JPH09134244A - Data conversion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the adaptability to the input and display of information among different types of computers by processing and synthesizing the video signals outputted from plural information processors to display these signals in plural windows of a single monitor. SOLUTION: An input control part of an input processing part 110 inputs the signals received from a pseudo general-purpose keyboard 20 and a pseudo general-purpose mouse 30 and sends these signals to a code conversion part. The code conversion part performs the code conversion between the input control part and a computer. The converted codes are outputted to a personal computer main body 51, a work station main body 52 and another information processor main body 53 from an output control part. A video input part inputs the video signals outputted from the information processors and stores them in a frame memory 121 after the A/D conversion. The video signals stored in the frame memories 121, 123... are edited in a multiwindow form on a single display screen via a video control part 127. Then the edited video signals are outputted to a monitor 50 via a video output part 127.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data converter capable of commonly using computers of different models,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a data conversion device that can commonly use a keyboard and a monitor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is not sufficient compatibility between input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse and output devices such as a monitor between different types of computers such as current personal computers and workstations.

Further, the data file output by the application program differs in output file format and Kanji code for each application program and is not compatible.

To give an example of the above, a keyboard has a method of transferring clock and data in a single line, a method of transferring in a plurality of lines, and the like, and the protocol between a computer and a keyboard is different between companies. .

There are various methods for transmitting and receiving data even with a mouse, and there are various mouse buttons from 1 to 3.

As a multi-scan type monitor, a model capable of supporting several combinations of different horizontal and vertical scanning frequencies has been put into practical use.
A monitor can only be connected to one computer at a time.

Also in the application program, the output file format and the Kanji code are different for each word processor program, for example.

As a means for solving this, a method of creating a file conversion program or transmitting and receiving with a common code through a network has been carried out. However, both of them have large restrictions, and for an environment in which a plurality of computers are used in parallel. Not enough. For example, when a file conversion program is created, it must be created for each application program, and even when a shared file or a file is transferred via a network, the file format is not normally converted.

As described above, except for some compatible models (IBM machines in personal computers, Sun machines in workstations, etc.), the output signals of the keyboard and mouse interface and the monitor are different for each company in personal computers and workstations. Cage,
In addition, the output file is different depending on the application program and is not compatible at present.

[0010]

Conventionally, the following problems have been encountered in the case of operating a computer of a different model and a program running therein in sequence or alternately and mutually utilizing data to proceed the work.

First, the input device such as a keyboard and a mouse of each computer and the output device such as a monitor are not sufficiently compatible with each other, or a function for switching and using is not added. Must be near the operator. Especially when it is placed on a desk, the work space for writing and the like is narrowed and there is a problem in work efficiency.

Secondly, since the output file format and the Kanji code of the application program are different, it is impossible to directly send and receive data between the computers, and the operator inputs the output result displayed on the monitor using the keyboard of another computer. , I had to rewrite the app Keshon program.

Alternatively, a file conversion program must be created for each application program that sends and receives character data.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a data conversion device suitable for information input and information display of a computer of a different model.

[0015]

In order to achieve such an object, the invention of claim 1 is connected to a single keyboard, and keyboard signals from the keyboard are connected to a plurality of information processing apparatus bodies of different models. Input processing means for converting into a keyboard signal corresponding to each of the plurality of information processing apparatus main bodies and outputting to each of the plurality of information processing apparatus main bodies, a single monitor, and a video signal output from the plurality of information processing apparatus main bodies. And a video synthesizing means for subjecting the video signals to signal processing so as to be displayed in a plurality of windows on one monitor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, an instruction means for instructing whether window display is required for each of the plurality of information processing apparatus main bodies, and information processing instructed that the window display is required. It is characterized by further comprising display control means for displaying a corresponding window on the apparatus main body.

