JPH08305651A - Information processing system and application software driving method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To attain the effective operations of different types of application software. CONSTITUTION: A slave window used for a slave information processor 2 is used in a window system 171 of a master information processor 1. When an input operation is applied to the slave window via a mouse 10 or a keybord 12, the input data are sent to the processor 2 by a communication controller 19 and processed by a CPU 22 of the processor 2 based on the application software 213. The display data on the processing result are outputted by a display controller 23 and transferred to the processor 1. Then the display data are synthesized with the display data on the system 171 by a video fetch window display device 16, and these synthesized display data are outputted to a display 14 as the display images that are included in the slave window.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing system provided with a master information processing device and at least one slave information processing device, and in particular, application software operating in the slave information processing device is provided from the master information processing device side. The present invention relates to an information processing system and application software driving method suitable for use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a video capturing / displaying device (video capturing card) for capturing and displaying display data (video data) and display software (video capturing / displaying software) therefor have been on the market.

Conventionally, this type of video capture and display device and video capture and display software is used by operating application software such as a drawing tool and a paint tool in an information processing device such as a personal computer and displaying the processing result as a video. According to the capture display software, it was captured by the video capture display device and displayed on the screen.

In this case, it is not possible to operate different types of incompatible application software on the information processing equipment. Therefore, the processing result of this type of application software is used for video data capture by the video capture display device. I couldn't.

Therefore, as a usage pattern of the video capture display device and the video capture display software, between two or more information processing devices, the input data of one information processing device is transferred to the other information processing device. A completely incompatible software of different models, which is sent by communication to perform processing according to application software such as drawing tool, receives the video output of the processing result, and displays it in the corresponding window by the video capture display device. There was no system or method of use to operate.

[0006]

As described above, in the past, incompatible application software of different models cannot be operated. Therefore, this type of software is used to create video data and capture the result. It could not be captured and displayed on a display device for use. It is also possible to operate different types of software by emulation, but this is not practical because it consumes CPU power and slows down the operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing system and an application software driving method capable of efficiently operating application software of different models.

[0008]

The present invention is an information processing system comprising a master information processing device and at least one slave information processing device capable of communicating with the master information processing device. , The master information processing device has a graphical interface for managing various windows including slave windows assigned to slave information devices.
The window system as a user interface and the input data to the slave window are
A communication means for transmitting to the slave information device corresponding to the window and a video capture display device are provided, and the slave information processing device processes the input data sent from the master information processing device according to application software. And a video output transfer means for transferring the processing result of the input data of this processing means to the master information processing equipment as a video output, and the video output sent from the video output transfer means of this slave information processing equipment is provided. It is characterized in that it is captured by the video capture display device of the master information processing device and displayed in the slave window corresponding to the slave information processing device.

[0009]

In the above configuration, when data is input to the slave window among various windows managed by the window system of the master information processing device by keyboard input or mouse input, the input data is the window data. It is passed to the communication means through the system, and is sent by communication to the slave information processing device corresponding to the slave window for which data has been input.

When the processing means of the slave information processing device receives the input data sent from the communication means of the master information processing device, whether the data is input to the window on the window system of the slave information processing device itself. As described above, the input data is converted into application software running on the slave information processing device (for example, a drawing tool or a paint tool,
Application software called so-called drawing software) is processed. The processing result is output as video and is transferred from the video output transfer means of the slave information processing device to the master information processing device.

The video capture display device of the master information processing device is a processing result of the video output from the slave information processing device according to the application software in the master information processing device for the data input to the slave window. As such, the video is synthesized and displayed in the slave window on the master side corresponding to the slave information processing device.

In this way, it is possible to operate not only the same model but also incompatible application software of the slave side information processing device in the corresponding slave window in the master side window system. Becomes Moreover, since these application software are processed by the processing means (CPU) on the slave side, a large load is not applied to the master side.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a master information processing device,
Reference numeral 2 is a slave information processing device capable of communicating with the master information processing device. The information processing devices 1 and 2 are an engineering workstation (EWS), a personal computer (PC), etc., and may be the same model or different models.

