Operator controlled programmable keyboard apparatus

• US 4,200,913 A
• Filed: 04/13/1977
• Issued: 04/29/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Donald L., Kuhar, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US05/787,401
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/709
• US Class Current: 341/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36006 A key delivers a series of key codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/20 Dynamic coding, i.e. by key scanning H03M11/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A cathode ray tube (CRT) and keyboard display terminal are operated in accordance with the program routines of a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a random access store which is loadable by the customer during initial program load (IPL) operation to store customer selected program routines for controlling the CRT display and keyboard and for initializing tables in the store which define the customer selected character and symbol set. The tables provide data for determining the functions which are to be performed incident to the depression of each key and since these are customer loadable, the functions can be changed by reinitializing the system. These tables provide the mechanism whereby an operator making use of the keyboard can manually change the functions of each and every key on the keyboard except one key which is dedicated to the function of redefining the functions of other keys. This mechanism permits the operator to manually chain together a large number of functions which will be executed in sequence incident to the depression of a single key which has been selected and redefined to perform all of the desired functions. A redefined key may be returned to its original function by the operator by means of manipulation of the redefine mode key and the key which has been redefined.

Claims

1. In a system including a visual display, a keyboard having a plurality of manually operable keys, a store for holding program instructions and for holding in tables therein data which is used in assigning original and redefined functions to each of the keys, and program-controlled processing apparatus for executing original key functions including the displaying of information on the display in accordance with data entered into the apparatus by the keys, the combination therewith of:

manually operable key redefinition means,

means responsive to the actuation of the key redefinition means for changing the apparatus from an execution mode to a key redefinition mode,

means responsive to the depression of a first depressed key while the apparatus is in the key redefinition mode for modifying the store tables to save the original function assignment of the first depressed key, whereby the original function of the first depressed key is available for assignment as one or more of a list of functions to be assigned to the first depressed key,

means responsive to the depression of each additional key thereafter depressed while the apparatus is in the key redefinition mode for modifying the state of a redefine function table corresponding to the first depressed key to accumulate the function of each said additional key in a stored sequential list of functions to be executed when said first depressed key is operated in its redefined mode, and

means responsive to a second actuation of the key redefinition means for returning the apparatus to the execution mode.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

means responsive to the depression of the first depressed key in its redefined mode while the apparatus is in the execution mode for executing the sequential list of functions assigned thereto.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 further comprising means responsive to the actuation of the key redefinition means and selected keys in predetermined sequences for modifying the tables to restore, to desired redefined keys, their original assigned functions.

4. In a data processing apparatus having a keyboard with a plurality of manually operable function keys, each having an originally assigned function, and control means having a key function execution mode and a key function redefinition mode and operable in the execution mode thereof for executing said original functions in accordance with data entered into the control means from the keyboard by each of the keys, the combination comprising:

a manually operable define mode means for selecting alternatively the key function execution mode or a key function redefinition mode of the control means, and

means included in said control means responsive to the manual actuation in sequence of (1) the define mode means while said control means is in its execution mode for selecting the redefinition mode for the control means, (2) a selected one of said keys whose function is to be redefined, (3) a number of said keys from a group including the selected one key whose original functions are to be performed in sequence each time the selected one key is subsequently depressed in the execution mode of the control means, and (4) the define mode means for assigning to said redefined key the sequence of original functions corresponding to said number of keys, whereby the said redefined key performs the same functions previously performed by the said number of keys operated in sequence.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

execution means included in the control means responsive to the actuation of each redefined function key for executing the sequence of functions assigned to it.

6. The combination claimed in claim 4 wherein the define mode means comprises a dedicated one of said keys on the keyboard.

7. The combination claimed in claim 5 further comprising means responsive to the manual actuation of the define mode means and selected keys in predetermined sequences for conditioning said control means to save the originally assigned functions of redefined keys and to restore, to desired redefined keys, their original assigned functions.

8. The combination claimed in claim 7 wherein the control means and the means for conditioning said control means include a plurality of redefine mode status latches.

9. In a system including a keyboard with a plurality of manually operable function keys, a store for holding program instructions and for holding in tables therein data which is used in assigning original and redefined functions to each of the keys, and program-controlled processing apparatus having a key function execution mode and a key function redefinition mode and operable in the execution mode thereof for executing said original functions in accordance with data entered into the apparatus from the keyboard by the keys, the combination comprising:

a manually operable define mode means for selecting alternatively the execution or redefinition mode of the processing apparatus, and

means included in the program-controlled processing apparatus responsive to the manual actuation in sequence of (1) the define mode means while the apparatus is in its execution mode for selecting the redefinition mode for the apparatus, (2) a selected one of said keys whose function is to be redefined for modifying the store tables to save the original function assignment of said selected one key, (3) a number of said keys from a group including the selected one key to create a redefine function table in said store for assigning to said redefined key the sequence of original functions corresponding to said number of keys, and (4) the define mode means to select the execution mode for the apparatus.