Data-handling and display system capable of supporting multiple application programs and output devices

An input/output system for enabling a user to interact with a plurality of application programs implemented on one or more computers, the system comprising:

• a) a system memory;
• b) a user-responsive display device;
• c) interface means for transferring, to a specified application program, data and instructions defined on the display device by a user;
• d) means, operatively coupled to the interface means, for electronically communicating with at least one application program operative on a computer to accept display data generated by each application program;
• e) memory-partitioning means for defining a plurality of data fields within the system memory, said data fields including:
• i. at least one application data buffer for storing display data generated by an application program;
• ii. at least one display buffer for storing a display list consisting of raster-image instructions defining the dimensions, positions, orientation, and contents of a display;
• f) translation means operatively connected to each application data buffer and each display buffer for converting the data in each application data buffer into a common set of raster-image instructions and storing the instructions in a display buffer;
• and
• g) a display driver operatively coupled to each display buffer and capable of generating a visual image on the display device in response to the raster-image instructions in each display buffer.