GB2185607A - Computer terminal auxiliary device - Google Patents
Computer terminal auxiliary device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2185607A GB2185607A GB08701115A GB8701115A GB2185607A GB 2185607 A GB2185607 A GB 2185607A GB 08701115 A GB08701115 A GB 08701115A GB 8701115 A GB8701115 A GB 8701115A GB 2185607 A GB2185607 A GB 2185607A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- terminal
- auxiliary device
- processing unit
- central processing
- data
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
- G06F13/38—Information transfer, e.g. on bus
- G06F13/40—Bus structure
- G06F13/4004—Coupling between buses
- G06F13/4022—Coupling between buses using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
- G06F13/10—Program control for peripheral devices
- G06F13/12—Program control for peripheral devices using hardware independent of the central processor, e.g. channel or peripheral processor
- G06F13/124—Program control for peripheral devices using hardware independent of the central processor, e.g. channel or peripheral processor where hardware is a sequential transfer control unit, e.g. microprocessor, peripheral processor or state-machine
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/14—Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Mathematical Physics (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
- Digital Computer Display Output (AREA)
Abstract
A computer system has a central processing unit (1) connected to a terminal dumb or semi-intelligent (2) via an auxiliary device (4). The auxiliary device (4) contains processing circuitry (12-19 Figure 2) and can be operated in a transparent state in which the device (4) acts to relay signals between the terminal (2) and the central processing unit (1) and a local computing state in which the device (4) can be addressed by the terminal (2) to perform local computing functions independently of the central processing unit (1). The device (6) may be connected to a local printer. The auxiliary unit may enable the setting up of transmission standards, or interfacing with a particular printer. It also provides for a local calculator or screen edit or dump, or transaction logging, or invocation of password security. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Computer terminal auxiliary device
This invention relates to an auxiliary device for use with a computerterminal.
With large mini or mainframe computer systems having multiple terminals connected remotely to a central processing unit, it is often the case thatthe terminals are dumb or only semi-intelligent. That is, the terminals may have little or no local computing capabilities whereby the central processing unit has to be accessed for most or all operations performed with the terminals.
This can give rise to problems in the case where relatively minor operations are to be performed. For example, where a terminal operatorwishesto perform a simple mathematical calculation it may be un duly time-consuming or inconvenient or inefficient in terms of utilisation of computertime if the calculation is performed by accessing a suitablecomputation program of the central processing unit. For this reason it is not unusual for the computer operatorto use a hand-held calculator or even an adjacent mic rocomputer should he wish to perform a simple mathematical calculation whilst operating the terminal.
Afurther problem is that if may only be possible to obtain a hard copy print of a display on a vdu of the terminal via a main printer of the computer system, and this may be inconvenient where a quick informal print is required, in so far as the main printer maybe located remote from the terminal and it may be nec essaryto wait until there is free time on the printer.
Astill further problem isthatthecomputersystem may not be programmed to provide all facilities which may be required at a particularterminal. For example, where a particularterminal is used for pro- gram writing or graphic design the operator may require screen editing or graphic manipulation capabilities which are not available in the existing programming of the computer system.
An object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary device which can be used to overcome the above problems in a simple, convenient manner in the context of an existing computer system having dumb or semi-intelligent terminals.
According to the invention therefore there is provided an auxiliary device adapted to be interposed between a terminal and a central processing unit of a computer system so as to be capable of relaying data signals between the central processing unit and the terminal, characterised in that said device contains processing circuitry capable of processing data signals received from the terminal so as to generate an output therefrom independently of the central
processing unit.
With this arrangement, in effect, an existing dumb or semi-intelligent terminal of a computer system can be converted into a n i enter I an intelligentterminalwithout requiring appreciable modification of the system.
The arrangement may be such that the auxiliary device is operable in two separate states: a transparent state in which it acts to relay signals between the terminal and the central processing unit so that the terminal can be used to access the unit, and a local computing state in which the terminal is used to access the processing circuitry in the auxiliary device and the central processing unit is not accessed.
Alternatively, if desired, the arrangement may be such that mixed states are possiblewherebyforexample the processing circuitry in the auxiliary device can be used to process data from the terminal and produce a processed output which is then passed to the central processing unit or vice versa. Switching between or activation of the respective states may be arranged to be effected by control signals from the terminal and/or by a switch on the auxiliary device or otherwise as desired. For security purposes, the arrangement may be such that entry of a password is required before the auxiliary device can be switched to the transparent state.
The auxiliary device when in the aforesaid transparent state may be wholly transparent in that data signals are relayed without being modified or processed. Alternatively, the auxiliary device may actto modify or process relayed signals, for example by selecting the band rate and/or other parameters, by coding the signals for security purposes, orfor other reasons. Also, the auxiliary device may act to perform automatic auxiliaryfunctions e.g.transaction logging.
It isvisualised thatthe auxiliary device of the invention will find particular application when used with a terminal having a keyboard and a vdu whereby the processing circuitry of the auxiliary device can be addressed via the keyboard and transactions and instructions can be displayed on the vdu screen.
The functions which can be made available by accessing the processing circuitry ofthe auxiliary device may comprise one or more of the following: calculatorfunctions with vdu screen display of calculations; screen editing and re-entry of edited program lines; dump of current screen display to a printer; automatic screen clear; generation of captions or instructions on the terminal screen (e.g. terminal free caption); key-controlled screen manipulation functions such as graphics handling.
The auxiliary device may be provided with a port for connection to a printer where a local printfacility is required.
The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :- Figure lisa diagrammatic representation of one form of a computer system according to the invention; and
Figure2 is a schematic circuit diagram of the auxil iarydeviceofthesystem of Figure 1.
With referencetoFigurel,acomputersystem comprises a central processing unit 1 which may be a mainframe or mini computer, and a plurality ofterminals 2, only one of which is shown. The terminals 2 are connected to the unit 1 via data lines 3 and in the case of one or more of the terminals 2 there is are- spective auxiliary device 4 interposed in the data line 3 adjacent the terminal 2.
Each terminal 2 has a vdu 5 and a keyboard 6.
Within the terminal 2 there is appropriate circuitry (including a mains operated power supply) which controls the operation of the vdu Sand links the vdu 5 and the keyboard 6 with the data line 3 via an input/ output port 7. The terminal circuitry also provides limited control overthe interconnection between the vdu 5 and the keyboard 6 and the data line 3 in that data entered via the keyboard 6 and data received from the data line 3 can be stored within the terminal 2 and displayed on thevdu 5 underthe control ofthe terminal circuitry. The terminal is however dumb or only semi-intelligent and the terminal circuitry includes little or no local intelligence or data processing capability.
The auxiliary device 4 comprises a housed unit having circuitry on a printed circuit board within a casing. The circuitry is connected to three input/ output ports 8,9,10 and a mains connector 11. The circuitry includes a power supply 12 providing a low voltage d.c. source from a.c. mains.
Further, the circuitry includes a plurality of integrated circuit chips appropriately connected to address and data buses 13, 14 and to the ports 8-10, such chips including a microprocessor 15, a timing crystal-controlled oscillator 16, a CMOS RAM 17 with battery backup, a PROM#1 8 containing the operating program forthe auxiliary device, an address decoder 19, and interface devices 20-22 connected to the ports 8-10 via buffers 23-25. There is also a real time clock 26.
As shown in Figure 1, one port 10 is connected to a local printer; the other two ports 8,9 are connected respectively to the data lines 3 leading to the terminal 2 and the computer 1; and the connector 11 is connected to mains supply.
In use, when the terminal 2 and the auxiliary device 4 are switched on, the auxiliary device 4 produces a screen display on the terminal 2 asking the operator if a change in parameters is required. If the answer is not yes the operator presses any key other than the Y key whereupon the auxiliary device passes into a transparent mode. In this mode, data is relayed through the auxiliary device in a predetermined manner (e.g. at a predetermined baud rate) as set by the circuitry ofthe auxiliary device 4 and the terminal can be used to access the computer in the normal way (i.e. as if the terminal were connected directlyto the computer). If on the other hand the Y key is operated, a main menu is produced on the screen and the operatorcan selectforexampleanyofthefollowing: 1.Configure computer port;
2. Configure printer port;
3. Configure keys;
4. Invoke password security;
5. Exit.
If (1 ) is selected from this menu the operator can change parameters such as baud rate, bits per character, parity, stop bits, and the changed parameters are utilised subsequently when data is transmitted betweentheterminal andthecomputerviatheauxil- iary device.
If (2) is selected from the menu the auxiliary device can be set up to interface with a particular printer.
If (3) is selected from the menu, the operatorcan selectvariousfunctions by pressing identified keys e.g.
enter calculator mode
exit calculator mode
enter screen edit mode
dump screen to printer
start transaction log
stop transaction log
display terminal free caption.
If (4) is selected from the main menu the auxiliary device can be programmed via the keyboard 6 so thatthe terminal can only access the computer after entry of a password.
With the arrangement described above, in a particularly simple and convenient-manner, an existing terminal is provided with supplementary facilities and in effect therefore is converted from a dumb or semi-intelligent terminal, to an intelligent terminal.
In more detail, the auxiliary device enables theterminal to be used in different modes. That is, the device 4 can switch between a firsttransparent mode in which data can be transmitted from the terminal via the device to the central computer and vice versa, and a second use-controlled mode in which the device 4 combines with the terminal to give a combination (which is in effect a microcomputer) which is capable of processing data entered via the terminal.
In the first mode the auxiliary device 4 can act in the manner of a controlled orsemi-intelligentinter- face or modem in that data transmitted between the terminal and the central computer can betemporarily stored or buffered as necessary in the device and relayed in a desired format or configuration (as re-set using selection (1) from the above menu). The device 4 does not actto modify or process the information content of the relayed data, and such modification or processing which does occur is forth purpose of influencing the relay of data through the device 4withouttransmitting such modified or pro cessed data back to the terminal orto any printer or other peripheral.In the second mode, data inputvia the terminal is processed by the auxiliary device 4 in accordance with instructions and commands entered via the keyboard of the terminal and this can be done without any involvement of the central computer. The processed data is fed backto the terminal to be displayed on its screen and is stored in memory in the terminal and/or in memory in the auxiliary device. The proposed data may be output to a printer or other peripheral device.Thus, for example if calculator mode is selected (via selection (3) from the above menu), data can be entered manually via the terminal keyboard, the device 4 can be instructed by way of keyboard command to perform calculation on the data, and solution etc., derived bythe device are fed back to the terminal to be displayed on its VDU screen, all without accessing the central computer. If screen edit mode is selected (via selection (3)) it is possible to enter data and commands manually through the terminal keyboard so that, for example, a program or data can be written on the terminal
VDU screen, so that lines of data or a program~ already displayed on the screen can be edited, so that a graphics effect can be produced and displayed on the screen, using the processing capability ofthe device 4 generally in the manner of a microcomputer. Importantly, processed data, whether in the form of a screen display or otherwise, resulting from action taken in the calculator or screen edit mode can be relayed to the central computer. Thus, a program or data can be written on the terminal, using processing facilities from the device 4 (line numbering, screen display, screen editing etc.), and the resulting program or data when considered to be satisfactory can be relayed via the device 4to the control computer using appropriate command keys of the terminal (via selection (3)).It is also possible to download data or program lines from the central computertothe terminal so that the data or program lines can then be stored locally in the terminal and/orthe device 4 and edited in screen edit mode (without involving the central computer) using the screen edit facilities of the device 4, and then the edited data or program lines can be relayed backto the central computer.
Further, whenever required, data, program lines, graphic displays on the VDU screen of the terminal and/or stored in the device 4 can be dumped via the device to a local printer connected to the device 4to give a local print-out.
The device 4 incorporates non-volatile memory in which selected parameters can be stored e.g. parameters set via menu selection (1 ) and (2) and the password set via menu selection (4). Moreover,there may be a start-up mode when the terminal and device are first switched on in which the use is given the opportunity to allocate keys to the various functions used in menu selection (3), and the allocations are stored in the non-volatile memoryforfuture use.
It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details ofthe above embodiments which are described by way of example only.
Claims (10)
1 An auxiliary device adapted to be interposed between aterminal and acentral processing unit of a computer system so as to be capable of relaying data signals between the central processing unit and the terminal, characterised in that said device contains processing circuitry capable of processing data signals received from the terminal so as to generate an output therefrom representative of said processed data at the terminal independently of the central processing unit.
2. An auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterised in thatthe device is operable in two separate states: a transparent state in which it acts to relay signals between the terminal and the central processing unit so that the terminal can be used to access the unit, and a local computing state in which the terminal is used to access the processing circuitry in the auxiliary device and the central processing unit is not accessed.
3. An auxiliary device according to claim 2, characterised in that the device when in the said transparent state is wholly transparent in that data signals are relayed without being modified or processed.
4. An auxiliary device according to claim 2, characterised in thatthe device when in the said transparent state isoperableto modify or process relayed signals by selecting signal relay parameters.
