JPH086690A - Data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the data processor which can be connected to plural input devices without exerting any influence on host software and facilitates the addition or alteration of an input device. CONSTITUTION:An interface control means 111 converts input data from an input device 201 into the same code with a keyboard by referring to a code conversion table 131 and stores the data after the conversion in a code-converted data storage part 161. A keyboard control means 12 sends data, inputted from interface control means 111-11n and the keyboard 21, together after storing them in a received data storage part 17. A keyboard control module 14 after storing the data sent from the received data storage part 17 in an input data storage part 18 sends the stored data to the host application 15 as if they are data received from the keyboard 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing device,
In particular, the present invention relates to a data processing device that converts data input from an input device other than a keyboard into the same code as data input from the keyboard and processes the data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a keyboard has been generally used as an input device for inputting data to a data processing device such as a computer terminal. However, this keyboard requires a certain amount of time to master key operation. In addition, erroneous input is unavoidable, and further it takes time to input data. Therefore, in addition to the keyboard, for example, an input device such as a bar code hand scanner or an ID card reader can input data in an extremely short time and accurately. Conceivable. However, since the data codes of the respective input devices are different from each other, it is impossible to input data from an input device other than the keyboard, especially in a data processing device capable of only data input from the keyboard.

Therefore, in recent years, by allowing a data processing device capable of only data input from a keyboard to convert data from an input device other than the keyboard into the same code as when the data was input from the keyboard, the data can be input. An input device has been proposed which can input data from an input device other than the keyboard as if it were input from the keyboard (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-274509).
Issue).

However, since the hardware of the input device itself is configured to be able to convert and output the data of the same code as the keyboard, this device uses an input device other than the existing keyboard to output data from the keyboard. Data cannot be input to a data processing device that can only input data.

Therefore, conventionally, data processing by software of a data processing device is used to convert data from an existing input device other than the keyboard into the same code as the data from the keyboard for processing, thereby enabling data input. Data processing devices are also known.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of this conventional data processing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 4, this conventional device has a configuration in which a computer terminal 30 as an example of a data processing device includes input device control modules 31 _{1 to} 31 _n , a keyboard control module 32, and a host application 33. ing. Input control module 31 _1-3
1 _n are input devices 40 ₁ to 40 other than the keyboard.
It is provided corresponding to _n . The keyboard control module 32 is provided corresponding to the keyboard 41.

Further, the host application 33 includes code conversion means 34 _{1 to} 34 _n to which data is input from the input device control modules 31 _{1 to} 31 _n and code conversion means 3 to which data is input from the keyboard control module 32.
Have five. These input device control modules 31
_{1 to} 31 _n , the keyboard control module 32, and the upper application 33 are realized by software programs.

In this conventional device, each of the input devices 40 ₁ to 40 4
0 respectively upper software _n and keyboard 41 is processing consciously. That is, when inputting data to the computer terminal 30, the input device 40 ₁
Data is input from to 40 _n, the corresponding input device control module ₃₁ 1-31 interface control in _n modules ₃₆ via the 1 ~ 36 _n input data storage unit 37
_{1 to} 37 _n are supplied and stored. Similarly, the data input from the keyboard 41 is input to the corresponding keyboard control module 32 and stored in the input data storage unit 38.

The input data stored in these input data storage units 37 _{1 to} 37 _n and 38 are transmitted to the upper application 33. Upon receiving these input data, the upper application 33 receives each of the input devices 40 ₁ to 40.
code at converting means 34 ₁ to 34C _n corresponding to the _n, and converts the same code as the code converting means 35 where data is input from each of the keyboard 41, for processing the converted data in each separate application program . Thereby, the data input by the input devices 40 ₁ to 40 _n are processed in the same manner as the data input from the keyboard 41.

[0010]

However, in the above conventional device, the upper application 33 processes the input data from the input devices 40 ₁ to 40 _n and the keyboard 41 connected to the computer terminal 30 separately. Since the number of the input devices 40 ₁ to 40 _n increases, the structure of the higher-level application 33 becomes more complicated.

