Computer system for interface of shell program and interface method of the same

• US 6,515,686 B1
• Filed: 09/07/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Soo-Jung, Kim, Myoung-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US09/391,626
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/163, 345/826, 345/827, 345/830, 345/831, 395/650
• US Class Current: 715/827
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A method for shell program interface of a computer system is described. A shell program is activated by using a wheel button of a wheel mouse and a defined hotkey or only the wheel button. A wheel is moved back and forth to select and execute one of a plurality of application programs registered in the shell program. The input of the hotkey and the wheel button is determined by using a dynamic link library (DLL). As a result, it is suppressed that hotkeys of a plurality of application programs are collided.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer unit having a processor processing data, a plurality of application programs including data-handling instructions, and a shell program selecting and executing one of said application programs;

a memory being coupled to said computer unit and storing the data;

an input unit inputting one signal selected from among a first input signal and a second input signal; and

a driving unit loading said shell program into said memory in response to receiving said first input signal;

when said second input signal is inputted, said driving unit determining whether said shell program is loaded into said memory;

when said driving unit determines that said shell program is loaded into said memory, said driving unit activating said shell program in response to receiving said second input signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising said computer unit having an operating system program including instructions for operating said computer unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising said shell program being loaded into said memory when said operating system program is started.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, said input unit further comprising:

a first input device including a button; and

a second input device including a switch;

said first input signal being inputted when both said button and said switch are manipulated by a user.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, said first input device corresponding to an electronic mouse device, said button corresponding to a wheel button being rotatable, said second input device corresponding to a keyboard, said switch corresponding to a predetermined key of said keyboard.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, said input unit further comprising:

a first input device being coupled to said computer unit, said first input device including a button; and

a second input device being coupled to said computer unit, said second input device including a switch;

said first input signal being inputted when both said button and said switch are manipulated by a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said first input device corresponding to an electronic mouse device, said button corresponding to a wheel button being rotatable, said second input device corresponding to a keyboard, said switch corresponding to a predetermined key of said keyboard.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, said first input signal being inputted from a wheel button of a wheel mouse and a predetermined hotkey, said wheel button of said wheel mouse and said predetermined hotkey corresponding to said input unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, said input unit further comprising a first input device including a button, said second input signal being inputted when said button is manipulated by a user.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, said first input device corresponding to an electronic mouse device, said button corresponding to a wheel button being rotatable.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, said input unit further comprising a first input device being coupled to said computer unit, said first input device including a button, said second input signal being supplied from said button.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer unit having a processor processing data, a plurality of application programs including data-handling instructions, and a shell program selecting and executing one of said application programs;

a memory being coupled to said computer unit and storing the data;

an input unit inputting one signal selected from among a first input signal and a second input signal; and

a driving unit loading said shell program into said memory in response to said first input signal, activating said shell program in response to said second input signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

said input unit including a first input device being coupled to said computer unit;

said first input device including a button, said second input signal being supplied from said button, said first input device corresponding to an electronic mouse device, said button corresponding to a wheel button being rotatable; and

said driving unit including a dynamic link library resolving conflict among said plurality of application programs.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

when said second input signal is inputted, said driving unit determining whether said shell program is loaded into said memory; and

when said driving unit determines that said shell program is loaded into said memory, said driving unit activating said shell program.

15. A method, comprising:

loading a shell program into a memory in response to receiving a first input signal from an input unit, said memory being coupled to a computer unit having a processor processing data and having a plurality of application programs including data-handling instructions and having said shell program selecting and executing one of said application programs; and

executing said shell program loaded into said memory in response to receiving a second input signal from said input unit.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting and executing one of said application programs through said activated shell program.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising loading said shell program into said memory when an operating system program is started, said computer unit having said operating system program including instructions for operating said computer unit.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

manipulating a button mounted on said first input unit; and

manipulating a switch mounted on said first input unit, said first input signal being inputted when both said button and said switch are manipulated by a user.

19. The method of claim 18, said first input unit corresponding to a first device having said button and a second device having said switch, said first and second devices being in communication with said computer unit, said first and second devices being separately located.

20. The method of claim 19, said first device corresponding to an electronic mouse device, said button corresponding to a wheel button being rotatable, said second device corresponding to a keyboard, said switch corresponding to a predetermined key of said keyboard.