Showing papers on "Interface (computing) published in 1990"

Method and system for remote delivery of retail banking services

Abstract: A practical system and method for the remote distribution of financial services (e.g., home banking and bill-paying) involves distributing portable terminals to a user base. The terminals include a multi-line display, keys “pointing to” lines on the display, and additional keys. Contact is established between the terminals and a central computer operated by a service provider, preferably over a dial-up telephone line and a packet data network. Information exchange between the central computer and the terminal solicits information from the terminal user related to requested financial services (e.g., for billpaying, the user provides payee selection and amount and his bank account PIN number). The central computer then transmits a message over a conventional ATM network debiting the user's bank account in real time, and may pay the specified payees the specified amount electronically or in other ways as appropriate. Payments and transfers may be scheduled in advance or on a periodic basis. Because the central computer interacts with the user's bank as a standard POS or ATM network node, no significant software changes are required at the banks' computers. The terminal interface is extremely user-friendly and incorporates some features of standard ATM user interfaces so as to reduce new user anxiety.

The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design

Abstract: From the Publisher: "When the concept of the interface first began to emerge, it was commonly understood as the hardware and software through which a human and a computer could communicate. As it has evolved, the concept has come to include the cognitive and emotional aspects of the user's experience as well...The noun, interface is taken to be a discrete and tangible thing that we can map, draw, design, implement, and attach to an existing bundle of functionality. One of the goals of this book is to explode that notion and replace it with one that can guide our work in the right direction." - From the Introduction T

The computer reaches out: the historical continuity of interface design

Abstract: This paper examines the evolution of the focus of user interface research and development from the first production of commercial computer systems in the 1950s through the present. The term “user interface” was not needed in the beginning, when most users were engineers and programmers; it may again become inappropriate when more applications are written for groups than for individuals. But there is a continuity to the outward movement of the computer's interface to its external environment, from hardware to software to increasingly higher-level cognitive capabilities and finally to social processes. As the focus shifts, the approaches to design and the skills required of practitioners changes. In this paper five foci or levels of development are identified. Most development today is positioned in the third level and considerable research is directed at the fourth. Some attention is now being given to the fifth: repositioning the interface in the work group or organization itself. Work at the different levels is not entirely independent, so establishing a comprehensive framework may enable us to position existing research and development efforts and plan future work more effectively.

Multiple facility operating system architecture

Abstract: A computer system employing a multiple facility operating system architecture is disclosed. The computer system includes a plurality of processor units (12, 14, 16) for implementing a predetermined set of peer-level facilities (162, 164, 166, 168) wherein each peer-level facility includes a plurality of related functions and a communications bus (22) interconnecting the processor units. Each of the processor units includes a central processor (30, 80, 100) and the stored program (68, 86, 134) that, upon execution, provides for the implementation of a predetermined peer-level facility and for performing a multi-tasking interface function. The multi-tasking interface function is responsive to control messages for selecting for execution functions of the predetermined peer-level facility and is responsive to the predetermined peer-level facility for providing control messages to request or to respond to the performance of functions of another peer-level facility of the computer system. The multi-tasking interface functions of the processor units communicate among one another via the communication bus.

Advanced user interface

Abstract: An advanced user interface for use with a computer system operating on an integrated operating environment. The integrated operating environment allows a plurality of application programs to be running simultaneously, one of which is designated the active application program to which all input data is directed. The advanced user interface allows a user to select among user-friendly input devices to operate any application program according to his individual preferences without change to the application program code. The advanced user interface includes alternate input modules which translate the input signals transmitted from the various input devices into input messages useable by the rest of the interface. The advanced user interface also includes interface profiles which contain mappings of the input messages against corresponding commands useable by the application programs, the integrated operating environment or other modules of the advanced user interface itself. An environment link module refers to the interface profiles and matches the input message against the corresponding command for the application program active at the time the input signal was transmitted and send the corresponding command to that application program.

System for transparent monitoring of processors in a network with display of screen images at a remote station for diagnosis by technical support personnel

Abstract: A remote diagnostic and monitoring system and method for use with an operation system having a multi-tasking interface to a real time control system, the remote diagnostic and monitoring system and method comprising a remote diagnostic task operating in an interface computer operatively connected to the operation system, a communication link, and a remote service computer coupled to the interface computer via the communication link. The remote diagnostic task operating on the interface computer can initiate and monitor from a remote location any of the procedures and controls run on the interface computer for controlling and monitoring the operation system. The remote diagnostic task receives instructions from a person at the remote service computer through the communications link and injects these instructions into the operating software of the operation system in a manner such that the remote source, i.e. the remote service computer, is indistinguisable from a local source. The remote diagnostic task is grouped or included with functionally partitioned application tasks in the interface computer and uses the multitasking operating system of the interface computer in the same manner as the application tasks.

Modular vehicle electronic system

Abstract: A modular interchangeable electronic system for providing a number of different options for a vehicle which can be selectively plugged into a base unit. The base unit can receive or be replaced by selected optional units which interface with vehicle controls or provide desired control or display functions.

Distributed-directory scheme: scalable coherent interface

Abstract: The scalable coherent interface (SCI), a local or extended computer backplane interface being defined by an IEEE standard project (P1596), is discussed. the interconnection is scalable, meaning that up to 64 K processor, memory, or I/O nodes can effectively interface to a shared SCI interconnection. The SCI sharing-list structures are described, and sharing-list addition and removal are examined. Optimizations being considered to improve the performance of large system configurations are discussed. Request combining, a useful feature of linked-list coherence, is described. SCI's optional extensions, including synchronization using a queued-on-lock bit, are considered. >

Disk operating system loadable from read only memory using installable file system interface

Abstract: A data processing system, such as a personal computer, contains bootable DOS programs that are stored in a ROM as an alternate file system in which the files are stored in packed format. When the system is powered on, the programs are rapidly booted up or loaded from ROM into RAM and executed to "instantly" (as it appears to the user) place the system in operation.

Lan interface which permits a host computer to obtain data without interrupting a ladder program executing in the interface

Abstract: A control system allows for transferring messages between a programmable logic controller and a host computer over a serial data communications network. The programmable logic controller executes a ladder program and has an integral network interface module for permitting direct communicative coupling to the communications network. Messages can be received and sent by the programmable logic controller without interruption of the execution of the ladder program. The programmable logic controller can receive unsolicited messages from the host computer.

Automated procurement system with multi-system data access

Abstract: An automated procurement system, in which a buyer workstation is in communication with a mainframe database that stores global data relevant to procurement documents and reports The workstation is programmed with an interactive buyer interface that displays procurement documents, provides support data to aid in decision-making, and provides various document attachments Data is uploaded and downloaded to and from the mainframe and the workstation in a manner that is transparent to the buyer

The Olympus synthesis system

Abstract: A description is given of the Olympus synthesis system for digital design, a vertically integrated set of tools for multilevel synthesis, technology mapping, and simulation. The system includes behavioral, structural, and logic synthesis tools, and provides technology mapping and simulation. Since it is targeted for semicustom implementations, its output is in terms of gate netlists. Instead of supporting placement and routing tools, Olympus provides an interface to standard physical design tools. The system supports the synthesis of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits) from behavioral descriptions written in a hardware description language called HardwareC. Two internal models represent the hardware at different levels of abstraction and provide a way to pass design information among different tools. Olympus has been used to design three ASIC chips, and has been tested against benchmark circuits for high-level and logic synthesis. >

User interface customization apparatus

Abstract: An interactive computer system for converting user interface presentations from a first application specified format to a second user specified format. The system accepts application program output designed to be displayed on a target type of computer system terminal and, converts the display to a user specified form prior to display. Through conversion apparatus and process the user may specify a customized format for presentation of the data from the application program to take advantage of the capabilities of a particular display device employed by that user. The system analyses the application program output, and converts the output to a form required by the customized interface and display the resulting output on the user display device. The system is able to accept data input and commands from the user display device, convert them into a form required by the application program and transmit that input or command to the application program. The application allows adaptation from one format to another and from one language to another. All changes are accomplished without changing the base application program.