The master information processing device 1 and the slave information processing device 2 include an Ethernet cable, an RS-232C cable, and an RS used for communication between the information processing devices 1 and 2.
A communication cable 3 such as a -422 cable is connected to a video output cable 4 used to transfer video output from the slave information processing device 2 to the master information processing device 1.

The master information processing device 1 includes a mouse 10, a mouse controller 11, a keyboard 12, a keyboard controller 13, a display 14, a display controller 15, and a video capture window display device 1.
6, a memory 17, a CPU 18, a communication controller 19 and a system bus 100.

The mouse 10 is used as a pointing device on a window system 171 described later. The mouse controller 11 controls the input of the mouse 10.

The keyboard 12 is used for inputting data and the like. The keyboard controller 13 is the keyboard 1
Control 2 inputs. The display 14 outputs the video capture window display device 16 (video composition output).
Used to display.

The display controller 15 controls the output of screen display data of the window system 171 on the master information processing device 1 side. The video capture window display device (video capture display device) 16 displays the screen output of the slave information processing device 2 side, which is transferred via the video output cable 4, on the screen of the window system 171 which is the output of the display controller 15. They are combined as one and displayed on the display 14.

The memory 17 is used to store various programs and data. The memory 17 stores an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) 170, a window system 171, a communication program 172 that is software for communication, application software (# 1) 173, and the like.

The window system 171 includes a slave window 14 assigned to the slave information processing device 2.
It provides a graphical user interface for managing various windows including 1. The window system 171 itself is processed by the CPU 18 on the master information processing device 1 side, while the slave window 141 is processed by the CPU 22 on the slave information processing device 2 side, which will be described later. The application software 173 is assumed to be different from so-called drawing software such as a drawing tool and a paint tool.

The CPU 18 serves as a control center of the master information processing device 1, and particularly the mouse 10 and the keyboard 1
Process the input data from the slave window 14
In the case of input data to 1, the input data is sent to the slave information processing device 2 by the communication controller 19.

The communication controller 19 controls communication with the slave information processing device 2 (a communication controller 20 described later therein). The system bus 100 is used to interconnect the mouse controller 11, the keyboard controller 13, the display controller 15, the memory 17, the CPU 18, the communication controller 19, and the like.

On the other hand, the slave information processing device 2 includes a communication controller 20, a memory 21, a CPU 22, a display controller 23 and a system bus 200. The communication controller 20 is the master information processing device 1
Controls communication with (internal communication controller 19).

The memory 21 is used to store various programs and data. The memory 21 has an OS
(Operating system) 210, window system 211 for managing various windows, communication program 212, and application software (# 2) 213 such as drawing tool and paint tool
Etc. are stored.

The CPU 22 serves as a control center of the slave information processing device 2, and particularly processes the input data transmitted from the master information processing device 1 by the application software 213.

The display controller 23 is a CPU
The screen display contents of the processing result of 22 are output as video. The system bus 200 includes a communication controller 20, a memory 2
1, used to interconnect the CPU 22, the display controller 23, and the like.

In this embodiment, the input data to the slave window 141 in the master information processing device 1 is processed by the application software on the slave information processing device 2, and the processing result is slave window in the master information processing device 1. Since it can be displayed on 141, the slave information processing device 2 is not provided with an input device such as a mouse and a keyboard, and a display. However, it goes without saying that these mouse, keyboard and display may be provided.

Next, the operation of the information processing system having the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the window screen example of FIG. 2, the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the data flow diagram of FIG.

Now, in the master information processing equipment 1, the display data of the window screen of the master side window system 171 is output by the display controller 15 as indicated by the symbol a in FIG. 4, and is displayed via the video capture window display device 16. 14 is displayed. As shown in FIG. 2, this window screen includes a slave window 141 assigned to the slave information processing device 2.

In such a state, the master information processing equipment 1
The user selects the active window by operating the mouse 10 and moving the mouse cursor 142 shown in FIG. 2 on the screen. When the user selects the slave window 141, the window 141 is
Assuming that the window is a window used for processing by the application software 213 such as a drawing tool or a paint tool operable on the slave information processing device 2, command input or the like in consideration of the processing by the software 213 is performed by the mouse 10 or Perform from the keyboard 12.

