초록 ▼

Control apparatus allows application software written for use with peripheral devices manufactured by one company to run with other peripheral devices. The apparatus intercepts device-specific control commands generated by the software and translates the commands into commands which are compatible w

Control apparatus allows application software written for use with peripheral devices manufactured by one company to run with other peripheral devices. The apparatus intercepts device-specific control commands generated by the software and translates the commands into commands which are compatible with the peripheral connected to the system. Non-device specific commands are passed untranslated through the control apparatus to the peripheral. More specifically, registers within the control apparatus which must be programmed with parameters unique to a particular peripheral cannot be accessed by the application software while other nonspecific registers remain read and write accessible. Peripheral-specific parameters are instead changed by a secondary processor which uses special hardware to minimize interference with the main processor.

대표청구항 ▼

In a data processing system having a first processor generating address and data signals, at least one peripheral unit having a plurality of registers for storing parameter data which controls the operation of said peripheral unit, at least selected ones of said registers being device specific regis

In a data processing system having a first processor generating address and data signals, at least one peripheral unit having a plurality of registers for storing parameter data which controls the operation of said peripheral unit, at least selected ones of said registers being device specific registers, and means responsive to said address and said data signals for transferring said parameter data from said first processor to said registers, apparatus for allowing a software program written for use with a different peripheral unit to operate with said peripheral unit, said apparatus comprising means responsive to said address and said data signals for generating a flag signal when said parameter data is being transferred from said first processor to said device specific registers; means responsive to said flag signal for temporarily disconnecting said first processor from said peripheral unit; and means responsive to said address and data signals for providing and writing alternate parameter data into said device specific registers.