EP0182492A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Data processing system
Assignee: Fujitsu Services Ltd
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Filing: 1985-10-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-14
Abstract
Abstract 57 A data processing system is described that can execute a plurality of programs concurrently and has a display screen for displaying data associated with any one of the progams. Each progam maintains display screen data indicating the current status of the progam. The system maintains a REVIEW menu containing a list of the progams that have display screen data available. When a REVIEW key is pressed, the REVIEW menu is displayed. By pressing a further key, one of the listed progams can then be selected, and its display screen data is displayed on the screen. When the key is released, the information that was being displayed prior to operation of the REVIEW key is restored to the screen. A RESUME menu lists progams that are currently in a background mode, and can be called up by pressing a RESUME key, allowing one of those progams to be put into a foreground mode in which it has access to the screen. Another menu lists progams that are available for execution and can be called up by pressing a START key, allowing one to be selected for execution.
Inventors
- 👤 John Francis Cliff
- 👤 Robert Rae Walton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:05
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0487; G06F3/0489; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/975
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A data processing system arranged to execute a plurality of programs concurrently and having a display screen for displaying data associated with any one of the programs, characterised in that: (a) each of the programs maintains display screen data indicating the current status of that program, (b) the system maintains a review menu containing a list of those programs having display screen data currently available, (c) the system has a manually operable review key which, when operated, causes the review menu to be displayed on the screen in place of any information currently displayed there, and (d) the system has manual selection means, operable when the review menu is being displayed to select one of the programs listed on that menu and to cause the display screen data of the selected program to be displayed on the screen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A data processing system arranged to execute a plurality of programs concurrently and having a display screen for displaying data associated with any one of the programs, characterised in that: (a) each of the programs maintains display screen data indicating the current status of that program, (b) the system maintains a review menu containing a list of those programs having display screen data currently available, (c) the system has a manually operable review key which, when operated, causes the review menu to be displayed on the screen in place of any information currently displayed there, and (d) the system has manual selection means, operable when the review menu is being displayed to select one of the programs listed on that menu and to cause the display screen data of the selected program to be displayed on the screen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to Claim 1 wherein the manual selection means comprises a keyboard.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system according to Claim 2 wherein, when the review menu is displayed, one of the programs listed on the menu can be selected by operation of a single key on the keyboard, and the display screen data of the selected program is maintained on the screen for as long as that key is held.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to Claim 3 wherein, when the single key is released, the information that was being displayed prior to operation of the review key is restored to the screen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein, when the review menu is displayed, one of the programs listed on the menu can be selected by operation of a different one of the keys, or a combination of the keys, the display screen data of that program then being maintained on the screen after the key or combination of keys has been released.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
76 words
A system according to any preceding claim wherein each of said programs has a foreground mode in which it is allowed to have access to the display screen to display information associated with that program, and a background mode in which it is not allowed to access the display screen, and wherein at any given time only one of the programs is allocated to the foreground mode, the others all being allocated to the background mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
A system according to Claim 6 wherein a resume menu is maintained, containing a list of programs currently in the background mode, the system including a resume key which, when operated causes the program currently in the foreground mode to be allocated to the background mode and causes the program currently in the background mode to be allocated to the foreground mode or, in the case where there is more than one program currently in the background mode, causes the resume menu to be displayed on the screen, allowing one of those programs to be selected for allocation to the foreground mode.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
86 words
A system according to any preceding claim wherein there is maintained a start menu containing a list of programs not currently being executed but available for execution, the system having a manually operable start key which, when operated, causes the start menu to be displayed on the screen in place of any information currently displayed there, and manual selection means, operable when the start menu is being displayed, to select one of the programs listed on that menu and to cause that program to be executed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
A system according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 when dependent upon Claim 7, wherein the programs are divided into two categories, extended and transient, and the operation of the start or resume key causes execution of the current foreground program to be automatically terminated if it is a transient program but allows that program to continue running in background mode if it is an extended program.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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