Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus facilitating communication between two keyboards and a single processor

US5136694A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
10References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 1989
Grant dateAug 4, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 7, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/021
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A computing device includes a system control processor, a built-in keyboard having a plurality of keys, a connector which facilitates connection of an external keyboard or keypad to the device, an electronic switch which is controlled by the internal keyboard processor and can electrically couple the connector to the system control processor. The internal keyboard processor monitors signals from the system control processor, connector and internal keyboard keys in order to open and close the analog switch so as to facilitate transfers between the system control processor and the internal keyboard through itself, and transfers between the system control processor and an external keyboard through the electronic switch.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.