JP2000029601A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To switch an input device in the case of sharing the input device by plural controllers with excellent operability. SOLUTION: To a master controller 11, the input device 13 provided with a keyboard and a mouse is connected. The master controller 11 monitors the position of the cursor of the mouse at all times, and in the case that the cursor is within the prescribed range of a monitor 12, the master controller 11 exercises the use right of the input device, fetches event information generated in the input device 13 at the time and executes a processing corresponding to the event. In the case that the cursor leaves the prescribed range of the monitor 12, the master controller 11 transfers the use right of the input device to a slave controller 21. At the time, the master controller 11 transfers the event information generated in the input device 13 through a communication line 30 to the slave controller 21. Thus, the slave controller 21 executes the processing corresponding to the event.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system capable of operating a plurality of computers with one input device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a plurality of functions tend to be integrated in an analyzer. For example, there is known an apparatus in which the function of a scanning electron microscope and the function of an X-ray analyzer are integrated in one analyzer.

[0003] In such an apparatus, if one computer can control all operations of the apparatus and display a secondary electron image or an X-ray image created based on a signal taken from a detector, etc. Although it is desirable from the viewpoint of cost and operability, for example, the resolution required to display a secondary electron image and the resolution required to display an X-ray image are different. For reasons, two computers are usually used. FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration example of such a system.

[0006] In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 denotes an analyzer. An electron gun, a plurality of lenses, a sample holder, and the like (not shown) are disposed inside the analyzer 1. A secondary electron detector 2 for detecting secondary electrons, an X-ray detector 3 for detecting X-rays emitted from a sample, and devices (not shown) attached thereto are also provided.

[0005] Further, two computers are connected to the analyzer 1. One computer system includes a control unit 4 _1, including a CPU and the like, a monitor 5 ₁ as a display device which comprises an input device ₆₁ including a keyboard and a pointing device, the control unit 4 _1,
When the function of the scanning electron microscope of the analyzer 1 is used, a program for controlling various devices and a predetermined process such as capturing an output signal of the secondary electron detector 2 and displaying a secondary electron image are performed. Various programs such as an application program are installed.

[0006] Another computer system, likewise, the control unit 4 ₂ including a CPU, etc., a monitor 5 ₂ as a display device which comprises an input device 6 ₂ including a keyboard and a pointing device, the control unit 4 ₂ In
When the function of the X-ray analyzer of the analyzer 1 is used, a program for controlling various devices and an output signal of the X-ray detector 3 are taken in, and predetermined processing such as displaying an X-ray image is performed. And various programs such as a program for executing the program.

In the following, a mouse is used as a pointing device of the input devices 6 ₁ and 6 ₂ , but it goes without saying that a device other than a mouse may be used.

According to the above arrangement, the operator can scan
When the function of the electron microscope is used, the input device 6₁ To
Therefore, various settings can be made and the execution of desired processing can be controlled.
Device 4₁ What is necessary is just to instruct. Similarly, X-ray analysis equipment
When using the function of the input device, the input device 6_Two By species
The controller 4 makes various settings and executes desired processing. _Two 
What is necessary is just to instruct.

[0009]

However, according to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, when the function of the scanning electron microscope of the analyzer 1 is used and when the function of the X-ray analyzer is used, the input device 6 is used. _1, must distinguish an input device 6 _2, very cumbersome, there has been a problem in terms of operability. Further, since two input devices are used, it is not desirable from the viewpoint of saving space.

[0010] In contrast, as shown in FIG. 7, using a single input device 7, or to connect an input device 7 to the control unit 4 ₁ by switching the switch 8, or connected to the control unit 4 _2, switching What is possible is being done. Here, the input device 7 has a keyboard and a mouse, similarly to the input devices 6 ₁ and 6 ₂ in FIG.

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 7, when using a function of the scanning electron microscope analyzer 1 may be switched over switch 8 to the control unit 4 ₁ side. Thus, the operator, by operating the input device 7, or perform various settings for using the functions of scanning electron microscope, it is possible to instruct the control unit 4 ₁ to execute the desired processing . Also, when using the function of the X-ray analysis apparatus of the analyzer 1 may be switched over switch 8 to the control unit 4 ₂ side. Thereby, the operator, by operating the input device 7, or perform various settings for using the functions of the X-ray analyzer, it instructs the control unit 4 ₂ to execute desired processing it can.

