OS-Independent Input Event Conversion for Cross-Platform Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices often have interfaces that are not optimally suited for certain applications, such as text-intensive tasks on touch screens or gaming on devices with limited input controls, leading to underutilization and cumbersome usage.
Innovation Solution
An input sharing system that employs an event up-conversion module to translate input events from one operating system into an OS-independent format, allowing them to be processed by a client with a different operating system, thereby enabling the use of diverse input devices like keyboards and mice to control a wide range of clients, including touch screens and gaming devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touch screen interface is used for mobile devices, then aesthetic appeal and intuitive operation are improved, but text-intensive tasks and certain applications become cumbersome and underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a single input device to serve multiple functions by allowing it to communicate with different clients through OS-independent event formats. The input device can function as a remote control for media players, a pointing device for computers, or control input for gaming devices, making it universally adaptable across different application contexts and client types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (OS-independent event format) between the input device and various clients. This intermediary translation layer allows the input device to communicate with different operating systems and clients without requiring OS-specific drivers or interfaces, enabling versatile application support while maintaining simple input operation.
2Measurement precision
If a keyboard and mouse are used for control, then text input capability is improved, but gaming and animated video game control become inadequate and limited
Solution Approach 1:
The input device is designed to be multi-functional, serving both as a precise text input device (keyboard) and as a gaming controller. By translating input events into OS-independent formats, the same physical device can provide keyboard input for text processing and game controller input for gaming applications, eliminating the need for separate specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts the function of the input device based on the target client application. The same input events from the keyboard can be interpreted as text input when communicating with a text processing client, or as gaming controls when communicating with a game client, allowing the device to dynamically switch between different control modes and applications.
3Reliability
If OS-specific input formats are used, then device compatibility with its native operating system is improved, but ability to control clients with different operating systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an OS-independent event format as an intermediary translation layer between OS-specific input formats and various clients. This intermediary layer receives input events in OS-specific formats, translates them into a universal format, and forwards them to the appropriate client regardless of its operating system, ensuring reliable cross-platform compatibility while maintaining native OS integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the format parameter of input events from OS-specific to OS-independent. By transforming the event format rather than the physical input device, the system maintains reliable communication with the native operating system while gaining the ability to control clients with different operating systems through format conversion.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus may include a processor arranged to receive an input signal from an input device and a first event conversion module. The first event conversion module may receive an input event from the input device as an operating system (OS)-specific event arranged in a format operable by a first operating system, convert the OS-specific event into a converted event having an OS-independent format, and dispatch the converted event for processing. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.