Real-time adjustable-transform device driver for physical devices

• US 5,214,761 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wang Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Barrett, David M., Knowlton, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Dale M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, DIANE
• Application Number:
  US07/794,354
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/239.3, 364/260, 364/260.1, 364/260.3, 364/260.4, 364/260.9, 364/900, 364/920.7, 364/939.2, 364/95.1, 395/275, 395/375
• US Class Current: 710/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881

Abstract

A device driver in a computer system being controlled by an application program has selectable algorithms for making desired changes to the signals produced by an external device. The signal changes are in addition to any changes which are needed for conforming the external device signals into a data structure required by the application. Selectable algorithms include a data filtering capability as well as a procedure to enhance the data produced by the external device.

Claims

1. A data processing system, comprising:

a. a memory storing instructions and data including an application program and a device driver code module, and

b. a processor responsive to the instructions and data stored in memory for executing the application program and for executing the device driver code module to transform data signals from an external device to a form for input to the executing application program, the device driver code module comprising;

a device driver code portion comprising instructions and data used by the processor for receiving data signals from the external device and for sending transformed data signals to the executing application program, and

a transform code portion loaded into memory with the device driver code portion and comprising instructions and data used by the processor for transforming the data signals received by the device driver code portion from the external device into the transformed data signals for sending to the executing application program by the device driver code portion in accordance with a specific transformation procedure, each transform code portion comprising;

(1) an algorithm code portion comprising instructions for defining a finite state machine used by the processor for executing the transformation procedure prescribed for the selected transform code portion,

(2) a gate way code portion including instructions and data used by the processor for controlling entry into the finite state machine of the algorithm code portion, and

(3) a data block portion for storing data containing information used by the processor for executing the selected transform code portion, including data indicating the address in memory of a first buffer area for storing the first data structure data signals received from the external device, and data indicating the address in memory of a second buffer area for storing the second data structure data signals generated by the selected transform algorithm operating on the first data structure data signals stored in the first buffer area,

wherein the processor selects the transform code portion from a plurality of prescribed transform code portions each corresponding to a specific transformation procedure, and loads the selected transform code portion into the memory with the device driver code portion to provide the device driver code module.

2. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the device driver code portion comprises:

a permanent code space portion comprising instructions used by the processor for executing the device driver, and

a transform loading area for receiving the selected prescribed transform code portion to be loaded into memory with the device driver code portion.

3. The data processing system of claim 2 wherein the device driver code portion further comprises

a temporary installation code area comprising instructions used by the processor for initializing the device driver, loading the selected transform code portion into the transform loading area, and initializing the external device.

4. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a data filtering type.

5. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is an X percent of the way there type of algorithm, and the X percent is a variable having a predetermined magnitude from a range of magnitudes.

6. The data processing system of claim 5 wherein the predetermined magnitude is selected by a user.

7. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a four point averaging type of algorithm.

8. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a data enhancing type of algorithm which generates at least one new data point in addition to those produced by the external device.

9. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein the data enhancing type of prescribed transformation procedure is a pseudo B-Spine type of algorithm.

10. A data processing system, comprising:

a. a memory storing instructions and data including an application program and a device driver code module, and

b. a processor responsive to the instructions and data stored in memory for executing the application program and for executing the device driver code module to transform data signals from an external device to a form for input to the executing application program, the device driver code module comprising;

a device driver code portion comprising instructions and data used by the processor for receiving data signals from the external device and for sending transformed data signals to the executing application program, the device driver code portion having a permanent code space portion comprising instructions used by the processor for executing the device driver, and

a transform code portion loaded into memory with the device driver code portion and comprising instructions and data used by the processor for transforming the data signals received by the device driver code portion from the external device into the transformed data signals for sending to the executing application program by the device driver code portion in accordance with a specific transformation procedure, the transform code portion comprising;

(1) an algorithm code portion comprising instructions for defining a finite state machine used by the processor for executing the transformation procedure prescribed for the selected transform code portion,