As described above, by using the changeover switch 8, one input device 7 can be connected to two control devices 4.
_1, 4 ₂ it is possible to share, in but in terms of space saving is desirable, in the case of using the function of the scanning electron microscope analyzer 1, and when using the function of the X-ray analyzer, Since the changeover switch 8 has to be changed, the trouble is not solved yet, and a problem remains in terms of operability.

In the above description, the case of an analyzer has been described. However, the above-mentioned problem is a problem that always occurs when one input device is shared by a plurality of control devices regardless of the application.

[0014] In view of the above, the present invention makes it possible to easily and smoothly switch an input device to which control device when one input device is shared by a plurality of control devices. It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer system with improved operability.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, a computer system according to the present invention comprises an input device having at least a keyboard and a pointing device, a master control device to which the input device is connected, and a master control device. In a computer system comprising a display device connected to the input device, at least one slave control device not connected to the input device, and a display device connected to the slave control device, the master control device is a cursor by a pointing device of the input device. Monitoring the location of
If the cursor is within a predetermined range of the display device connected to the master control device, the master control device exercises the right to use the input device and the cursor moves to a predetermined range of the display device connected to the master control device. The master controller transfers the right to use the input device to the slave controller when the user departs from the inside.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, a case where one input device is shared by two control devices will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a computer system according to the present invention, in which 11 is a control device,
12 is a monitor connected to the control device 11, 13 is an input device, 21 is a control device, 22 is a monitor connected to the control device 21, and 30 is a communication line. Here, it is assumed that the monitor 12 and the monitor 22 are arranged side by side as shown in FIG.

The control device 11 and the control device 21 perform predetermined processing. The control device 11 and the control device 21 are connected by a communication line 30. The input device 13 is connected to the control device 11. The input device 13 has a keyboard and a mouse. As will be apparent from the description below, the control device 11 and the control device 21 have a master-slave relationship. Therefore, hereinafter, the control device 11 is referred to as a master control device, and the control device 21 is referred to as a slave control device.

FIG. 2A shows the display screen of the monitor 12.
An image display area A as shown in FIG. 1 is defined, and an input switching area C for switching the input device 13 is set at a predetermined position of the image display area A. In FIG. 2A, the input switching area C is set at the right end of the image display area A with a predetermined pixel width. The pixel width of the input switching area C is arbitrary. In FIG. 2A, the input switching area C is formed in a rectangular shape at the right end of the image display area A, but the input switching area C is set in which part of the image display area A and in what shape. Is optional.

Similarly, an image display area B as shown in FIG. 2B is defined in the display screen of the monitor 22, and the input device 13 is provided at a predetermined position in the image display area B.
The input switching area D for performing the switching is set. In FIG. 2B, the input switching area D is set at a left end of the image display area B with a predetermined pixel width. The pixel width of the input switching area D is arbitrary. In FIG. 2B, the input switching area D is formed in a rectangular shape at the left end of the image display area B, but the input switching area D is set in which part of the image display area B and in what shape. Is optional.

The image display area A and the input switching area C of the monitor 12 and the image display area B and the input switching area D of the monitor 22 are registered in the master controller 11 in advance. As shown in FIG. 2C, the two image display areas A and B are recognized as being continuous in the horizontal direction.

The master control device 11 is provided with the input device 1
The right to use the input device 3 is managed, and the right to use the input device can be exercised by itself according to the position of the mouse cursor of the input device 13.
It is passed to the slave controller 21. The operation is as follows.

Now, it is assumed that the mouse cursor P of the input device 13 is located in an area other than the input switching area C in the image display area A of the monitor 12 as shown in FIG.

Now, the master control device 11 has the input device 13
The position of the cursor P is constantly monitored based on the information on the amount of movement of the cursor input from the mouse, and the cursor P is moved to the input position in the image display area A of the monitor 12 as shown in FIG. If the user is in an area other than the switching area C, the user himself / herself exercises the right to use the input device.

Therefore, in a state where the cursor P is located in an area other than the input switching area C in the image display area A of the monitor 12, the master control device 11 performs key input with the keyboard, clicks with the mouse, and cursor with the mouse. When any event occurs in the input device 13 due to an operation such as movement of the device, the event information is fetched,
Perform a process according to the event.

