Sharing word-processing functions among multiple processors

• US 4,924,434 A
• Filed: 05/09/1988
• Issued: 05/08/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hart, Robert J., Christenson, Patrick J., Naatz, David C., Rowlance, Edward J., Wenz, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US07/196,833
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/131, 364/132, 364/136, 364/137, 400/63, 400/76, 400/83
• US Class Current: 710/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities

Abstract

A central processor holds a word-processing program and an entire document to be processed. A smaller I/O processor, connected to the central processor and to an interactive display, holds code for some functions of the word processor, and holds a part of the document. As an operator performs editing tasks at the display, the I/O processor performs locally those functions involving only the document part it holds. When additional document text is required to complete a function, the central processor performs that part of the function involving the additional text.

Claims

1. A method of performing an interactive task upon a nonexecutable data entity associated with an executable application program, by means of a first central data processor and a second auxiliary data processor, said second auxiliary data processor being connected to an interactive terminal adapted for display to and input from an operator, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing said nonexecutable data entity in its entirety in said first central data processor;

(b) transferring a portion of said nonexecutable data entity to said second auxiliary data processor;

(c) displaying at least some of said nonexecutable data entity portion on a display under the control of code located in said second auxiliary data processor;

(d) receiving in said second auxiliary data processor, after step (b), a command input by said operator to perform a predetermined function upon certain data in said nonexecutable data entity for modifying content or location of said certain data;

(e) determining in said second auxiliary data processor whether said function involves only data in said nonexecutable data entity portion located in said second auxiliary data processor;

(1) if so, performing said function entirely in said second auxiliary data processor, by means of program code which is a part of said executable application program and is permanently located in said second auxiliary data processor, upon said data located in said second auxiliary data processor;

(2) if not, transferring said command to said first central data processor and performing in said first central data processor a part of the same predetermined function, by means of program code which is a part of said executable application program and is located in said first central data processor, upon said data in the same nonexecutable data entity located in said first central data processor, said part of said same function including modifying the content or location of least a part of said certain data located in said first central data processor itself.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said nonexecutable data entity is a text document.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said executable application program is a word-processing program having code located partly in said central processor and partly in said second auxiliary data processor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said application program includes a function for inserting additional data into said data entity at a location designated by said operator.

5. A system for performing an interactive task upon a nonexecutable data entity associated with executable application program, said system comprising:

(a) a central data processor having storage for data and executable code;

(b) a nonexecutable data entity associated with an executable application program, wherein said nonexecutable data entity is stored in its entirety in said central data processor;

(c) first executable code forming a part of said executable application program, stored in said central data processor, for performing entirely within said central data processor an entire function associated with each of a set of predetermined operations for modifying content of said nonexecutable data entity stored in said central data processor;

(d) an auxiliary data processor having storage for data and executable code and having input means for receiving a command from an operator;

(e) means for transferring a portion of said nonexecutable data entity to said auxiliary data processor from said central data processor, and vice versa;

(f) second executable code forming a part of said executable application program, stored in said auxiliary data processor, for performing within said auxiliary data processor the entire function of each of said set of predetermined operations for modifying the content of said nonexecutable data entity portion currently stored in said auxiliary data processor;

(g) an interactive display terminal coupled to said auxiliary data processor for displaying said nonexecutable data entity portion to an operator;

(h) input means coupled to said auxiliary data processor for receiving from said operator a command to perform one operation of said set of predetermined operations upon said nonexecutable data entity;

(i) decision means in said auxiliary data processor for determining whether said one operation can be entirely performed upon said nonexecutable data entity portion already stored in said auxiliary data processor, for invoking said second executable code to modify said nonexecutable data entity portion in said auxiliary data processor if so, and otherwise for transferring said command to said central data processor so as to invoke said first executable code to modify said entire nonexecutable data entity in said central data processor.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said first executable code executes only in said central data processor, and wherein said second executable code differs substantially from said first executable code and executes only in said auxiliary data processor.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said central data processor has a first instruction set and said auxiliary data processor has a second instruction set differing from said first instruction set, and wherein said first executable code is adapted to execute in said first instruction set and said second executable code is adapted to execute in said second instruction set.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said central data processor is a higher-capacity processor for executing user tasks, and wherein said auxiliary data processor is a lower-capacity input/output device controller for controlling said interactive terminal.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a channel coupled between said central data and said auxiliary data processors, said channel being controlled by said central data processor to transfer said nonexecutable data/entity portion both to and from said auxiliary data processor.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein said one operation comprises modifying as a unit a block of data whose boundaries are designated by said operator at said terminal as a unit additional data, whereby said second executable code causes said auxiliary data processor to modify said data in said nonexecutable data entity portion stored in said auxiliary data processor if said block of data exists in said nonexecutable data entity portion, and said first executable code causes said central data processor to modify said block of data in said entire data item stored in said central data processor otherwise.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said nonexecutable data entity is a text document.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said executable application program is a word-processing program having code located partly in said central data processor and partly in said auxiliary data processor.

13. A system for performing an interactive task upon a nonexecutable data entity associated with executable application program, said system comprising:

(a) a central data processor having storage for data and executable code;

(b) a nonexecutable data entity associated with an executable application program, wherein said nonexecutable data entity is stored in its entirety in said central data processor;

(c) first executable code forming a part of said executable application program, stored in said central data processor, for performing entirely within said central data processor an entire function associated with each of a set of predetermined operations for modifying content of said nonexecutable data entity stored in said central data processor;

(d) an auxiliary data processor having storage for data and executable code and having input means for receiving a command from an operator;

(e) means for transferring a portion of said nonexecutable data entity to said auxiliary data processor from said central data processor, and vice versa;

(f) second executable code forming a part of said executable application program, stored in said auxiliary data processor, for performing within said auxiliary data processor the entire function of each of said set of predetermined operations for modifying the content of said nonexecutable data entity portion currently stored in said auxiliary data processor;

(g) an interactive display terminal coupled to said auxiliary data processor for displaying said nonexecutable data entity portion to an operator;

(h) input means coupled to said auxiliary data processor for receiving from said operator a command to perform one operation of said set of predetermined operations upon said nonexecutable data entity;

(i) decision means in said auxiliary data processor for determining whether said one operation can be entirely performed upon said nonexecutable data entity portion already stored in said auxiliary data processor, for invoking said second executable code to modify said nonexecutable data entity portion in said auxiliary data processor if so, and otherwise for transferring said command to said central data processor so as to invoke said first executable code to modify at least a part of said nonexecutable data entity located in said central data processor itself.