METHOD AND CIRCUIT FOR CAPTURING KEYPAD DATA SERIALIZING/DESERIALIZING AND REGENERATING THE KEYPAD INTERFACE
First Claim
1. A system for scanning a first keypad or keyboard, the system comprising:
- a computer system arranged to generate first scan line signals to and receive first sense line signals as if the computer system was attached to the keypad;
a deserializer having an interface that receives the first scan line signals from the computer system and generates the first sense line signals to the computer system, wherein the deserializer mimics the response that a keypad would when attached to the computer system'"'"'s scan and sense lines;
a serializer that generates second scan line signals to and receives second sense line signals from a keypad;
wherein the serializer mimics scan and sense line signals of the computer system, wherein the scan and sense lines signals are formatted into a serial bit stream by the serializer;
a connection between the deserializer and the serializer, the serial connection arranged to send data in a serial fashion;
wherein the serializer sends the bit stream over the connection, wherein the bit stream is received by the deserializer and reformatted into a form that is returned to the computer system as if the keypad was attached to the computer system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A serializer/deserializer interfacing a keypad or keyboard to a processing system is illustrated. In one application, the processor is arranged to generate keypad scan and input keypad sense lines directly. However, to minimize wires on intervening cables, a serializer and deserializer is inserted between the processor system, the serializer/deserializer forming a virtual keypad. In this case, the processor scans the deserializer as if it were the keypad and the keypad is scanned by the serializer as if it were the processor. However, the serializer converts the scanning of the keypad into a serial bit stream that is sent to the deserializer using only a data line and a clock line. The deserializer accepts the serial bit stream and reconfigures the data into a response that mimics the response of the physical keypad as the computer system scans the virtual keypad, the deserializer. In one embodiment an actual second keypad is formed in the deserializer and activated as the first keypad is activated, wherein the computer scans the second keypad in the usual fashion.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for scanning a first keypad or keyboard, the system comprising:
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a computer system arranged to generate first scan line signals to and receive first sense line signals as if the computer system was attached to the keypad; a deserializer having an interface that receives the first scan line signals from the computer system and generates the first sense line signals to the computer system, wherein the deserializer mimics the response that a keypad would when attached to the computer system'"'"'s scan and sense lines; a serializer that generates second scan line signals to and receives second sense line signals from a keypad;
wherein the serializer mimics scan and sense line signals of the computer system, wherein the scan and sense lines signals are formatted into a serial bit stream by the serializer;a connection between the deserializer and the serializer, the serial connection arranged to send data in a serial fashion;
wherein the serializer sends the bit stream over the connection, wherein the bit stream is received by the deserializer and reformatted into a form that is returned to the computer system as if the keypad was attached to the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A process for scanning a first keypad or keyboard, the process comprising the steps of:
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sending first scan line signals to and receiving first sense line signals from a computer system as if the first scan and sense signals were sent to and received from the keypad; mimicking, by a deserializer, a keypad receiving the first scan line signals and generating the first sense line signals, generating second scan line signals to and receiving second sense line signals from the keypad; formatting the second scan and sense line signals into a serial bit stream; transferring the serial bit stream to the deserializer; receiving the serial bit stream by the deserializer; reformatting the receiving serial bit stream into a form that is returned to the computer system as if the keypad was attached to the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification