US 4,200,913 A · Operator controlled programmable keyboard apparatus

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.

Claims9

Dependent claims

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 more elements

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.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Operator controlled programmable keyboard apparatus

Life of this patent

Operator controlled programmable keyboard apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9