Display and input control device

• US 5,606,345 A
• Filed: 07/29/1994
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pilgrim (824443)
• Original Assignee: Philippe Truchet
• Inventors: Truchet, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOCKETT, KUNIKI
• Application Number:
  US08/256,577
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/173, 345/146, 345/902, 345/118, 345/113, 345/119, 345/120
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/902 Menu display

Abstract

An electronic device that simplifies a use of a data processing system. The electronic device displays on a data processing system display device either data from the data processing system or data generated by the electronic device. The electronic device displays data on the display device to allow entry of data to the data processing system by using a touch sensitive screen placed over the display device. The operation of the electronic device is achieved without modification of the data processing system or application software executing in the data processing system.

Claims

1. A data display and input control device for simplifying use of a host computer, the data display and input control device connectable to a display terminal and the host computer, the display terminal including a touch sensitive screen, the data display and input control device comprising:

a central processing unit having a RAM and a ROM;

a window position RAM storing window position data;

a window display data RAM storing window display data to be displayed on the display terminal;

a keyboard interface connectable to the keyboard connector of the host computer;

a peripheral circuit coupling the central processing unit to the touch sensitive screen; and

an electronic switching device switching in real time data to be displayed by the display terminal between the host computer and the window display data RAM.

2. The data display and input control device according to claim 1, wherein the data display and input control device is inserted into a housing and placed between the host computer and the display terminal.

3. The data display and input control device according to claim 1, wherein the data display and input control device is placed on an electronic card inserted directly into the host computer.

4. The data display and input control device according to claim 1, wherein the data display and input control device is an independent module placed within the host computer.

5. The data display and input control device according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit transforms a touch on the touch sensitive screen into standard keyboard data to be sent to the host computer.

6. The data display and input control device according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit generates preprogrammed consecutive series of keystrokes sent to the host computer in response to information from one of the touch sensitive screen and a host computer keyboard.

7. The data display and input control device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive screen covers the display terminal, and the central processing unit links the windows displayed on the display terminal, an output of the touch sensitive screen, and a corresponding series of keystrokes output to the host computer.

8. A data display and input control device for simplifying use of a host computer, the data display and input control device connectable to a display terminal and the host computer, the data display and input control device comprising:

a central processing unit inputting data from the host computer;

a window position memory for storing window position data;

a window data memory for storing window display data; and

an electronic switching means for outputting to the display terminal one of a host computer display data and a central processing unit display data by switching in real time between the host computer and the window data memory.

9. The data display and input control device according to claim 8, wherein a touch sensitive screen covers the display terminal so that display contents can be seen through the touch sensitive screen, the touch sensitive screen serving as a data entry device and generating an output corresponding to a location touched by an operator based on the display contents, and the central processing unit receiving the output from the touch sensitive screen.

10. The data display and input control device according to claim 8, wherein a second application running on the host computer concurrently with a main application can interface with the data display and input control device without interfering with the main application.

11. A method for simplifying use of a host computer, wherein a data display and input control device is connected to a host computer and a display terminal, the method comprising:

covering the display terminal with a touch sensitive screen;

interfacing with a second application without interfering with a main application;

generating at least one window to be displayed on the display terminal using the data display and input control device;

switching in real time data to be displayed by the display terminal between the host computer and the data display and input control device;

displaying on the display terminal the at least one generated window so that the at least one window is visible through the touch sensitive screen;

touching the touch sensitive screen at a touched position;

outputting the touched position detected by the touch sensitive screen to a central microprocessing unit;

generating at least one keystroke based on the touched position and the at least one window visible through the touch sensitive screen; and

sending to the host computer the at least one keystroke.