Special purpose terminal for interactive user interface
First Claim
1. A special purpose microcomputer-based terminal for interactive user interface and comprising the combination of:
- a general purpose microcomputer having a display port and a keyboard port, the keyboard port being interfaced to a microcomputer keyboard driver of the type responsive to interpret keystroke signals in a standard format transmitted from a standard alphanumerical keyboard;
an interactive interface module comprising a general purpose display screen connected to and driven from the display port of the microcomputer, and a user input module including a plurality of electrical pushbuttons arranged along at least one side of the display;
the user input module including an encoder circuit for detecting the actuation of each pushbutton and producing a keystroke signal identifying the actuated pushbutton and compatible with the standard format of the keyboard driver;
the user input module being coupled to the keyboard port so that the keystroke signals produced by the encoder circuit are transmitted to and processed by the keyboard driver;
a program memory in the microcomputer for assigning level specific functions to individual ones of the pushbuttons and containing instructions which;
(a) assign level-specific input functions to the pushbuttons, and display pushbutton function assignments for a specified level on the display screen in positions coordinated to the positions of the pushbuttons; and
(b) respond to signals received from the keyboard driver circuit initiated by actuation of a pushbutton by determining the function specified by the pushbutton actuation for the specified level and executing the determined function.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A special purpose microcomputer-based terminal for interactive user interface. The terminal includes a general purpose microcomputer and an interface module made up of a general purpose display screen and an array of pushbuttons positioned along the sides of the screen. Actuating a pushbutton causes the interface module to generate a standard keystroke signal which is transmitted to the microcomputer through the keyboard port. The input elements of the user interface thus make use of the standard keyboard drivers normally available in a general purpose microcomputer to communicate with the application program. The application program in the computer memory displays on-the-screen selection indicators for available options coordinated to the positions of the pushbuttons, and actuating a button serves to select an option. The application program may present to a user options organized in hierarchal menu tree fashion, and the user may select a path through the menu tree by consecutively actuating the buttons.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A special purpose microcomputer-based terminal for interactive user interface and comprising the combination of:
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a general purpose microcomputer having a display port and a keyboard port, the keyboard port being interfaced to a microcomputer keyboard driver of the type responsive to interpret keystroke signals in a standard format transmitted from a standard alphanumerical keyboard; an interactive interface module comprising a general purpose display screen connected to and driven from the display port of the microcomputer, and a user input module including a plurality of electrical pushbuttons arranged along at least one side of the display; the user input module including an encoder circuit for detecting the actuation of each pushbutton and producing a keystroke signal identifying the actuated pushbutton and compatible with the standard format of the keyboard driver; the user input module being coupled to the keyboard port so that the keystroke signals produced by the encoder circuit are transmitted to and processed by the keyboard driver; a program memory in the microcomputer for assigning level specific functions to individual ones of the pushbuttons and containing instructions which; (a) assign level-specific input functions to the pushbuttons, and display pushbutton function assignments for a specified level on the display screen in positions coordinated to the positions of the pushbuttons; and (b) respond to signals received from the keyboard driver circuit initiated by actuation of a pushbutton by determining the function specified by the pushbutton actuation for the specified level and executing the determined function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A special purpose microcomputer-based terminal for interactive user interface and comprising the combination of:
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a general purpose microcomputer having a display port and a keyboard port, the keyboard port being interfaced to a keyboard driver in the microcomputer of the type responsive to interpret keystroke signals in a standard format transmitted from a standard alphanumerical keyboard; an interactive interface module comprising a general purpose display screen connected to and driven from the display port of the microcomputer, and a user input module including a plurality of electrical pushbuttons arranged along at least one side of the display; the user input module including an encoder circuit for detecting the actuation of each pushbutton and producing a keystroke signal identifying the actuated pushbutton and compatible with the standard format of the keyboard driver; the user input module being coupled to the keyboard port so that the keystroke signals produced by the encoder circuit are transmitted to the keyboard driver; a program memory in the microcomputer containing; (a) an input/output module having multiple levels for assigning level-specific functions to the pushbuttons and including; (i) a display module for displaying on the screen representations of the pushbuttons and the functions assigned to the pushbuttons at each level; (ii) an interpreter for interpreting a keystroke signal resulting from a pushbutton actuation in accordance with the function assigned to the actuated pushbutton at the associated level; and (b) an application module for executing the interpreted function assigned to the pushbutton at the interpreted level. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of simplifying the input/output operation in a special purpose terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a general purpose microcomputer having a display connected to the display port and having a keyboard port of the type responsive to interpret keystroke signals in a standard format when transmitted from a standard alphanumeric keyboard; providing an array of input pushbuttons, comprising the only input means for the terminal, and connecting said input pushbuttons through a keyboard encoder to the keyboard port, the number of pushbuttons being substantially less than the number of characters in a standard alphanumeric character set; operating the terminal at a plurality of program levels each assigning different functions to at least some of the pushbuttons; operating the keyboard encoder to assign particular keystroke signals to each pushbutton irrespective of the program level at which the terminal is operating; assigning variable functions to the pushbuttons dependent on the program level at which the terminal is operating, as part of the assigning step displaying on the display a set of indicators for the functions assigned to the pushbuttons in positional relationship with the physical locations of the pushbuttons; and interpreting a keystroke signal received from an actuated pushbutton in accordance with the program level then in effect to cause the function displayed for the pushbutton to be performed upon actuation thereof. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification