JPH03288257A - Multiplexer for input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable plural processors to share an input device for the different purposes without using the input devices in number equal to the required processing environments by providing the switch means and the state holding means in number equal to the processors that decide the processing environments of the input devices required for each processor. CONSTITUTION:A multiplexer 10 is provided together with the processors 11-0 - 11-n, the state holding blocks 12-0 - 12-n, the state holding functions 13-0 - 13-m, the switch functions 14-0 - 14-m, and the input devices 15-0 - 15-m. The means 14-0 - 14-m are actuated in response to the requests given from the processors 11-0 - 11-n so that the data received from the devices 15-0 - 15-m are inputted to those processors 11 that produced the requests. Meanwhile the processing environments of the input devices 15 are supplied to these devices 15 from the means 12-0 - 12-n for the processors 11 that produced the requests. Thus plural processors can share the same input device in each processing environment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a multiplexer for an input device such as a multi-graphics workstation in which the input device is shared by a plurality of processing devices.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a special multiplexer has not been interposed between the input device and the processing device, and a one-to-one or many-to-one relationship has been used.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional method that does not involve a multiplexer, if it is assumed that an arbitrary input device is used from multiple processing devices, each processing device has a similar processing environment and is used for the same purpose. If you try to use any input device in different processing environments, even if the input device itself is the same, you will have to prepare input devices for the number of processing environments, and in the end, the number of processing environments will increase. Attempting to increase the number would have resulted in an expensive system. Furthermore, there is a problem in that work space is wasted due to having multiple input devices in a room.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and even when attempting to use any input device from multiple processing devices, it is possible to use multiple input devices without having to prepare input devices for the number of processing environments required. The present invention seeks to provide an input device multiplexer that allows processing units to share the same input device for different purposes.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an arrangement between a plurality of processing devices and an input device for responding to a request signal from the processing device and inputting a signal from the input device to one of the plurality of processing devices. A multiplexer for the input device is provided, which comprises switching means for the input device, and state holding means for the same number of processing devices as there are processing devices for determining the processing environment of the input device for each processing device.

Further, when there are a plurality of input devices, each state holding means is configured to have the same number of individual state holding means as the number of input devices for determining the processing environment of each input device.

Further, the switching means is configured to exclusively input the signal from the input means to one of the processing devices.

[For production]

In the above configuration, in response to a request from the processing device, the switching means is operated to input data from the input device to the processing device that issued the request.

Further, the processing environment of the input device in the processing device that issued the request is supplied to the input device by the state holding means. This allows the input device to be shared by a plurality of processing devices under their respective processing environments.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, in the present invention, each input device requires settings for a processing environment, and the initialization process of the processing environment is based on the designation from the processing device.

A specific example of the input device 15 is a tablet, a dial, a twist take, a button box, etc., and a specific example of the processing device is a multi-processor that operates on a computer system.

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10 indicates a multiplexer of the present invention. Processing device 11-0.11-1. ~, 11n are state holding blocks 12-0, 12-1~, respectively. 12-n, and each state holding block has an input device 15-0.15.
-1. ~, state retention function 13- corresponding to 15-m
0.13-1. ~． 13-m.

The state holding function is assigned to each input device, and realizes the function of holding the state of the processing environment in the input device. And switching function 14-0°14-1. ~． 1
4-m is a function that enables connection between the input device and the state holding function corresponding to the input device that exists for each processing device, and the connected processing device having the state holding function Monopolizes the device and is exclusively controlled by other processing devices.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the switching means of the input device. The operation of this embodiment will be explained based on this figure. First,
Which state holding function is connected to the input device is determined by a request from the processing device to the input device.

The multiplexer 10 searches for a state-holding function for a specified input device among the state-holding blocks corresponding to the requested processing device. At this time, if a state holding function for the specified input device is not found, it is determined that the initialization process for the specified input device from the processing device has not been processed, and the multiplexer 10 requests the processing device to perform initialization processing. will be issued. The processing device that has received the request needs to perform initialization processing on the designated input device, secure the state holding function for the input device, and then issue a request to the input device again. After the state holding function is secured, the existence of exclusive control rights with other processing devices is confirmed. If the processing device that issued the request has exclusive control rights, the input device and the state holding function are in a connected state, and communication between them is established. On the other hand, if the processing device does not have exclusive control rights, the input device and the state holding function are not connected, so after seizing exclusive control rights from another processing device and connecting the two, communication is possible. At this time, the exclusive control right is given to the processing device that issued the request, regardless of the status of other processing devices.

FIG. 3 shows a specific example where a dial is used as the input device. Here, four types of processing devices 11-1, 11-2.
11-3 and 11-4 share one dial 20 for different purposes via the multiplexer 10 according to the invention.

The dial 20 is composed of a knob 21 and a liquid crystal display board 22 for each knob 21, and the liquid crystal display board 22 has a function of describing the purpose of operation of the knob 21 as a processing environment, and the processing environment is a multiplexer. The state holding function of 10 is used to transmit the information to the input device. When any processing device 11-2 issues a request to the dial 20 after the initial processing is completed, the multiplexer 10 gives exclusive control to the processing device 11-2 and automatically sends the dial 20 to the processing device 11-2. Switches the state holding function of the device to enable communication between the two. While the processing device 11-2 has exclusive control rights, it monopolizes the dial 20, and the liquid crystal display board 21 displays contents according to the state holding function of the processing device 11-2. appear. Next, when another processing device 11-4 issues a request to dial, the multiplexer 10 seizes exclusive control from the processing device 11-2, regardless of the status of the processing device 11-2.
Give to 4. When the exclusive control right is transferred, the liquid crystal display panel of the dial 20 is rewritten according to the contents of the state holding function corresponding to the processing device 11-4, and it can be recognized that the operation contents of the knob 21 have changed.

Thereafter, the dial 20 is shared by the multiplexer 10 among the four types of processing devices.

In the present invention, the multiplexer of the input device allows
An input device can be shared by an unspecified number of processing devices. In addition, since the multiplexer automatically switches the processing environment of the input device in each processing device using the state retention function, the processing device does not need to set the processing environment of the input device other than initialization processing. - input devices can be used for multiple purposes without using complicated processing or means.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing switching means of an input device, and FIG. 3 is a specific example using a dial. 10... Multiplexers 11-0 to 11-n... Processing devices 12-0 to 1
2-n...Status holding blocks 13-0 to 13-m
...Status holding functions 14-0 to 14-m...Switching functions 15-0 to 15-m...Input device 20
... Dial 21 ... Knob 22 ... Liquid crystal display board. that's all

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A switching means for inputting a signal from an input device to one of a plurality of processing devices in response to a request signal from a processing device, and for determining the processing environment of the input device for each processing device. A multiplexer for an input device, characterized in that it comprises processing units and the same number of state holding means. (2) The input device multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein each of the state holding means has the same number of individual state holding means as the number of input devices for determining the processing environment of each input device. . (3) The multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein said switching means exclusively inputs the signal from said input means to one of the processing devices.