The CPU 18 of the master information processing device 1 uses the input / output control function of the OS 170 (via the mouse controller 11 or the keyboard controller 13 to convert the input data from the mouse 10 or the keyboard 12 into the data as indicated by the symbol b in FIG. Enter).

The CPU 18 uses the slave window 141
Is selected (step S1), it is assumed that the input data from the mouse 10 or the keyboard 12 (input data on the master side) is for the slave window 141, and the input data (position information of the mouse cursor 142 and input) (Command etc.) is transmitted to the slave information processing device 2 via the communication cable 3 by the operation of the communication controller 19 in accordance with the communication program 172, as indicated by the symbol c in FIG. 4 (step S2).

The input data to the slave window 141 transmitted via the communication cable 3 is received by the communication controller 20 in the slave information processing device 2 according to the communication program 212.

Then, the CPU 2 of the slave information processing device 2
2 is a window on the window system 211 of the slave information processing device 2 itself (a window managed by the window system 211) for the received input data.
Input data input by keyboard input, mouse input, or the like is processed by the application software 213 stored in the memory 21 as indicated by reference numeral d in FIG. 4 (step S3).

The processing result of the input data in the CPU 22 according to the application software 213 is
As shown by reference numeral e in FIG. 4, the data is passed to the display controller 23 through the window system 211 and the OS 210.

Then, the display data of the processing result in the CPU 22 is transmitted from the display controller 23 to the master information processing device 1 as shown by the symbol f in FIG.
It is output via the video output cable 4 (as if output to the display of the slave information processing device 2).

The display data of the processing result from the display controller 23 of the slave information processing device 2 is
It is captured by the video capture window display device 16 in the master information processing device 1 (step S4), and the master side window system 17 from the display controller 15 is captured by the video capture window display device 16.
1 is combined with the screen display data of No. 1 as a video and displayed as a display image in the slave window 141.
4 is output (step S3).

Thus, for example, when the user moves the mouse cursor 142 in the slave window 141 to draw a pattern having a desired shape, the mouse cursor 1 indicating the movement locus of the mouse cursor 142 is displayed.
The position information sequence 42 is sequentially sent to the slave information processing device 2 as input data to the slave window 141, processed according to the application software 213, and display data of the pattern is generated and input to the master information processing device 1. , The pattern is drawn on the slave window 141.

On the other hand, when the mouse cursor 142 moved by the operation of the mouse 10 selects any other than the slave window 141, the CPU 18 of the master information processing device 1 uses the application software stored in the memory 17, for example. (# 1) 173 performs processing on the master side for processing input data from the mouse 10 or the keyboard 12 (step S6).

Although the information processing system having one master information processing device and one slave information processing device has been described above, the present invention is similarly applied to an information processing system having a plurality of slave information processing devices. It is possible. [Second Embodiment] Therefore, a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an information processing system including one master information processing device and n (n is an integer of 2 or more) slave information processing devices. An example will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The information processing system shown in FIG. 5 is different from the information processing system of FIG. 1 in that one master information processing device 1 communicates with n slave information processing devices 2-1 to 2-n. Cables 3-1 to 3-n and video output cables 4-1 to 4
-n is connected. In addition, in the master information processing device 1 in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, slave windows 141-1 to 141-n as shown in FIG. 6, which are assigned to the slave information processing devices 2-1 to 2-n, are prepared as windows managed by 71. Is a different point. This is because the relationship between the master information processing device 1 and each slave information processing device 2-i (i = 1 to n) in the information processing system of FIG. This is because the relationship with the information processing device 2 is similar. Therefore, the master information processing device and its components in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the master information processing device and its components in FIG. 1 for convenience.

Now, in the configuration of FIG. 5, the user operates the mouse 10 to move the mouse cursor 142 on the window screen of the master side window system 171 shown in FIG.
(For slave information processing devices 2-1 to 2-n)
It is assumed that the slave window 141-i (i is one of 1 to n) of the slave windows 14-1 to 14-n is selected. The user sets the selected slave window 141-i in the same way as the slave window 141 in the first embodiment by using application software 21 such as a drawing tool and a paint tool.
Assuming that the window is used for the processing in 3, the command input and the like in consideration of the processing in the software 213,
It is performed from the mouse 10 or the keyboard 12.

