System for identifying attached input pointing devices, loading associated software routines, and interacting with anyone input pointing device while disabling the others

• US 5,404,524 A
• Filed: 04/03/1992
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Celi, Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US07/862,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 395/275, 395/375, 395/600, 395/650, 395/500, 395/700, 340/706, 340/707, 340/708, 340/709, 340/710, 364/234.3, 364/280.2, 364/281.7
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A method and system for permitting simultaneous communication between a data processing system and input pointing devices of multiple types. During the initialization of an operating system, each input pointing device which is coupled to a data processing system is automatically identified. Thereafter, in response to each input from any one of the identified input pointing devices, a particular software routine is automatically selected, thus permitting each identified input pointing device to communicate with the data processing system.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types, wherein said data processing system includes an operating system and a plurality of software applications, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of software routines within said data processing system for permitting communication between said plurality of input pointing devices and said plurality of software applications within said data processing system, wherein for each of said plurality of input pointing devices a particular one of said plurality of software routines is utilized for permitting said each of said plurality of input pointing devices to communicate with any of said plurality of software applications;

during initialization of said operating system, automatically polling said data processing system in order to identify each of a plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system;

automatically loading a particular one of said plurality of software routines, in response to identifying each of a plurality of input devices coupled to said data processing system, when said particular one of said plurality of software routines corresponds to an identified one of said plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system;

automatically selecting a particular one of said plurality of software routines, in response to each input from any one of said identified plurality of input pointing devices, wherein each of said identified plurality of input pointing devices may communicate with said data processing system;

disabling all other input pointing devices among said identified plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system in response to an input from any one of said identified plurality of input pointing devices;

performing a function associated with said input from said any one of said identified plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system using said selected software routine; and

thereafter enabling all other input pointing devices among said identified plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system.

2. A data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types, wherein said data processing system includes an operating system and a plurality of software applications, said data processing system comprising:

means for providing a plurality of software routines within said data processing system for permitting communication between said plurality of input pointing devices and said plurality of software applications within said data processing system, wherein for each of said plurality of input pointing devices the same one of said plurality of software routines is utilized for permitting said each of said plurality of input pointing devices to communicate with any of said plurality of software applications;

means for automatically polling said data processing system in order to identify each of a plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system, during initialization of said operating system;

means for automatically loading a particular one of said plurality of software routines, in response to automatically identifying each of a plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system, wherein said particular one of said plurality of software routines corresponds to an identified one of said plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system;

means for automatically selecting a particular one of said plurality of software routines, in response to each input from any one of said identified plurality of input pointing devices, wherein each of said identified plurality of input pointing devices may communicate with said data processing system;

means for disabling all other input pointing devices among said identified plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system in response to an input from any one of said identified plurality of input pointing devices;

means for performing a function associated with said input from said any one of said identified plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system using said selected software routine; and

means for enabling of all other input pointing devices among said identified plurality of input pointing devices coupled to said data processing system.

3. The data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types includes a mouse.

4. The data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types includes a track ball.

5. The data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types includes a touch display screen.

6. The data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types includes a pointing stick.

7. The data processing system for permitting simultaneous communication between said data processing system and a plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of input pointing devices of multiple types includes a pen.