services over a network by synchronizing serial communication rates and providing integrated management, graphics, and input/output control through a virtual UART, allowing for both local and remote server management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a local computer terminal is used for server management, then text-based serial communication is achieved, but remote management capability is lost and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual UART as an intermediary component that bridges the physical UART and network interface. This virtual UART enables serial communication data to be transmitted over the network, allowing remote terminals to access server management functions without requiring physical presence at the server location, thereby reducing operational costs while maintaining full management capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical connection requirement (local terminal directly connected to server via UART) with an electronic/network-based solution. By substituting the physical presence requirement with network transmission through the virtual UART, remote management becomes possible without increasing operational costs
2Adaptability or versatility
If text-based serial communication is used, then simple communication is achieved, but graphical user interface capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the UART system universal by enabling it to handle multiple types of communication protocols and data formats. The virtual UART acts as a protocol translator that can process both traditional text-based serial communication and graphical data streams, allowing the same hardware interface to support both simple text mode and complex graphical user interfaces without increasing device complexity
3Speed
If serial communication is used, then simple hardware interface is achieved, but data transmission speed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension to the communication system by introducing network transmission as a parallel pathway. Instead of relying solely on the speed-limited serial interface, the system transmits data through the network interface which offers higher bandwidth, effectively bypassing the speed limitation while keeping the original serial interface intact for compatibility
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a monolithic integrated circuit includes a first UART, a second UART, and a multiplexer. The first UART has a parallel IO interface to couple to a host system to transceive parallel data and a serial IO interface. The second UART has a parallel IO interface and a serial IO interface coupled to the serial IO interface of the first UART. The first and second UARTs convert parallel data into serial data and serial data into parallel data. The multiplexer has an output coupled to the serial input of the first UART, a first input coupled to the serial output of the second UART, a second input coupled to a serial input of a serial communication port, and a select input coupled to a control signal selectively coupling serial interfaces of first and second UARTs together for remote terminal services at a remote computer system over a network.