Interface for keyboard emulation provided by an operating system
First Claim
1. A data processing system comprising:
- a central processing unit;
a memory, coupled to the central processing unit;
an operating system, stored in said memory and executable on said central processing unit, said operating system capable of executing a plurality of tasks, each task having associated therewith a session number and a control block, said operating system further designating at least one of said tasks as being a foreground session;
an input device, operatively coupled to the central processing unit and the memory by said operating system, said input device capable of generating a parameter packet, said parameter packets comprising at least one scan code and a destination session number;
a scan code processor, responsive to said scan code of said parameter packet for processing said scan code; and
a keyboard emulation interface, operatively coupled intermediate said input device and said scan code processor and responsive to said parameter packet generated by the input device, said keyboard emulation interface comprising,means for determining the validity of said scan code,means for determining the validity of said destination session number, andmeans for determining whether the destination session number is equal to the foreground session number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system includes a keyboard which includes cooperatively operating therewith a keyboard device driver to enable the keyboard to interface with an operating system and applications program running within the computer system. Further types of input devices, such as handprint terminals, light pens, etc., can be employed in place of a keyboard to interact with the operating system and application programs running within the computer system. A keyboard device driver emulator is provided which transforms input data from the alternate input device so as to have said data appear to be keyboard generated data which is then transmitted to the operating system and applications running within the computer system. The invention also relates to a method of operating a computer system with an input device which is not a keyboard, but operating the system as if the input device were a keyboard by transforming the data from the input device to make it appear to be keyboard generated data.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A data processing system comprising:
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a central processing unit; a memory, coupled to the central processing unit; an operating system, stored in said memory and executable on said central processing unit, said operating system capable of executing a plurality of tasks, each task having associated therewith a session number and a control block, said operating system further designating at least one of said tasks as being a foreground session; an input device, operatively coupled to the central processing unit and the memory by said operating system, said input device capable of generating a parameter packet, said parameter packets comprising at least one scan code and a destination session number; a scan code processor, responsive to said scan code of said parameter packet for processing said scan code; and a keyboard emulation interface, operatively coupled intermediate said input device and said scan code processor and responsive to said parameter packet generated by the input device, said keyboard emulation interface comprising, means for determining the validity of said scan code, means for determining the validity of said destination session number, and means for determining whether the destination session number is equal to the foreground session number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a data processing system having a scan code processor for processing keyboard scan codes, a non-keyboard, input device operatively coupled to the scan code processor, and an operating system executing plurality of sessions one of which is designated as a foreground session, a method of providing input commands and data from said input device to the operating system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a keyboard emulation interface operatively coupled between said scan code processor and said input device;
p1 b) receiving with said keyboard emulation interface, a parameter packet from said input device, said parameter packet comprising a scan code and a destination session number;c) determining, with said keyboard emulation interface whether said scan code is valid; d) determining, with said keyboard emulation interface whether said destination session number is valid; e) determining, with said keyboard emulation interface, whether said destination session number is equal to the session number of said foreground session. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification