Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2002-04-30
Lao, Lun-Yi (Department: 2673)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
C345S163000, C345S168000, C710S067000, C708S146000, C235S146000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06380924
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of The Invention
Applicant's invention relates to a mouse and keyboard recording and/or reproducing apparatus that is capable of recording mouse actions and keyboard keystrokes. Such mouse actions can include mouse movements, mouse drags, and mouse button clicks. The apparatus is capable of playing back recorded mouse actions and keyboard keystrokes in the proper sequence. Again, such mouse actions can include mouse movements, mouse drags, and mouse button clicks. In addition, this invention relates to computer peripheral devices that store mouse and keyboard actions for future execution.
2. Background Information
The mouse invented by Douglas Engelbart of Stanford Research Center in 1963 is one of the great breakthroughs in computer ergonomics because it frees the user to a large extent from using the keyboard. In particular, the mouse is important for graphical user interfaces because you can simply point to options and objects and click a mouse button. Unfortunately, certain applications have become so complex that extensive training must be taken before becoming proficient in these programs. Many applications are point-and-click programs that require careful positioning of the pointer and some amount of skill. Computer technology has advanced so rapidly in recent years that people are often overwhelmed when using the computer and more sophisticated software programs. For novice users, this can become a very frustrating task. Although the expert user can easily utilize the powerful features of a windows-based application, the novice can just as easily get himself/herself into difficulties very quickly. Training is a very costly as well as tedious and time consuming process and unfortunately for the novice, different versions of the same applications must be learned which adds to the confusion. Errors in windows-based applications can be very costly especially in the business office environment. Because of the likelihood of serious errors as well as intimidation, many computer users never fully master the powerful capabilities of the personal computer or the mainframe computer. The MCR simplifies complex application maneuvers and makes computers more like operating a single dedicated machine with push buttons.
There is a need for devices in which complex computer operations can be simplified with a push of a button and in which the general public has experience operating. Most people have had exposure to the recording and playing of video tapes via a video cassette recorder (VCR) device. The MCR can be thought of as being similar to a VCR except that instead of video recordings applicants are storing mouse and keyboard actions and then replaying them. The control buttons are analogous to the play, record, pause, stop and rewind features of a VCR.
Many application programs have a facility for recording keystrokes made by a user in interacting with the particular application program. These keystrokes, stored in a macro file, may be later played back. This use of playback using a macro can allow a user to simply re-execute a complicated set of commands. Additionally, the user can run an often repeated task by running a single macro. These macros are software application dependent in that the software application must be running at least in background in order to be launched and be in standby mode.
Microsoft had a recorder tool in the early Microsoft Windows 3.1 version which allows the user to record mouse movements relative to the screen or to the application. This particular software applied only to Microsoft Windows compatible programs and therefore was software dependent. To begin the recording, the user had to run a macro window application and learn how to define the macro, start and stop the macro without interfering with the actual recording itself. For example, to stop the macro, the user could press a key combination but then the user would have to make sure that the recording itself did not contain that particular key combination. The recorder tool is not offered in Microsoft Windows 95. Since the Microsoft recorder is a software application in itself on the host computer, it is both software and hardware dependent. In addition, setting up the macros requires training.
DEFINITIONS
Certain terms shall be used throughout this disclosure and are given the following definitions:
COMPUTER WORKSTATION is typically a multi-user computer system in which many users can run their own separate applications on the same workstation.
KEYBOARD COMMAND is a sequence of specific keystrokes that a computer user must enter at the keyboard in order to initiate an operation in, or elicit a specific response from the computer system.
HARDWARE INDEPENDENCE. When an ancillary machine is capable of performing its required tasks, regardless of the characteristics of the equipment to which it is connected, it is known as possessing HARDWARE INDEPENDENCE.
HOST COMPUTER SYSTEM. A computer system in which the MCR apparatus would be connected. The MCR operates as a peripheral device to a host computer system.
MCR. Mouse/keyboard Capture Recorder apparatus which is the name and subject of this invention.
MASS STORAGE. Refers to various techniques and devices for storing large amounts of data. Mass storage devices include floppy disks, hard disk drive, optical disks, zip type cartridges and tapes.
MEMORY. Internal storage areas in the computer. Identifies data storage that comes in the form of chips.
MACRO is defined as a keystroke function which represents or emulates a keyboard keystroke set or data set and is used to replace certain keyboard keystroke or data sets.
MOUSE. A device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen. A mouse contains at least one button and sometimes as many as three, which have different functions depending on what program is running. Examples of different types of mouse are serial mouse, PS/2 compatible mouse, mousepad, bus mouse, button mouse on laptops, and trackball mouse.
MEMORY-RESIDENT PROGRAMS. At times when a computer does not have enough memory to hold all the programs a user uses, the operating system may free some memory by copying data or programs from main memory to a disk. However, certain programs can be marked as being memory resident, which means that the operating system is not permitted to swap them out to a storage device; they will always remain in memory when the computer is on. Another name for memory-resident programs is TERMINATE AND STAY RESIDENT (TSR) programs.
MICROPROCESSOR. A silicon chip that contains a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
MACHINE DEPENDENT. Refers to a software application that runs only on a particular model of computer. Programs that run on a variety of computers are called machine independent.
NON-VOLATILE MEMORY is memory means which relates its internally stored data when all external electrical power is removed. The internally stored data becomes available for normal use when the external electrical power is restored.
PLAYING. In this invention's context, playing is the mode of the MCR apparatus in which electrical signals representing stored mouse actions and keyboard actions are transmitted from the MCR to a host computer system analogous to playing a tape.
RECORDING. In this invention's context, recording is the mode of the MCR apparatus in which electrical signals from a mouse and/or keyboard are being stored by the MCR apparatus analogous to a tape recording.
PC. PC's are families of computers that were developed by IBM in the early 1980's. Starting from the early XT computers to the modern day Pentium computers. In our references to the PC (Personal Computer), we are also referring to all types of personal computers that make use of keyboard and/or mouse devices including Apple computers and all their clones.
PORT. An interface on a computer to which a user can connect devices such as a mouse, a keyboard, disk drives, modems, and the like.
PORTABLE. When used to describe hardware, portable means small and lightweight.
PS/2. IB
Gonzalez Raul
Yee Young
Evans Michelle
Gunn, Lee & Hanor P.C.
Lao Lun-Yi
Yee Young
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