JP2848172B2 - I / O controller - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input / output control device, and more particularly to an input / output control device used for an information processing device for comprehensively managing and operating information and work processes in a factory or office. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Computer terminals, work robots, and the like are required to construct devices for highly automated information and work processes in factories and offices, such as FAs and OAs, and for comprehensively managing and operating them. There is a demand from the user side for a so-called multi-vendor environment in which an FA or OA system can be freely set up regardless of a manufacturer or an OS on a computer.

[0003] Such heterogeneous (or different OS)
One of the problems in developing a multi-vendor compatible information processing device that can mutually use programs and data on the Internet is an interface that controls input and output between application software and terminals such as a keyboard and display. There is a difference in the method.

The interface system is roughly classified into a screen driver system and a terminal system. In the screen driver method, as shown in FIG.
Input / output data generated when the application software 14 is started is temporarily stored in the database 13, and when input from a terminal is required, the screen driver 11
Done through. In the case of application software using the screen driver method, the screen driver is usually provided in the processing device, and is generally called a GUI (graphic user interface). In the screen driver 11, the character displayed on the screen is changed by a key input from the terminal 10 based on the data in the screen database 12, and the application software 14 requests a portion changed by the key input. In the case of input, the changed character on the screen is converted into input data and sent to the database 13. Thus, the application software 14 obtains the input data via the database 13.

On the other hand, in the terminal system, as shown in FIG. 5, the application software 20 itself has an interface function 21 with the terminal. Is input.

The difference between the interface between the application software and the terminal is that the application software is compatible because the functions and the like supplied by the OS match, and the processing itself is basically possible even if the model is different. Even in such a case, since the input operation cannot be performed due to the difference in the interface, it cannot be said that it is actually completely compatible and does not support a multi-vendor environment. That is, for example, when running terminal-type application software on a processing device having a GUI in a screen driver method,
There is a problem that the interface function of the application software needs to be modified and changed.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to share a terminal even when application software having different input / output control systems for transferring data between the application software and the input / output terminal is used. It is an object of the present invention to provide an input / output control device which can be used by using.

[0008]

An object of the present invention is to provide an input / output control device for transferring data between application software and an input / output terminal, the application having no input / output control function for transferring data. Input / output control means for transferring data between the software and the input / output terminal, and transfer of data between the input / output terminal and application software having an input / output control function for transferring the data. A data input / output control device having switching means for switching data transfer so that data can be transferred to / from an input / output terminal without passing through the input / output control means. Is done.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in order to transfer data between application software having an input / output control function for transferring data and an input / output terminal, data is transferred without passing through input / output control means. Interface means, which is an input / output control method, having switching means for switching data transfer so that data can be transferred between application software having an input / output control function for performing data transfer and an input / output terminal. A plurality of different application software can be input and output from one terminal without modifying the application software.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an input / output control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the case shown,
Components having the same functions as those in the related art are given the same reference numerals. This input / output control device includes application software A14 and application software B20 and terminal 1
0, a database for storing input / output data of the application software A14 (abbreviated as D / B in the figure) 13, a terminal interface between the application software B20 and the application software B20 (I in the figure). / F) 21 and an input / output buffer 34 for passing input / output via an input / output library 22. The screen driver 1 stores a screen database for storing data to be displayed on the display of the terminal 10. 12. Application software A
14 and a data processing unit 30 for flowing data of an event and a start command to the application software B20, a switching information database 32 for storing switching information of an interface system, and a data switching unit 31 for switching data depending on the interface system. You. Here, the application software A14 is an application software compatible with a screen driver (hereinafter, referred to as a driver) method, and the application software B
Reference numeral 20 denotes application software compatible with a terminal system having a terminal interface 21 in the application software itself.

The function of each unit will be described. First, the screen database 12 stores application software A14.
Is executed, the screen data to be displayed on the display of the terminal 10 is stored. As shown in FIG. 2, the screen data includes, in addition to the display data, key setting for mode switching and data of a mode in which the screen operates (driver mode or terminal mode). FIG. 2C is an example of data for displaying a screen of the application software A14 or another application software not having an interface function (not shown). FIG. 2C is an example of screen data of the application software B20 or application software having an interface function not shown. is there.

The data processing unit 30 includes a screen database 1
When the character of the screen data and its screen is changed by the key input of the terminal, the changed character is transmitted as data to the application software A14 as an event, and a start command of the application software B20 from the terminal is transmitted. When it is received, the application software B20 is activated, and further, a mode switching process required on the screen is performed according to the mode switching information included in the screen data.

The data switching section 31 switches input / output data transfer between the application software A14 or the application software B20 and the terminal 10 in the driver mode and the terminal mode based on switching information described later.

The switching information database 32 uses the mode information included in the screen data from the data processing unit to store
Information such as the mode state when the mode is switched, the setting of the return key, and the return screen are stored. For example, when the mode is switched from the driver mode to the terminal mode, the mode is stored. The mode information at the time of switching includes the driver mode before switching and the terminal mode after switching, and the escape key (ES
C) is set, and the return screen is the screen before switching.

