Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A personal computer attachment for a display station of the type that communicates with a host computer (48), the display station having a display unit (10) and a keyboard (12), the display unit having display means (38) for displaying image data and first buffer means (42) for receiving image data from the host computer and supplying the image data to the display means, the attachment comprising: a personal computer including a system bus, a microprocessor (8088) and memory means connected to the system bus, the memory means including second buffer means for supplying image data to a display means; switch means (52) connected to the display means for selectively supplying host image data from the first buffer means in the display unit or personal computer data from the second buffer means in the personal computer; and adapter means (36) connected to the personal computer system bus for communicating with the display unit, the keyboard being attached to the adapter means for selectively inputting data to the host computer or the personal computer, the adapter means including control means (56) responsive to a keyboard input for controlling the switch means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
A personal computer attachment for a display station of the type that communicates with a host computer (48), the display station having a display unit (10) and a keyboard (12), the display unit having display means (38) for displaying image data and first buffer means (42) for receiving image data from the host computer and supplying the image data to the display means, the attachment comprising: a personal computer including a system bus, a microprocessor (8088) and memory means connected to the system bus, the memory means including second buffer means for supplying image data to a display means; switch means (52) connected to the display means for selectively supplying host image data from the first buffer means in the display unit or personal computer data from the second buffer means in the personal computer; and adapter means (36) connected to the personal computer system bus for communicating with the display unit, the keyboard being attached to the adapter means for selectively inputting data to the host computer or the personal computer, the adapter means including control means (56) responsive to a keyboard input for controlling the switch means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
340 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display station itself is of the type that communicates with the host computer (48) for the purpose of accessing data and running programs on the host computer, and includes keyboard adapter means (46) for receiving keyboard signals, feature bus means (44) for providing an interface to a controller (50) external to the display station, and means for providing a communication link between the buffer means, the keyboard adapter means and the feature bus means and the host computer; the personal computer system unit including a keyboard adapter connected to the system bus, and input/output means connected to the system bus for providing an interface to external devices such means including a display adapter (26 or 28) which incorporates the buffer for supplying image data to a display means; the attachment adapter (36) including an input/output interface (54), a switch control (56) a two-way keyboard adapter (58), and a feature bus adapter (60), the keyboard being connected to the two-way keyboard adapter, and each of the switch control, two-way keyboard adapter and feature bus adapter communicating with the system bus of the personal computer system unit via the input/output interface, the switch control further being connected to a control input of the switch means, the two-way keyboard adapter further being connected to the keyboard adapter means in the display station and to the keyboard adapter in the personal computer system unit, and the feature bus adapter further being connected to the feature bus means in the display station whereby keystroke signals from the keyboard are transmitted by the two-way keyboard adapter via the input/output interface and system bus to the memory means of the personal computer for interpretation by the microprocessor and then retransmitted back to the two-way keyboard adapter and either to the keyboard adapter means in the display system or to the keyboard adapter in the personal computer system unit and the switch control being responsive to a unique keystroke signal generated by the keyboard to control the switch means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the input/output means in the personal computer system unit further includes a bulk storage media adapter (24) and a printer adapter (30), the attachment further including bulk storage media means (16) and printer means (18) connected respectively to the bulk storage media adapter and the printer adapter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, further comprising means responsive to a keyboard command for unloading the buffer means in the display station and transmitting the image data that was stored in the buffer means to the personal computer via the feature bus means and the feature bus adapter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising means for transmitting data from a host computer to either the buffer means in the'display unit or the personal computer system unit via the feature bus means and the feature bus adapter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising means for transmitting data from the personal computer to a host computer via the feature bus adapter and the feature bus means, the data being generated either by signals from the keyboard or a program run on the personal computer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the two-way keyboard adapter includes logic that accepts keystroke information from the keyboard and directs it either to the display unit or the personal computer, the logic being powered by the display unit so that if there is a failure in the personal computer, the operator can switch to a host mode of operation using a keystroke sequence.