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Special purpose terminal for interactive user interface

  • US 5,724,069 A
  • Filed: 07/15/1994
  • Issued: 03/03/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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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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