When the slave window 141-i is selected, the input data from the mouse 10 or the keyboard 12 (input data on the master side) is regarded as the input data to the slave window 141-i, and the first data is input.
In the same manner as when the slave window 141 is selected in the embodiment of
Via the communication cable 3-i (the window 141-i
To the corresponding slave information processing device 2-i.

The input data to the slave window 141-i transmitted to the slave information processing device 2-i is received by the communication controller 20 in the slave information processing device 2-i.

CPU 22 of slave information processing device 2-i
The application software 213 processes the input data received by the communication controller 20 as the input data of the slave itself.

Then, the display data of the processing result in the CPU 22 is transmitted from the display controller 23 to the master information processing device 1 (as if the slave information processing device 2
Is output via the video output cable 4 (as if it is output to the display of the master information processing device 1), and is displayed on the video capture window display device 16 of the master information processing device 1 (from the display controller 15 of the master information processing device 1). Video is synthesized with the screen display data of the master side window system 171, and the slave window 141-i is displayed.
It is output to the display 14 as a display image inside.

On the other hand, the slave window 141-1 is moved by operating the mouse cursor 142 by operating the mouse 10.
If any other than ~ 14-n is selected, the master information processing device 1 (the CPU 18 thereof) performs the process on the master side.

[0049]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a slave window assigned to at least one slave information device capable of communicating with a master information device is provided in the window system of the master information processing device. When the slave window is prepared and input is made to this slave window, the input data is sent to the slave as if it were for the window managed by the window system of the slave information processing device corresponding to the slave window. It is sent to the information processing device and processed according to the application program running on this slave information processing device, and the display data of the processing result is sent to the master information processing device and captured by the video capture display device and displayed in the slave window. Since it is configured to Even if the device and the slave information processing device are different models, application software of different models on the slave information processing device side is operated from the master information processing device side through the slave window on the window system of the master information processing device. be able to. Moreover, since the processing according to this application software is performed on the slave information processing device side, a large load is not applied to the master information processing device side.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a window screen managed by a window system 171 of the master information processing device 1 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the flow of data in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a window screen managed by a window system 171 of the master information processing device 1 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Master information processing equipment, 2, 2-1 to 2-n ... Slave information processing equipment, 3, 3-1 to 3-n ... Communication cable, 4, 4-1
~ 4-n ... video output cable (video output transfer means),
10 ... Mouse, 12 ... Keyboard, 14 ... Display, 15 ... Display controller, 16 ... Video capture window display device (video capture display device), 17, 21 ... Memory, 18, 22 ... CPU (processing means), 19, 20 ... communication controller, 23 ... display controller (video output transfer means) 141,
141-1 to 141-n ... Slave window (slave window), 171, 211 ... Window system,
173, 213 ... Application software.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An information processing system comprising a master information processing device and at least one slave information processing device capable of communicating with the master information processing device, the information processing system comprising: A window system as a graphical user interface for managing various windows including a slave window assigned to the slave information device, and input data for the slave window provided in the master information processing device, Communication means for transmitting to the slave information device corresponding to, processing means provided in the slave information processing device for processing input data sent from the master information processing device in accordance with application software; Provided and said processing Video output transfer means for transferring the processing result of the input data of the stage as video output to the master information processing equipment, and the video output transfer means provided in the master information processing equipment and sent from the video output transfer means of the slave information processing equipment. And a video capturing / displaying device for capturing the video output and displaying it in the slave window corresponding to the slave information processing device. 2. An application software driving method in an information processing system including a master information processing device having a video capturing / displaying device and at least one slave information processing device capable of communicating with the master information processing device. In the case where a window for slave is assigned to the slave information device by the window system of the master information processing device and data is input to the window for slave, the input data is transferred to the master information processing device. The slave information processing device, which has transmitted the device data to the slave information processing device corresponding to the slave window and has received this input data, processes the input data according to application software, and outputs the processing result as a video output to the master. Information processing equipment In the master information processing device, the video output from the slave information processing device is captured by the video capture display device and displayed in the slave window corresponding to the slave information processing device. Application software driven method.