Further, the input device control modules 31 _{1 to} 3
1 _n and the upper software having the upper application 33 are aware of each of the input devices 40 ₁ to 40 _n , it is necessary to connect a plurality of input devices in correspondence with the upper software. When connected, the input device cannot be added or changed without affecting the upper software.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
An object of the present invention is to provide a data processing device that can be connected to a plurality of input devices without affecting higher-level software and that can easily add or change input devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a data processing device capable of processing input data from an existing input device other than the keyboard in the same manner as when the input data is input from the keyboard.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a code conversion table for converting a code of input data into the same code as a keyboard, and a data input from an input device other than the keyboard. Is converted into the data of the same code as the keyboard by referring to the code conversion table corresponding to the code of the input data of the input device,
Interface control means for storing the converted data in an internal storage section, keyboard control means for storing the converted data read from the storage section of the interface control means together with the data from the keyboard, and a keyboard A keyboard control module that processes data received from the control means as data from the keyboard, processes the data, and transmits the processed data to a higher-level application is provided.

[0015]

In the present invention, the data from the input device is converted by the interface control means into the data having the same code as the input data from the keyboard by referring to the code conversion table, and the converted data is transferred to the keyboard control means. Since the input data from the keyboard is collectively transmitted to the keyboard control module via the keyboard, the keyboard control module, which is higher-level software, can be unaware of the type of the input device.

Further, according to the present invention, the input data from the input device is transmitted to the upper software by the keyboard control means together with the input data from the keyboard by the software processing of the data processing device. It does not make any changes to the hardware itself.

[0017]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a data processing apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, a computer terminal 10, which is a data processing device, includes interface control means 11 ₁ to ₁ 1.
1 _n , keyboard control means 12, code conversion table 1
3 _{1 to} 13 _m , the keyboard control module 14 and the host application 15 are included, and each component except for the host application 15 is realized by the operating system.

The above interface control means 11 ₁ to 1
1 _n are connected to the input devices 20 _{1 to} 20 _n in a one-to-one correspondence. Of these, the interface control means 11 ₁ and 11 ₂ are connected to the input devices 20 ₁ and 20 ₂ respectively by the interface a, and the interface control means 11 ₁ uses the input data (code A) from the input device 20 ₁ for the code A. by referring to the code conversion table 13 _1, the interface controller 11 ₂
By referring to the code conversion table 13 _{and second} cord B input data from the input device 20 ₂ (code B) is respectively converted to the same data code and keyboard, the code converted data the converted data Storage 1
After storing 6 ₁ and 16 _2, and transmits to the keyboard controller 12.

The interface control means 11 _n-1
Is connected to the input device 20 _n-1 by the interface d, and the interface control means 11 _n is connected to the input device 20 _n by the interface e.
The input data (code E) from 0 _n-1 and 20 _n is converted into the same data code as the keyboard by referring to the code conversion table 13 _m for the code E, and the converted data is code-converted. Data storage unit 1
After being stored in 6 _n−1 and 16 _n, it is transmitted to the keyboard control means 12.

The keyboard control means 12 supervises the data inputted from the interface control means 11 _{1 to} 11 _n and the keyboard 21, and controls the keyboard control means 12.
The received data is stored in the received data storage unit 17 inside, and then the stored data is transmitted to the keyboard control module 14.

The keyboard control module 14 inherits the conventional keyboard control function. That is, the upper interface remains the same as before, and the received data storage unit 1
After receiving the input data transmitted from 7 and temporarily storing it in the internal input data storage unit 18, the stored data is transmitted to the higher-level application 15 as if it was received from the keyboard 21. .

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The interface control means 11 ₁ is input data (code A) from the input device 20 ₁ connected by the interface a.
Is converted into the same code as the keyboard by referring to the code conversion table 13 ₁ for the code A, and the converted data is once stored in the interface control means 11 _1.
The data is stored in the code-converted data storage unit 16 ₁ therein. This code conversion process is performed for each text data unit.

Details of the processing at this time will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the interface control means 11 ₁
Performs a code conversion process for one data of the input data using the code conversion table 13 ₁ (step 101), and stores the converted data thus obtained in the code converted data storage unit 16 ₁ (step 102). .

