Method and apparatus for supporting multiple NPT display sessions on a single address

• US 6,366,262 B1
• Filed: 03/07/1997
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Romon, Raymond Francis, Okimoto, Shoji, Amell, Steven Joseph, Kiel, Harvey Gene, Shimizu, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US08/813,864
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 395/329, 395/501, 395/401, 395/402, 395/284, 395/292, 395/733, 395/737, 345/1-3, 345/168, 345/329, 345/330, 345/331, 345/501, 345/733-738, 345/750-751, 345/1--, 463/42, 709/300, 709/301, 710/260, 710/263, 710/264, 710/266, 710/267, 710/3, 710/104, 710/109, 710/112
• US Class Current: 345/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for supporting multiple display sessions through a single address on a non-programmable-terminal (NPT) attached to a host computer by a work station controller (WSC). The WSC enables shared addressing of multiple display sessions on the NPT. The WSC changes focus to a selected one of the multiple display sessions responsive to receiving from the host computer a data stream for a requested display session not having the focus and responsive to receiving a change focus request from the NPT. The NPT may have one display session active for the user interface and a different display session having the focus communicating with the host computer, which is transparent to the user and to the host computer.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supporting multiple display sessions through a single address on a non-programmable-terminal (NPT), the NPT attached to a host computer by a work station controller (WSC), the improvement in the WSC comprising:

means for enabling shared addressing of multiple display sessions through the single address on the NPT;

said shared addressing of multiple display sessions on the NPT enabling means including means for checking for a shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT and means responsive to an identified shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT for setting a shared addressing flag; and

focus change command means for identifying a focus change request from the NPT for a requested display session of the multiple display sessions sharing the single address on the NPT and for changing focus to said requested display session of the multiple display sessions;

only one of the multiple display sessions having the focus at any time.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for checking for said shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT includes means for identifying a requested number of display sessions by the NPT, means responsive to said requested number of display sessions for identifying the capacity of the WSC and means responsive to said identified capacity of the WSC for supporting said requested number or for supporting a partial number of said requested number of display sessions.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said focus change command means for changing focus to said requested display session of the multiple display sessions includes means responsive to an identified focus change request from the NPT for checking a keyboard lock function and buffered keystrokes in the current display session having the focus and means responsive to said checking means identifying said keyboard lock function or buffered keystrokes for ignoring said focus change request.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 further includes means responsive to said checking means not identifying said keyboard lock function or buffered keystrokes for sending a change focus command to said requested display session.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said focus change command means for changing focus to said requested display session of the multiple display sessions includes means for receiving a host data stream from the host computer for a requested display session, means for comparing said requested display session with the current display session having the focus and means for sending a change focus command to said requested display session responsive to an identified requested display session being different from the current display session having the focus.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said WSC further includes means for controlling a user interface display session and wherein said focus change command means for changing focus to said requested display session of the multiple display sessions is independent of said user interface display session control means, whereby said user interface display session includes a display session not having focus.

7. A method for supporting multiple display sessions through a single address on a non-programmable-terminal (NPT), the NPT attached to a host computer by a work station controller (WSC), comprising the steps of:

checking, by said WSC, for a shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT;

enabling, responsive to an identified shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT, by said WSC, shared addressing of multiple display sessions through the single address on the NPT;

identifying a focus change request from the NPT for a requested display session of the multiple display sessions on the NPT;

only one of the multiple display sessions having the focus at any time; and

changing focus, by said WSC, to said requested display session of the multiple display sessions.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said step of changing focus, by said WSC, includes the steps of receiving a data stream from said host computer for a requested display session, comparing said requested display session with the current display session having the focus and sending a change focus command to said requested display session responsive to an identified requested display session being different from the display session having the focus.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said step of changing focus, by said WSC, includes the steps of responsive to an identified focus change request from the NPT for a requested display session of the multiple display sessions on the NPT, checking a keyboard lock function and buffered keystrokes in the current display session having the focus and ignoring said focus change request responsive to identifying said keyboard lock function or buffered keystrokes, and continue processing keystroke data in the current display session having the focus.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further includes the step of sending a change focus command to said requested display session responsive to not identifying said keyboard lock function or buffered keystrokes.

11. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said step of enabling, by said WSC, shared addressing of multiple display sessions through the single address on the NPT includes the steps of receiving said shared addressing request for a requested number of display sessions by the NPT, identifying the capacity of the WSC, comparing said identified capacity with said requested number of shared display sessions, and supporting said requested number or supporting a partial number of said requested number of display sessions.

12. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said step of changing focus, by said WSC, is transparent to a user of the NPT.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 further includes the steps of controlling, by said WSC, an active display session not having the focus for a user interface;

and

communicating with a different display session having the focus.

21. A non-programmable-terminal (NPT) as recited in claim 7 further includes means responsive to receiving a Read Info To Outstanding Status Buffer command from the WSC for sending a read data response to the WSC.

14. A computer system comprising:

a host computer;

a workstation controller WSC coupled to said host computer;

at least one non-programmable terminal (NPT) coupled by said WSC to said host computer;

said WSC including;

means for enabling shared addressing of multiple display session through a single address on the NPT;

said shared addressing of multiple display session on the NPT enabling means including means for checking for a shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT and means responsive to an identified shared addressing request in set-up from the NPT for setting a shared addressing flag; and

focus change command means for identifying a focus change request from the NPT for a requested display session of the multiple display sessions sharing the single address on the NPT and for changing focus to said requested display session of the multiple display sessions;

only one of the multiple display sessions having the focus at any time.

15. A computer system as recited in claim 14 wherein said NPT includes a personal computer including program means for emulating said NPT.

16. A computer system as recited in claim 14 wherein said WSC includes means for controlling a user interface display session and wherein said focus change command means is independent of said user interface display session controlling means.

17. A non-programmable-terminal (NPT) attached to a host computer by a work station controller (WSC), the NPT comprising:

single address means for enabling communications with the WSC through a single address on the NPT;

means for requesting, in set-up from the WSC, shared addressing of multiple display sessions through the single address on the NPT; and

focus change request means for requesting from the WSC, focus change to a requested display session of the multiple display sessions on the NPT sharing said single address;

only one of the multiple display sessions on the NPT having the focus at any time.

18. A non-programmable-terminal (NPT) as recited in claim 17 further includes means responsive to receiving a focus change command from the WSC for sending a response to the WSC.

19. A non-programmable-terminal (NPT) as recited in claim 17 further includes buffer memory means for storing a queue of keystroke events.

20. A non-programmable-terminal (NPT) as recited in claim 17 further includes means responsive to receiving a focus change command from the WSC for checking for a queued event in a current display session having focus.