(2) a gate way code portion including instructions and data used by the processor for controlling entry into the finite state machine of the algorithm code portion, and

(3) a data block portion for storing data containing information used by the processor for executing the selected transform code portion including data indicating the address in memory of a first buffer area for storing the first data structure data signals received from the external device, and data indicating the address in memory of a second buffer area for storing the second data structure data generated by the selected transform algorithm operating on the first data structure data signals stored in the first buffer area,

and the device driver code portion further comprises a transform loading area for receiving the transform code portion to be loaded into memory with the device driver code portion, and a temporary installation code area comprising instructions used by the processor for initializing the device driver, loading the transform code portion into the transform loading area, and initializing the external device,

wherein the processor selects the transform code from a plurality of prescribed transform code portions each corresponding to a specific transformation procedure, and the processor loads the selected transform code portion into the transform loading area of the device driver code portion to provide the device driver code module.

11. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a data filtering type.

12. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is an X percent of the way there type of algorithm, and the X percent is a variable having a predetermined magnitude from a range of magnitudes.

13. The data processing system of claim 12 wherein the predetermined magnitude is selected by a user.

14. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a four point averaging type of algorithm.

15. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a data enhancing type of algorithm which generates at least one new data point in addition to those produced by the external device.

16. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein the data enhancing type of prescribed transformation procedure is a pseudo B-Spine type of algorithm.

17. A method for processing data, comprising the steps of:

a. storing instructions and data including an application program and a device driver code module in a memory, and

b. providing a processor responsive to the instructions and data stored in memory for executing the application program and for loading in memory and executing the device driver code module to transform data signals from an external device to a form for input to the executing application program, loading the device driver code module in memory comprising the steps of;

loading a device driver code portion in memory comprising instructions and data used by the processor for receiving data signals from the external device and for sending transformed data signals to the executing application program,

selecting a transform code portion from a plurality of prescribed transform code portions each corresponding to a specific transformation procedure and comprising instructions and data used by the processor for transforming the data signals into the transformed data signals for sending to the executing application program by the device driver code portion, and

loading the selected transform code portion into memory with the device driver code portion, including the steps of;

(1) loading an algorithm code portion comprising instructions for defining a finite state machine used by the processor for executing the transformation procedure prescribed for the selected transform code portion,

(2) loading a gateway code portion including instructions and data used by the processor for controlling entry into the finite state machine of the algorithm code portion, and

(3) loading a data block portion for storing data containing information used by the processor for executing the selected transform code portion, including loading data indicating the address in memory of a first buffer area reserved in the memory for storing data signals received from the external device, and loading data indicating the address in memory of a second buffer area reserved in the memory for storing the transformed data signals generated by the selected transform algorithm operating on the data signals stored in the first buffer area.

18. The data processing method of claim 17 wherein loading the device driver code portion in memory comprises:

loading a permanent code space portion in memory comprising instructions used by the processor for executing the device driver, and

reserving a transform loading area in memory for receiving the selected prescribed transform code portion to be loaded into memory with the device driver code portion.

19. The data processing method of claim 18 wherein loading the device driver code module further comprises:

reserving a temporary installation code area in memory for storing instructions used by the processor for initializing the device driver,

loading the selected transform code portion into the transform loading area, and

initializing the external device.

20. The data processing method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a data filtering type.

21. The data processing method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is an X percent of the way there type of algorithm, and the X percent is a variable having a predetermined magnitude from a range of magnitudes.

22. The data processing method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined magnitude is selected by a user.

23. The data processing method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a four point averaging type of algorithm.

24. The data processing method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the prescribed transformation procedures is a data enhancing type of algorithm which generates at least one new data point in addition to those produced by the external device.

25. The data processing method of claim 17 wherein the data enhancing type of prescribed transformation procedure is a pseudo B-Spline type of algorithm.