Subsequently, a text end detection process is performed, and the above steps 101 and 1 are performed until the text end is detected.
The process of 02 is repeatedly executed (step 103). When the end of the text is detected, the data in the code-converted data storage section 16 ₁ is transmitted to the received data storage section 17 in the keyboard control means 12 (step 104). Other interface control means 11 ₂ to 11 _n also perform the same processing as described above, converts the input data to the same code and keyboard, that converts the received data-data-storage unit 17
Send to.

After the keyboard control means 12 collectively stores the text data received from the interface control means 11 _{1 to} 11 _n and the input data (text unit) from the keyboard 21 in the received data storage section 17 in this way. , Is output to the keyboard control module 14, but at this time, the following processing is performed in order to avoid mixing of data.

Details of the processing at this time will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the keyboard control unit 12 receives the text data from each of the interface control units 11 _{1 to} 11 _n and the keyboard 21 (step 201), first, the received text data is stored in the internal reception data storage unit 17 (step 202).

Subsequently, the keyboard control means 12 determines the usage status of the input data storage section 18 in the keyboard control module 14 (step 203). If the input data storage unit 18 is in use, it waits until it is not used. If it is not used, the text data stored in the reception data storage unit 17 is read out, and the keyboard control module 14 is read.
To the input data storage section 18 (step 20)
4).

Thereafter, the keyboard control module 14
Treats all the data in the input data storage unit 18 as input data from the keyboard 21, processes the data, and sends the data to the upper application 15. This operation of the keyboard control module 14 is similar to the case where the input devices 20 _{1 to} 20 _n are not connected and is completely unaware of the input devices 20 _{1 to} 20 _n .

The upper application 15 receiving the data from the keyboard control module 14 also considers all the received data as the input data from the keyboard 21 without paying attention to the existence of the input devices 20 _{1 to} 20 _n. Perform processing. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of input devices can be connected, and addition and change of the input devices can be easily performed by software.

In the above description, the case of data input from the input device 20 ₁ has been described, but the same applies to the case of data input from the other input devices 20 _{2 to} 20 _n .

When the input device 20 ₂ is connected by the same interface a as the input device 20 ₁ , the interface control means 11 ₂ connected to the input device 20 ₂ is the same as the interface control means 11 _1. Can be used. Furthermore, since the code type of each input data from the input devices 20 _n-1 and 20 _n is the code E, the code conversion table 13 _m can be shared.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The input data from the input device is integrated with the input data from the keyboard and is sent to the upper software (upper application and keyboard control module) so that the upper software is not aware of the input device. It is possible to connect a plurality of devices without affecting the above, and it is possible to easily add / change the input device only by adding / changing the interface control means and the code conversion table.

Further, according to the present invention, the input data from the input device is processed by the software processing of the data processing device,
By collectively transmitting the input data from the keyboard to the host software, the hardware itself of the existing input device is not changed at all, so the input data from the existing input device other than the keyboard was also input from the keyboard. It can be processed in the same way as when.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the interface control means of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the keyboard control means of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an example of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 computer terminals 11 ₁ to 11 _n interface control unit 12 Keyboard control means 13 ₁ to 13 _m code conversion table 14 keyboard control module 15 the upper application 16 ₁ ~ 16 _n code converted data storage unit 17 the received data storage unit 18 the input data storage Part 20 _{1 to} 20 _n Input device 21 Keyboard

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A code conversion table for converting a code of input data into the same code as that of a keyboard, and the code corresponding to the code of the input data of the input device for data input from an input device other than the keyboard. Interface control means for converting the data of the same code as that of the keyboard by referring to the conversion table and storing the converted data in an internal storage unit, and after conversion read from the storage unit of the interface control means. And a keyboard control module that stores the data of the keyboard and the data from the keyboard in an integrated manner, and a keyboard control module that processes the data received from the keyboard control means as the data from the keyboard, processes the data, and sends the processed data to a higher-level application. A data processing device having. 2. The plurality of interface control means are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of input devices, and when the input data of the plurality of input devices are of the same code type, the code The data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the conversion table is shared.