The Reactive Keyboard: a predictive typing aid

Abstract: The Reactive Keyboard, a device that accelerates typewritten communication with a computer system by predicting what the user is going to type next is described. The version described is designed for entering free text and runs on any Apple Macintosh computer with at least 1 MB of memory (though 2 MB is preferred). It makes full use of the Macintosh mouse-and-window environment to give users convenient control over display and acceptance of predictions, and it requires no physical keyboard. The interface increases the speed and ease of communicating with a computer, especially for physically disabled people. >

Integrated voice processing system

Abstract: Integrated voice processing systems. Generalpurpose common computer platform voice processing systems described provide integrated voice processing functions, for example, voice messaging, call processing, interactive voice response and other systems typically only available in discrete systems. Industry standard computer databases and interfaces are used to create a dynamically modifiable voice processing system which is adaptable to perform to any customer specification. State vector architecture for the system described herein provide economic and efficient tailoring of voice processing functions for a wide variety of applications. Voice processing systems for interfacing voice transactions through a telecommunications line to a user comprise a general-purpose digital, computer common-platform adapted to communicate through the telecommunications line with an outside environment. A relational database interfaced to the general-purpose, digital computer for storing at least one object having a state that is modifiable by a vector protocol, thereby producing a voice transaction event that is output to the user through the telecommunications whereby the user activates the vector protocol through the telecommunications to act on the object and produce the voice transaction event, and an interface adapted to convert user commands input to the voice processing system through the telecommunications to activate the vector protocol and alter the object's state.

Hardware interface to a high-speed multiplexed link

Abstract: A link interface to a high-speed asynchronous multiplexed ATM telecommunication link includes a data segmenter for forming ATM cells out of data frames, and a data assembler and state memory for assembling data frames out of received multiplexed (interleaved)ATM cells. A novel architecture implemented in hardware, and characterized by absence of intermediate storage of data in the data segmenter and pipelined operation of the data assembler, allows the link interface to operate at hundreds of Megabits and Gigabits per second.

Medical monitoring system interface

Abstract: An input device, in particular for a medical monitoring system, comprises a keyboard, a screen and a control processor. The keyboard comprises various hardkeys enabling access to an object mode in which the user may enter an object to be manipulated. Once an object is selected, the device enters a task/action mode in which the user may define an action to be performed on the selected object.

Communications interface for computer output printer

Abstract: A computer output printer is provided with a communications interface having a plurlaity of input ports. Each port can be configured to emulate a different manufacturer's printer, and is provided with a buffer to store print messages while print messages from another port are being printed.

A noninvasive architecture to monitor real-time distributed systems

Abstract: The authors describe a model of real-time distributed computing systems, making the simplifying assumption that the system is dedicated. They present the hardware architecture, operation and implementation of the noninvasive monitoring system which consists of two major components: the interface module and the development module. The interface module can be considered as the front end of the monitoring system. The development module is the host computer for the interface module. The authors describe their approach to monitoring and demonstrate how it can be used to support the testing and debugging of real-time distributed computing systems. Essentially, the monitoring system supports different abstraction levels of monitoring according to application purposes. It can monitor process-level activities (e.g. procedure calls) as well as instruction-level activities (e.g. step-by-step instruction trace). A detailed description of process-level monitoring is given. >

Simulation tool with its expert interface for the thermal design of multizone buildings

Abstract: A simplified simulation module has been developed to calculate the thermal performances of multizone buildings, using modal analysis. This technique reduces the computation time and therefore allows architects to perform accurate simulations using a low cost micro computer (type AT for instance). The thermal calculations are based upon a data structure in which the building is decomposed into elements (thermal zones, walls, windows, materials, ...). Each building element has been modeled as a computer object. Components of higher complexity are linked to simple components via pointers. Thus, if a component is modified, the modification is automatically transmitted through the whole structure. This environment is particularly adapted to connect the thermal calculation module (COMFIE) to an expert interface. At the moment, no expert system or inference engine is implemented, but simple algorithms which work in the following way. The user inputs a project and several characteristics (heat losses, solar gains, ...) are studied by the expert tool, which then proposes alternative designs. The user may test these modifications by repeating the simulation. This tandem simulation/expert interface takes into account the specificity of the project and its climate when applying the expert knowledge. A few expert rules are proposed, in order to enhance the energy savings and the thermal comfort. New expert rules may also be generated and/or validated. This design tool not only provides the user with fast and accurate simulations, but also offers him an opportunity to include the thermal aspects in his design approach with the help of expert rules, and this constitutes a real computer aided design.