The input / output buffer 34 temporarily stores display data to the terminal 10 output from the terminal interface 21 by the application software B 20 via the input / output library 22, and receives a key input from the terminal from the data switching unit 31. The data is received, stored, and sent to the terminal interface 21 of the application software 20 via the input / output library 22. This creates a state where input / output is performed directly to the terminal when viewed from the application software 20.

The input / output library 22 includes the screen driver 1
Are a group of library functions for writing data to and extracting data from the input / output buffer 34 used in the terminal mode. Since the application software B20 generally makes a different function call for input and output of the terminal, the terminal I / F 21 absorbs this difference. By doing so, the application software B20 has exactly the same code as in the case of direct connection to the terminal.

Next, the operation of the input / output control device will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the operation. First, the mode state at the start of the operation is identified (S1), and if the driver mode is detected, an initial display (S2) is performed. Here, the display is performed by the screen data of FIG. 2A. 2A is sent from the screen database 12 to the data processing unit 30, and a display screen is formed based on the screen data and displayed on the display of the terminal 10.

Next, a key input standby state is set, and if a key input is detected (S3), it is determined whether the input key input is a key input for screen conversion or a normal key input (S4). In the case of a normal key input, a key input process (S5) is performed, and a key input from the terminal 10 is sent to the data processing unit 30 via the data switching unit 31, and physical data by the key input is transmitted. The data is converted into logical data and sent to the database 13.

On the other hand, if it is detected that the key input in step 4 (S4) is a screen conversion key, the next screen data after switching is taken in (S6), and the screen data of the next screen is displayed. Data processing unit 30 from database 12
And displayed on the display of the terminal 10 in the same manner as the screen display in step 2 (S2). Then, the switching information is set (S7), the mode information included in the screen data is sent to the switching information database 32, and the information on the mode state when the mode is switched, the setting of the return key, the return screen, etc. When the mode is switched from the driver mode to the terminal mode, the mode information at the time of the mode switching includes that the mode is the driver mode before the switching and the terminal mode after the switching, and the escape key (ESC) is set as the return key. Then, it is stored that the return screen is the screen before the switching.

The screen switching key input is set in advance, and in the case of the screen data shown in FIG. 2A, the screen is switched to the screen B when "1" is input, and is switched to the screen C when "2" is input. Is switched to.

When the screen is switched, step 1 (S
Returning to 1), the mode is identified, and step 4 (S
When the change to the screen C is input as the screen change in 4), the screen has been switched to the terminal mode, so that the terminal mode is detected and the processing of the application software 20 is executed. Is started (S10).

After the process of the application software 20 is started, the presence or absence of output data is identified (S11).
If there is output data, the data is output to the input / output buffer 34, stored in the input / output buffer 34, then output to the terminal 10 via the data switching unit 31 (S12), and displayed on the display of the terminal 10. Is displayed.

Next, a key input standby state is set, and if a key input is detected (S13), it is determined whether the input key input is a key input for returning to the screen or a normal key input (S14). In the case of a normal key input, the key input from the terminal 10 is set as it is in the input / output buffer 34 (S15), and transmitted from the buffer 34 to the terminal interface 21 of the application software 20 via the input / output library 22. Can be

On the other hand, if it is detected that the key input in step 14 (S14) is the screen return key, the next screen data after switching is taken in (S17). The screen data of the next screen is generated based on the information of the return screen in the switching information database, sent from the screen database 12 to the data processing unit 30, and displayed on the display of the terminal 10 in the same manner as the screen display of step 2 (S2). Is done.
Then, the switching information is set (S18) as in step 7 (S7).

[0026]

As described above, the input / output control device of the present invention is provided between the application software compatible with the screen driver system and the input / output terminal and between the application software compatible with the terminal system and the input / output terminal. In order to have a switching means for switching the delivery of data so that each of the data can be delivered, from one terminal,
Input and output with application software conforming to different interface methods can be performed, and a multi-vendor environment in which a system of FA and OA can be freely configured can be achieved irrespective of a maker or an OS on a computer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an input / output control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining screen data used in the input / output control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the input / output control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a conventional screen driver method.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining a conventional terminal method.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 terminal, 11 screen driver, 12 screen database (D / B),
13: database (D / B), 14, 20: application software, 22: input / output library,
30: Data processing unit, 31: Data switching unit, 32: Switching information.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An input / output control device for transferring data between application software and an input / output terminal, comprising: an input / output terminal for transmitting / receiving data between the application software and the input / output terminal having no input / output control function for transferring data; Input / output control means for transferring data; and input / output control means for transferring data between an application software having an input / output control function for transferring data and an input / output terminal. An input / output control device comprising switching means for switching data transfer so that data transfer can be performed with an input / output terminal without passing the data.