초록 ▼

A cathode ray tube (CRT) and keyboard display terminal are operated in accordance with the program routines of a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a random access store which is loadable by the customer during initial program load (IPL) operation to store customer selected program routin

A cathode ray tube (CRT) and keyboard display terminal are operated in accordance with the program routines of a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes a random access store which is loadable by the customer during initial program load (IPL) operation to store customer selected program routines for controlling the CRT display and keyboard and for initializing tables in the store which define the customer selected character and symbol set. The tables provide data for determining the functions which are to be performed incident to the depression of each key and since these are customer loadable, the functions can be changed by reinitializing the system. These tables provide the mechanism whereby an operator making use of the keyboard can manually change the functions of each and every key on the keyboard except one key which is dedicated to the function of redefining the functions of other keys. This mechanism permits the operator to manually chain together a large number of functions which will be executed in sequence incident to the depression of a single key which has been selected and redefined to perform all of the desired functions. A redefined key may be returned to its original function by the operator by means of manipulation of the redefine mode key and the key which has been redefined.

대표청구항 ▼

In a system including a visual display, a keyboard having a plurality of manually operable keys, a store for holding program instructions and for holding in tables therein data which is used in assigning original and redefined functions to each of the keys, and program-controlled processing apparatu

In a system including a visual display, a keyboard having a plurality of manually operable keys, a store for holding program instructions and for holding in tables therein data which is used in assigning original and redefined functions to each of the keys, and program-controlled processing apparatus for executing original key functions including the displaying of information on the display in accordance with data entered into the apparatus by the keys, the combination therewith of: manually operable key redefinition means, means responsive to the actuation of the key redefinition means for changing the apparatus from an execution mode to a key redefinition mode, means responsive to the depression of a first depressed key while the apparatus is in the key redefinition mode for modifying the store tables to save the original function assignment of the first depressed key, whereby the original function of the first depressed key is available for assignment as one or more of a list of functions to be assigned to the first depressed key, means responsive to the depression of each additional key thereafter depressed while the apparatus is in the key redefinition mode for modifying the state of a redefine function table corresponding to the first depressed key to accumulate the function of each said additional key in a stored sequential list of functions to be executed when said first depressed key is operated in its redefined mode, and means responsive to a second actuation of the key redefinition means for returning the apparatus to the execution mode.