Method and apparatus for producing a combined data stream and recovering therefrom the respective user input stream and at least one additional input signal
DC CAFC
First Claim
1. A user input apparatus operatively coupled to a computer via a communication means additionally receiving at least one input signal, comprising:
- user input means for producing a user input stream;
input means for producing the at least one input signal;
converting means for receiving the at least one input signal and producing therefrom an input stream; and
encoding means for synchronizing the user input stream with the input stream and encoding the same into a combined data stream transferable by the communication means.
1 Assignment
Litigations
3 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, functioning as a user-input device (UID) to a computer by using a communication link, receives/transmits additional I/O signals via the same link. The I/O signals may be analog or digital. One implementation of the apparatus, made wireless and supported by speech processing software, allows its user to interact with the computer remotely. The inventive apparatus comprises means for converting the I/O signals into/from the digital I/O streams in such a manner as to be transferable to/from the computer along with the UI information via the same communication link. The apparatus, while functioning as a UID, may handle the I/O signals coming from/to an external I/O device, such as a fax/modem device or even another conventional UID. The apparatus, while performing as a UID, may include the complete functionality of an external I/O device handling the I/O signals. A communication program method, by which a computer receives a combined data stream resulted from two sources, one from a UID another from an additional input signal, recovers from such stream the respective information of the two sources.
26 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A user input apparatus operatively coupled to a computer via a communication means additionally receiving at least one input signal, comprising:
-
user input means for producing a user input stream;
input means for producing the at least one input signal;
converting means for receiving the at least one input signal and producing therefrom an input stream; and
encoding means for synchronizing the user input stream with the input stream and encoding the same into a combined data stream transferable by the communication means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A programming method, executed by a computer communicatively coupled via a communication link to a user input means having means for synchronizing and encoding a user input stream and at least one additional input signal into a combined data stream, comprising the steps of:
-
initializing the communication link;
servicing a single resource service interrupt for receiving the combined data stream; and
recovering from the combined data stream respective information of the user input means and of the at least one additional input signal. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. An apparatus linked to a computer by a communication link, functioning as a user input device and additionally receiving at least one input signal, comprising:
-
a user input device producing a user input stream;
an input port receiving at least one input signal;
a converter receiving the at least one input signal for producing an input stream; and
a framer synchronizing the user input stream with the input stream and encoding the same into a combined data stream transferable by the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method by which a computer receives via a communication link a combined data stream containing synchronized and encoded information of a user input means and of at least one additional input signal, said method comprising the steps of:
-
initializing the communication link;
servicing a single resource service interrupt for receiving the combined data stream; and
recovering from the combined data stream respective information of the user input means and of the at least one additional input signal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. A user input apparatus operatively coupled to a computer via a communication link receiving user input signals and additionally at least one digital input signal, comprising:
-
a user input device for producing a user input stream;
an input port for producing the at least one digital input signal; and
a framer for keeping the user input stream and the at least one digital input signal in synchrony and encoding the same into a combined data stream transferable to the computer by the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeGenuine Enabling Technology LLC
-
Original AssigneeNghi Nho Nguyen
-
InventorsNguyen, Nghi Nho
-
Primary Examiner(s)Lee, Thomas
-
Assistant Examiner(s)SCHUSTER, KATHARINA W
-
Application NumberUS09/100,410Time in Patent Office1,032 DaysField of Search710/100, 710/8, 710/9, 710/10, 710/62, 710/63, 710/64, 710/65, 710/68, 710/69, 710/70, 710/71, 710/72, 710/73, 345/157, 345/168, 345/163, 345/160, 345/328, 348/6, 341/50, 379/399, 379/202, 370/535US Class Current710/62CPC Class CodesG06F 3/038 Control and interface arran...G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output s...