A software architecture for workstations supporting multimedia conferencing in packet switching networks

Abstract: The software architecture of a multimedia workstation connected to an experimental packet switching network which is capable of switching voice, data, and video simultaneously is described. The user of a multimedia workstation may engage in several multimedia calls, each using multiple information streams consisting of voice, data, and images. The network interface software in the workstation maintains the temporal relationship among a given call's information streams. For each call, the network interface provides a multiple information channel interface to upper layer software supporting the notion of a multimedia virtual circuit. A connector mechanism is provided to control the information exchange among the network interface, the various voice, data, and image peripherals, and the computer programs used in a multimedia application. These information sources and sinks share a common abstraction called active devices. >

Mobile communications system

Abstract: A system for mobile communication includes a number of base stations 10, 13, 16, 20, 23, 26 with users 30, 31, 45 and 46. Associated with each base station is an interface unit 10a, 13a, 16a, 20a, 23a and 26a which packetises voice information and includes header information concerning user and destination addresses. These interface units tracks the movement of the various user by passing control blocks from interface unit to interface unit. Packets are routed via routing block 40 or 41 and switches 50-52. The stored information within the base station interfaces allows movement from one base station to allow to be handled without call loss.

The Graphical User Interface: Crisis, Danger, and Opportunity

Abstract: The graphical user interface is a powerful new interface for mainstream computer users and a source of serious concern for those who cannot see. Fortunately, it will eventually be made as accessibl...

Method and apparatus for the generation and manipulation of data structures

Abstract: A system for manipulating data structures includes a memory circuit configured to store a table including a plurality of prime numbers and a data structure associated with each prime number. An interface circuit is configured to receive an instruction from a calling procedure and configured to provide a response to the instruction. A processor circuit is coupled to the memory circuit and to the interface circuit and is configured to receive the instruction, to manipulate the table according to the instruction and to provide a response to the interface circuit. The data structures may also be associated with font patterns.

Computer with improved keyboard password functions

Abstract: A computer is disclosed which has an improved keyboard (57)/auxiliary device (58) interface controller (11) which supports the selective restriction of user interaction with the computer system, while maintaining the full internal functionality of the host/peripheral interface. A "password lock mode" of the controller (11) prevents users from gaining unauthorised access to the computer system, but still application and operating system software can continue to issue commands to and receive responses from the otherwise disabled peripheral devices. The improved controller does not require modification to the conventional keyboard/auxiliary device hardware.

System and method for testing computer hardware and software

Abstract: A computer related system and method uses regression testing techniques for testing computer hardware and/or software application(s). Input data and commands from a user are stored on a host, and sent to an interface device, which then sends them to a hardware/software system under test. Visual display data on a visual display device is thereby affected. Signatures (representative of the visual display data) are generated by the interface device as a result of input data and commands sent to the interface device and system under test. These signatures are received and stored by the host. On command of a user, the stored signatures, input data and commands are subsequently sent to the hardware/software system under test, and new signatures are generated. These new signatures are compared with the stored signatures, and the results of this comparison are used as an indication that the hardware/software system under test is performing as expected.

Procedure call interface

Abstract: A system software interface is provided which is called by applications programs using a standard format. All calls to system library routines are made through this interface. When called, the interface determines the location and original language of a desired library procedure. The interface then sets up parameters and calls such procedure using the calling convention which it expects. The interface receives any results generated by the library procedure, converts them to the return convention used by the calling application, and returns the results to the calling application.

Assembly data model system

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a 3-dimensional computer system having memory. A graphics definition of an article is located in the system memory. The computer system includes an interface for defining a graphics virtual surface in the system memory. The computer system further includes computer aided design software for generating a graphics virtual member in the system memory where the virtual member incorporates at least a portion of the graphic virtual surface. Additionally the computer system includes computer aided manufacturing software for generating manufacturing instructions for manufacturing a tangible member corresponding to the virtual member. A numerically controlled machine tool suitable for machining the tangible part is interfaced with the computer system for receiving a control program corresponding to the manufacturing instruction for production of the tangible part by the numerically controlled machine tool.