Concurrent display of data from two different display processors and user interface therefore

A multiprocessor system comprising a general purpose host computer having a central processor capable of executing under an operating system of a first kind and having real resources including I/O devices, main memory, a video display for displaying information on the display screen of said display and user input means to said host computer to provide input to said display screen,

• a user interface on said display screen including metaphoric objects with which the user can interact by using said input means, said input means to select one of said objects as a focus of attention in order to subsequently invoke manipulative or selected functions relative to said selected object and to selectively change the focus of said input from one object to another,
• at least one emulating computer having a processor emulating a target processor unit and executing under an operating system of a second kind that is inhomogeneous with the operating system of said first kind,
• interface means for emulating real resources of said emulating processor comprising means responsive to the input/output signals of said emulating processor for sharing of said host computer real resources by said emulating processor,
• means in said interface means to allocate a portion of said display bitmap memory and a portion of said display screen as an emulated display screen for said emulating processor whereby video information to be displayed by said emulating processor is presented for display in said allocated emulating processor screen portion concurrent with the display of video information by said host system.
• means in said interface means to direct user input via said input means to the control of said emulating processor,
• said input means to also initially change said input focus to either said allocated emulating processor screen portion or to the remaining portion of said host processor display screen prior to interaction with said metaphoric objects in a selected screen portion, the change of said input focus causing subsequent user input via said input means to be directed to said selected screen portion until interrupted by a change in focus input to the other of said screen portions by the user via said input means,
• said input means comprising:
• (A) stimulus means to monitor user action events received via said input means to determine if a new event is different from a previous event and, if so, queue said new event,
• (B) notifier means to dequeue said new event and determines whether said new event is for an input action for said allocated emulating processor screen portion or for said central processor display screen portion relative to current input focus,
• (C) table means allocated for each screen portion to translate said new event into a program action upon dequeue and access of said table means by said notifier means,
• (D) means to execute said program action relative to said determined screen portion input focus upon notification from said notifier means'
• (E) said table means for said emulating processor screen portion containing selectable program actions appropriate for said target process and compatible with said operating system of a second kind.