In addition to the invention of claim 2, the invention of claim 3 further comprises means for instructing the size and display position of the window, and the display control means sets the size and display position instructed. It is characterized by displaying a window.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the invention, the input processing means is connected to a single mouse, and mouse signals from the mouse are transferred to a plurality of information processing apparatus bodies of different models. It is characterized in that it is converted into a mouse signal corresponding to each and outputted to each of the plurality of information processing apparatus main bodies.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in addition to the first aspect of the invention, a window designating means for designating a specific window among the plurality of windows and an information processing apparatus main body corresponding to the designated window. And a video signal control means for controlling the video signal to be inputted to the video synthesizing means.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, a range designating means for designating a range of a character string in one of the plurality of windows and a range designating in the window. Character recognition using a video signal used to display a character string, further comprising a character recognition means for converting into a character code string, the input processing means is the information instructed to input the converted character code string It is characterized in that it is input to the main body of the processing device.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the system configuration of a data conversion apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, the data conversion device main body 10 is roughly divided into an overall control unit 130 and an input processing unit 11.
0, a video synthesizing unit 120 and a character extracting unit 100. The overall control unit 130 performs overall control of processes related to each other among the input processing unit 110, the image synthesis unit 120, and the character extraction unit 100, and can use a microprocessor or the like.

The input processing unit 110 has an input means commonly used for a plurality of information processing devices such as personal computers and workstations 51 to 53. In this example, the pseudo general-purpose keyboard 20 and the pseudo general-purpose mouse 30 are used.
And the control panel 40 is connected. As the pseudo general-purpose keyboard 20, a well-known keyboard having character keys and function keys can be used. A well-known mouse can be used as the pseudo-general purpose mouse 30, but it is preferable to have two click buttons.

The control panel 40 is provided with various key switches which will be described later, and the control panel 40 allows the data converter 10 to operate.
Specifies the type of information processing device (main unit) connected to. In this embodiment, a plurality of information processing devices can be connected, and the contents processed by each information processing device can be displayed on the screen of the monitor 50 in the form of a multi-window (a plurality of windows) screen. The control panel 40 gives instructions and settings for this.
Execute by operating the above key switch. A well-known monitor can be used as the monitor 50.

The above-mentioned components will be described in detail below. FIG. 2 shows the details of the input processing unit 110 which operates as the input processing means of the invention of claim 1. Input processing unit 110
Are prepared in the same number as the number of information processing devices to which the input signal converting means, each of which includes the output control unit, the code conversion unit, and the input control unit, is connected. The input control unit inputs a signal transmitted from a pseudo general-purpose keyboard (hereinafter, keyboard) 20 and a pseudo general-purpose mouse (hereinafter, mouse) 30 and delivers it to the code conversion unit. The input control unit includes an input interface unit for inputting output signals of the pseudo general-purpose keyboard 20 and the pseudo general-purpose mouse 30, and a control unit for a communication protocol with them. This input control unit conforms to the electrical / physical specifications and protocol of the commercially available keyboard and mouse used as the pseudo general-purpose keyboard and pseudo general-purpose mouse.

Further, a function of inputting the character code data from the character extracting unit and outputting the data to the computer requesting the data is also prepared.

The output control unit outputs signals equivalent to those of a virtual keyboard and a virtual mouse connected to the computer. Therefore, it implements the electrical and physical specifications and protocols of the keyboard and mouse that are standard on the computer.

The code converting unit is a pseudo general-purpose keyboard 20.
And code conversion between the pseudo general-purpose mouse 30 and the virtual keyboard and virtual mouse which are considered to be connected to the computer.

In the example of FIG. 1, the output control section 111 outputs an input signal to the personal computer main body 51, the output control section 114 outputs an input signal to the workstation main body 52, and the output control section 117 outputs another signal. It is shown that the information is output to the information processing apparatus main body 53.

Which input signal converting means is used is designated by a key switch for selecting a keyboard / mouse on the control panel 40.

One of the many features of this embodiment is that information is input to a plurality of information processing devices using only one set of the keyboard 20 and the mouse 30, and each of them is displayed on the display screen of the monitor 50. The point is that the information processing result of the information processing apparatus can be displayed in a multi-window form. Therefore, the operator can use a plurality of information processing devices in parallel.

FIG. 3 shows details of the video synthesizing section 120 which operates as the video synthesizing means of the first aspect of the invention. The frame memory and the video input unit are provided for each information processing device. The video input unit inputs the video signal output from the information processing device, performs A / D conversion, and stores the video signal in the frame memory. The video signals stored in the frame memories 121, 123, ... (Refer to FIG. 1) are controlled by the video control unit 127-2.
The display position is edited so as to be displayed in a multi-window form on one display screen, and the edited video signal is output to the monitor 50 via the video output unit 127-1. For example,
The video signal of the information processing device 51 is displayed in the A window screen on the monitor 50 (see FIG. 11), and the video signal of the information processing device 52 is displayed in the B window screen. To be done.

More specifically, the video signal output from one information processing device is conventionally displayed on the screen of a dedicated monitor, but in the present embodiment, the display of this video signal is set within the window. Compress the video signal. However, it is also possible to cut out a part of the screen from each monitor and display it as it is (in this case, it is not compressed). Images are edited and combined so that a plurality of windows displaying the compressed video signal are displayed on the display screen of the monitor 50. Therefore, the video control unit 127-2 and the overall control unit 130 operate as the display control means of the inventions of claims 2 and 3.

It is possible to change the display specifications by selecting, from the control panel 40, a plurality of sets of video signal converting means consisting of a video input section and a frame memory.

More specifically, the type of each video signal, in the present embodiment, the horizontal and vertical scanning frequencies, and the display position of the window for displaying each video signal instructed by the control panel 40 in the form of the number of screen pixels, The range (size), on / off of display of windows, and priority among windows (including a display synthesizing method when window areas overlap each other) are instructed by operating the control panel 40. Therefore, the control panel 4 is used as an instruction means of the invention of claim 2 and a means of instructing the size and display position of the window of the invention of claim 3.
0 works.

FIG. 4 shows the details of the character extraction unit 100 which operates as the character recognition means of claim 6. In FIG. 4, a monitor 50 is provided by the marker address setting means of the control panel 40.
The area in the display screen of is specified. That is, the frame memory data input unit 103 receives digital data equivalent to that displayed as video on the monitor 50 from the video synthesizing unit 120, extracts an area designated by the control panel 40, and delivers it to the character clipping unit 104. The marker pattern address output unit 102 delivers the address information of the designated area to the video composition unit 120 and displays the designated area.

The character slicing unit 104 extracts a pattern of a character portion and transfers it to the character recognizing unit 105 by a known process, for example, by examining a pixel distribution. The character recognition unit 105 compares the built-in character code with a known reference pattern, and detects a matching reference pattern. The character code conversion unit 106 generates a character code corresponding to the matched reference pattern and transfers it to the input processing unit 110 via the output control unit 107. It should be noted that the input processing unit 110 delivers the character code string which has been subjected to character recognition to the information processing apparatus main body.

FIG. 5 shows the processing contents of the input / output control processing executed in the above system configuration. When the overall control unit 130 of the data conversion device according to the present invention is realized by using a CPU or an IC memory, the processing of FIG. 5 can be realized by software processing.

When activating the system, the operator operates the system activation switch of the control panel 40 (step S10 in FIG. 5). The overall control unit 130 of the data conversion device 10 determines the type of the operated key switch, and when it knows that the system activation switch has been operated, it executes the system activation process (steps S20 → S31). This processing includes initialization of data used in input signal conversion processing, video signal conversion processing, and character recognition processing.

During the processing by the control panel 40, the keyboard and mouse do not go through the information processing device, and the data conversion device 10
It is used for various data input and settings in. At the end of the process, the keyboard and mouse are reconnected to the information processing device for which connection is specified.

In this example, as shown in FIG.
An example will be described in which a type of information processing device is connected to the data conversion device 10 and multi-window display is performed. For this reason, the types of information processing devices will be represented as A, B, and C. For this purpose, the operator operates the keyboard / mouse designating switch of the control panel 40. In response to this instruction, the overall control unit 13
0 is the keyboard 2 on the monitor 50 screen as shown in FIG.
0, a menu screen for specifying the types of the mouse 30 and the types of the keyboard 20 and the mouse 30 used in the information processing apparatuses A to C is displayed. The operator inputs the type from the keyboard 20 or refers to the menu screen or uses the mouse 30 to specify the type of the keyboard and the mouse (step S in FIG. 5).
10 → S20 → S32).

When the operator operates the connection designating switch of the control panel 40, the data conversion device 10 causes the keyboard 2 to operate.
0 and the information processing devices A, B for connecting the mouse 30
A menu screen (see FIG. 8) for selecting C ,,, is displayed. The operator operates the mouse 30 to select A, B, and C as connection targets. In addition, this selection result is displayed on the monitor 50.
Is displayed on the screen (steps S10 → S20 → S3 in FIG. 5).
3).

Next, the operator operates the horizontal and vertical scanning frequencies and the pixel number setting switch of the control panel 40. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, a screen for inputting the parameters of the video signal is displayed on the monitor 50 according to the instruction of the overall control unit 130, so that the operator inputs a numerical value from the keyboard 20. , Sets video signal parameters output from the information processing apparatus main body. The setting result is displayed on the monitor 50 (step S10 → S20 →
S34). The operator can set each window display position (address) and window size by the window designating switch of the control panel 40. This switch operation is recognized in the process of step S35 in FIG. 5, and the setting process is performed.

Further, the operator operates the window display presence / absence designating switch of the control panel 40. As a result, the type corresponding to the previously selected information processing device body is displayed on the monitor 50 as shown in FIG. 10, and the operator uses the mouse 30 to display a window on the monitor 50. Specify the type of body. Whether or not the window is displayed is stored in the data conversion device 10. Based on this information, the display control of the window is controlled by the video control unit 127.
-2 (step S10 → S20 in FIG. 5)
→ S36).

When this kind of setting processing is completed, FIG.
As shown in, a window screen corresponding to each information processing apparatus main body is created. Further, when the settings are made as shown in FIG. 10, the windows for the computer A and the computer B are displayed as shown in FIG. 12, and the window C corresponding to the computer C is not displayed.

In the present embodiment, the character information displayed in the window A can be copied and displayed in another window, for example B (see FIG. 12). For this purpose, the operator uses the area designation (marker address) switch of the control panel 40 to designate the area to be copied as indicated by reference numeral 300 in FIG. Next, the copy destination, in this case the B window, is designated by the area designation switch. The copy area designation process is executed by this designation (step S1).
0 → S20 → S37). The details of this process are shown in FIG. As a result, the overall control unit 130 internally stores the above-mentioned area designation information (S200 → S210), then extracts the image of the area designated by the range from the corresponding frame memory (see FIG. 1) in the video synthesizing unit 120 and performs character recognition. To the character extraction unit 100.

In response to this instruction, the character extraction unit 100 extracts the image of which area is specified from the corresponding frame, performs character recognition by a known method, and converts the character string indicated by the image into a character code string. The converted character code is input to the copy destination B input control unit of the input processing unit 110 via the overall control unit 130 (step S10 in FIG. 5).
→ S20 → S200 → S220 → S221 → S2 of FIG.
22). As a result, the copied character string is displayed in the B window of the monitor 50 by the video signal from the B information processing body as indicated by reference numeral 301.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a plurality of information processing devices of different models can be used as if they were one information processing device, and a keyboard, mouse and monitor are commonly used by one device. As a result, equipment space can be saved. In addition, since various application software can be effectively used, it is possible to execute various information processing not limited to the model. Furthermore, since the operator does not have to use a plurality of types of input devices, the learning of the operation becomes easy.

In addition to this embodiment, the following example can be carried out.

1) In the present embodiment, the standard of the monitor is indicated by numerical values such as horizontal and vertical scanning frequencies, but it may be designated by the model number of the manufacturer. In this case, the horizontal and vertical scanning frequencies and the like are described in a table corresponding to the model number, and information corresponding to the specified model number is acquired from this table.

2) In the present embodiment, the control panel 40 sets the signals input to the information processing apparatus and the video signals output from the information processing apparatus, but the keyboard 20 and the mouse 30 should be used. You can In this case, an input signal conversion means for directly inputting information to the overall control section 130 is provided in the input section 110, and when a special command is input, this input signal conversion means is selected and the overall control section 130 is selected. Enter the above settings-related information. The overall control unit 130 executes the overall control based on the information set as in the above-described embodiment.

3) As the keyboard 20 and the mouse 30, those used for one of the information processing apparatuses to be connected can be used in addition to those specific to the data conversion apparatus 10.

[0053]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the keyboard signal is converted into a form suitable for each information processing apparatus, a single keyboard is used for a plurality of information processing apparatus main bodies. Information can be entered. Also,
Video signals output from a plurality of information processing device bodies are displayed in a plurality of windows in association with the windows. This allows a plurality of information processing devices to be handled as if they were one information processing device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the processing information of the information processing apparatus main body that needs to be displayed in the connected information processing apparatus main body is displayed in a window. This saves unnecessary monitors.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the size and position of the window can be variably set, and for example, the display window of the main body of the frequently used information processing apparatus can be enlarged.

According to the invention of claim 4, a mouse can be commonly used in addition to the keyboard.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, an instruction as to which information processing apparatus main body the information input from the keyboard is to be input is performed using the window screen on the monitor. This can prevent erroneous operation.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when a character string in one window is copied to another window, the characters are recognized from the video signal. Therefore, copying is performed without being aware of character code systems such as shift JIS and new JIS. The target character code can be acquired, and the output character string of a certain information processing device can be input to the information processing device of a different model.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a data conversion device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed system of an input processing unit 110.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed system of a video synthesizing unit 120.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a detailed system of a character extraction unit 100.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control contents of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control contents of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a keyboard / mouse device designation screen.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a keyboard / mouse connection designation screen.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a video signal designation screen.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a window display presence / absence designation screen.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a window screen corresponding to the information processing device.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a process of copying a character string between windows.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a process of copying a character string between windows.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Data Converter 20 (Pseudo General Purpose) Keyboard 30 (Pseudo General Purpose) Mouse 40 Control Panel 50 Monitors 51, 52, 53 Information Processing Device Main Body 100 Character Extraction Unit 110 Input Processing Unit 120 Video Synthesis Unit 130 Overall Control Unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A single keyboard is connected, and a keyboard signal from the keyboard is converted into a keyboard signal corresponding to each of a plurality of information processing device bodies of different models, and the keyboard signal is supplied to each of the plurality of information processing device bodies. Input processing means for outputting, a single monitor, and signal processing the video signals so as to display the video signals output from the plurality of information processing device bodies in a plurality of windows on the single monitor. A data conversion device comprising a video synthesizing means for synthesizing. 2. An instruction means for instructing whether or not to display a window of each of the plurality of information processing apparatus bodies, and a display control means for displaying a window corresponding to the information processing apparatus body instructed to display the window. The data conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising means for instructing the size and display position of the window, wherein the display control means displays the window at the instructed size and display position. Data converter. 4. The input processing means is connected to a single mouse, converts a mouse signal from the mouse into a mouse signal corresponding to each of a plurality of information processing apparatus bodies of different models, and outputs the plurality of information. The data conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion device outputs the data to each of the processing device main bodies. 5. A window instructing means for instructing a specific window among the plurality of windows and a video signal of the information processing apparatus main body corresponding to the instructed window are controlled to be input to the image synthesizing means. The data conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising a video signal control means. 6. A character using a range designating means for designating a range of a character string in one of the plurality of windows and a video signal used for displaying the range-specified character string in the window. A character recognizing means for recognizing and converting into a character code string is further provided, and the input processing means inputs the converted character code string into an information processing apparatus body instructed to input. The data converter described in 1.