5. An auxiliary device according to claim 2, characterised in that the device when in the said transparent state is operable to modify or process relayed signals by coding the signals for relay purposes.
6. An auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the device is operable to perform transaction logging.
7. A computer system comprising an auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, interposed between a terminal and a central processing unit.
8. A system according to claim 7, characterised in that the terminal has a keyboard and a vdu and the processing circuitry of the auxiliary device is arranged to be addressed via the keyboard and transactions and instructions are arranged to be displayed on the vdu screen.
9. A system according to claim 8, characterised in thatthe auxiliary device is connected to a printerto provide a local print facility.
10. An auxiliary device and a computer system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB868601117A GB8601117D0 (en) | 1986-01-17 | 1986-01-17 | Computer terminal auxiliary device |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8701115D0 GB8701115D0 (en) | 1987-02-18 |
| GB2185607A true GB2185607A (en) | 1987-07-22 |
| GB2185607B GB2185607B (en) | 1989-11-01 |
Family
ID=10591538
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB868601117A Pending GB8601117D0 (en) | 1986-01-17 | 1986-01-17 | Computer terminal auxiliary device |
| GB8701115A Expired GB2185607B (en) | 1986-01-17 | 1987-01-19 | Computer terminal auxiliary device |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB868601117A Pending GB8601117D0 (en) | 1986-01-17 | 1986-01-17 | Computer terminal auxiliary device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB8601117D0 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2626389A1 (en) * | 1988-01-25 | 1989-07-28 | Automatisme Avenir Inf | Self-contained display and computing device |
| EP0524199A4 (en) * | 1990-03-02 | 1994-06-22 | Michel J Remion | Telecommunication interface apparatus and method |
| EP0723233A1 (en) * | 1995-01-17 | 1996-07-24 | Sony Corporation | Game systems and repeaters therefor |
| FR2808344A1 (en) * | 2000-04-27 | 2001-11-02 | Sagem | Controller for dynamic sharing of an electronic device, such as a networked printer, between its integral network card and a non- networked device such as a fax machine |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2013008A (en) * | 1978-01-23 | 1979-08-01 | Data General Corp | Data processing system using a separate input/output processor |
| EP0021489A1 (en) * | 1979-06-08 | 1981-01-07 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. | Input/output channel for a high-speed computing system |
| EP0121364A2 (en) * | 1983-03-30 | 1984-10-10 | Unisys Corporation | Automatic read system for peripheral-controller |
| EP0135127A2 (en) * | 1983-08-19 | 1985-03-27 | Cxi, Incorporated | Personal computer interface |
| GB2159987A (en) * | 1984-06-04 | 1985-12-11 | Gen Electric | Distributed input/output system |
-
1986
- 1986-01-17 GB GB868601117A patent/GB8601117D0/en active Pending
-
1987
- 1987-01-19 GB GB8701115A patent/GB2185607B/en not_active Expired
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2013008A (en) * | 1978-01-23 | 1979-08-01 | Data General Corp | Data processing system using a separate input/output processor |
| EP0021489A1 (en) * | 1979-06-08 | 1981-01-07 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. | Input/output channel for a high-speed computing system |
| EP0121364A2 (en) * | 1983-03-30 | 1984-10-10 | Unisys Corporation | Automatic read system for peripheral-controller |
| EP0135127A2 (en) * | 1983-08-19 | 1985-03-27 | Cxi, Incorporated | Personal computer interface |
| GB2159987A (en) * | 1984-06-04 | 1985-12-11 | Gen Electric | Distributed input/output system |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2626389A1 (en) * | 1988-01-25 | 1989-07-28 | Automatisme Avenir Inf | Self-contained display and computing device |
| EP0524199A4 (en) * | 1990-03-02 | 1994-06-22 | Michel J Remion | Telecommunication interface apparatus and method |
| EP0723233A1 (en) * | 1995-01-17 | 1996-07-24 | Sony Corporation | Game systems and repeaters therefor |
| US5785597A (en) * | 1995-01-17 | 1998-07-28 | Sony Corporation | Game machine and repeater therefor |
| FR2808344A1 (en) * | 2000-04-27 | 2001-11-02 | Sagem | Controller for dynamic sharing of an electronic device, such as a networked printer, between its integral network card and a non- networked device such as a fax machine |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8701115D0 (en) | 1987-02-18 |
| GB8601117D0 (en) | 1986-02-19 |
| GB2185607B (en) | 1989-11-01 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19960119 |