Thereafter, when the cursor is moved by the operation of the mouse and recognizes that the cursor P has entered the input switching area B as shown in FIG. The cursor P displayed on A is deleted, and the right to use the input device and the coordinate value of the cursor P are transferred to the slave control device 21 via the communication line 30. Thereby, the slave control device 2
1 recognizes that the right to use the input device has been acquired, and moves the cursor to a position corresponding to the coordinate value of the cursor P received from the master control device 11 in an area other than the input switching area D in the image display area B. Display P.

[0027] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the operator of the cursor in the display screen of the monitor 12 from the position shown by P ₁ to the position indicated by P _2, is moved as indicated by broken line arrow in FIG, P ₂ If the cursor reaches the input switching region C at the position shown in, from the display screen mode 12 disappear cursor, the cursor that is displayed on the display screen of the monitor 22 as shown by P ₃ in FIG. 4 Become. Displaying the cursor so as to be continuously moved from the monitor 12 to the monitor 22 is particularly effective when the monitor 12 and the monitor 22 are arranged side by side as shown in FIG. .

When the cursor P is in an area other than the input switching area D in the image display area B of the monitor 22, the master controller 11
When any event occurs in step 3, the event information is fetched and transmitted to the slave control device 21 via the communication line 30. Upon receiving the event information transmitted from the master control device 11, the slave control device 21 executes a process according to the event information.

Thereafter, when the cursor is moved and enters the input switching area D of the image display area B of the monitor 22, as shown in FIG.
1 judges that the right to use the input device has been transferred to itself, and notifies the slave control device 21 via the communication line 30 of the suspension of the right to use the input device. Upon receiving the suspension of the right to use the input device, the slave control device 21 erases the display of the cursor. On the other hand, since the master control device 11 has obtained the right to use the input device, it displays a cursor on the monitor 12. The display position of the cursor at this time is a position in the image display area A where the current cursor is located. Therefore, also at this time, the cursor is moved from the monitor 22 to the monitor 1
2 will be displayed so as to move continuously.

Thereafter, in a state where the cursor is located in an area other than the input switching area C in the image display area A of the monitor 12, the master control device 11 causes the input device 13 to generate some event. In such a case, the event information is fetched and a process corresponding to the event is performed.

As described above, according to this computer system, the right to use the input device can be changed from the master control device 11 to the slave control device 21 by a simple operation of operating the pointing device to move the cursor.
Or vice versa, the switching of the input device can be performed easily and smoothly, and the operability can be improved as compared with the related art.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, although the use of the computer system is not mentioned in the above description, the computer system according to the present invention has the functions of a scanning electron microscope as shown in FIGS. In addition to the above, the present invention can be generally applied to a system in which a plurality of control devices share one input device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a computer system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an image display area and an input switching area defined in display screens of monitors 12, 22 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining movement of a right to use an input device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of display of a cursor when the right to use the input device moves from the master control device 11 to the slave control device 21.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an operation when the right to use the input device moves from the slave control device 21 to the master control device 11;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional system configuration of an analyzer in which the function of a scanning electron microscope and the function of an X-ray analyzer are integrated.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another conventional system configuration of an analyzer in which the function of a scanning electron microscope and the function of an X-ray analyzer are integrated.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: Control device, 12: Monitor connected to control device 11, 13: Input device, 21: Control device, 22: Monitor connected to control device 21, 30: Communication line.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasunori Ota 3-1-2, Musashino, Akishima-shi, Tokyo Japan Electronic Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Kiyoshi Jumonji 3-1-2 Musashino, Akishima-shi, Tokyo Japan Electronic Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An input device including at least a keyboard and a pointing device, a master control device connected to the input device, a display device connected to the master control device, and at least one slave control not connected to the input device In a computer system including a device and a display device connected to a slave control device, the master control device monitors the position of a cursor by a pointing device of an input device, and the cursor controls the position of the display device connected to the master control device. If it is within the predetermined range, the master controller exercises the right to use the input device,
A computer system, wherein when the cursor moves out of a predetermined range of a display device connected to the master control device, the master control device transfers the right to use the input device to the slave control device.