System for Sharing Human-Computer Interface of a Legacy Device with Expansion Units
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a human-computer interface configured to allow a user to enter signals into the system and to supply signals from the system to the user;
a legacy device and an expansion unit; and
a logic device configured to receive input signals from the human-computer interface via an input link and to supply output signals to the human-computer interface via an output link, the logic device providing shared usage of the human-computer interface between the legacy device and the expansion unit by selective routing of input and output signals;
wherein the expansion unit monitors the input signals for control codes designating usage of the human-computer interface;
wherein the logic device couples the expansion unit to the output link and decouples the legacy device from the input link in response to the expansion unit receiving a control code designating usage of the human-computer interface by the expansion unit; and
wherein the logic device couples the legacy device to the input link and decouples the expansion unit from the output link in response to the expansion unit receiving a control code designating usage of the human-computer interface by the legacy device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for sharing a human-computer interface between a legacy device and an expansion unit for supplementing operation of the legacy device includes a logic device configured to selectively route input and output signals between the human-computer interface and the legacy device or the expansion unit. The expansion unit monitors input signals from the human-computer interface for control codes designating usage of the human-computer interface by either the expansion unit or the legacy device. The logic device includes a switching device that selectively decouples inputs from the human-computer interface from the legacy device during usage of the interface by the expansion unit to isolate the legacy device from input signals not intended for the legacy device.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a human-computer interface configured to allow a user to enter signals into the system and to supply signals from the system to the user; a legacy device and an expansion unit; and a logic device configured to receive input signals from the human-computer interface via an input link and to supply output signals to the human-computer interface via an output link, the logic device providing shared usage of the human-computer interface between the legacy device and the expansion unit by selective routing of input and output signals; wherein the expansion unit monitors the input signals for control codes designating usage of the human-computer interface; wherein the logic device couples the expansion unit to the output link and decouples the legacy device from the input link in response to the expansion unit receiving a control code designating usage of the human-computer interface by the expansion unit; and wherein the logic device couples the legacy device to the input link and decouples the expansion unit from the output link in response to the expansion unit receiving a control code designating usage of the human-computer interface by the legacy device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A logic device for facilitating sharing of a human-computer interface of a legacy device between the legacy device and an expansion unit configured to supplement operation of the legacy device, the logic device comprising:
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an input signal path configured to be coupled to an input link for receiving input signals from the human-computer interface, wherein the input signal path is configured to continuously couple the input link to the expansion unit; an output signal path configured to be coupled to an output link for supplying output signals to the human-computer interface; an input switch configured to selectively couple the input signal path to the legacy device; an output switch configured to selectively couple the expansion unit to the output signal path; and a switch controller configured to selectively control states of the input and output switches to switch usage of the human-computer interface between the legacy device and the expansion unit in response to control signals from the expansion unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of sharing a human-computer interface of a legacy device between the legacy device and an expansion unit configured to supplement operation of the legacy device, the method comprising:
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monitoring at the expansion unit input signals from the human-computer interface for control codes designating usage of the human-computer interface; supplying output signals from the expansion unit to the human-computer interface and preventing input signals from the human-computer interface from reaching the legacy device in response to the expansion unit receiving a control code designating usage of the human-computer interface by the expansion unit; and supplying input signals from the human-computer interface to the legacy device and preventing output signals from the expansion unit from reaching the human-computer interface in response to the expansion unit receiving a control code designating usage of the human-computer interface by the legacy device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification