Method and apparatus for using universal serial bus keyboard to control DOS operations

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the data between an address in main memory and an input/output (I/O) device connected to the USB host controller.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the address in main memory in response to the data.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the data to a register comprises using a bus master associated with the USB host controller to transfer the marked data to a register.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the data to a register comprises writing the data from an I/O device connected to the USB host controller to an address other than main memory.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein writing the data to a register further comprises writing an indication to a memory data structure to indicate an operation to be performed by the USB host controller.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein writing the data to a register comprises transferring the data to a register by the USB host controller.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is in the first state when the keyboard is not a USB keyboard.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is in the second state when the keyboard is a USB keyboard.

Claim 11

A computer system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host controller; a keyboard; a main memory for storing data coupled to the CPU and the USB host controller; a bus device coupled to the main memory and the USB host controller for transferring data between the main memory and the USB host controller; an interrupt generator coupled to the CPU, the interrupt generator to generate an interrupt in response to data being placed in a buffer; and a transfer device, responsive to data generated by the keyboard, which detects the data and a signal associated with the data indicating where the data will be written, transfers the data to the buffer when the signal is in a first state, and transfers the data to main memory when the signal is in a second state.

Claim 12

A computer system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host controller; a keyboard; a main memory for storing data coupled to the CPU and the USB host controller; a bus device coupled to the main memory and the USB host controller for transferring data between the main memory and the USB host controller; an interrupt generator coupled to the CPU, the interrupt generator to generate an interrupt in response to data being placed in a buffer; and a transfer device, responsive to data generated by the keyboard, which detects the data and a signal associated with the data indicating where the data will be written, transfers the data to the buffer when the signal is in a first state, and transfers the data to main memory when the signal is in a second state.

Claim 13

The computer system of claim 10 wherein the transfer device transfers the data between an address in main memory and an input/output (I/O) device connected to the USB host controller.

Claim 14

The computer system of claim 11 further comprising an address modifier coupled to the main memory which changes the address in main memory in response to the data.

Claim 15

The computer system of claim 10 wherein the transfer device comprises a direct memory access (DMA) device.

Claim 16

The computer system of claim 10 wherein the transfer device transfers the data from an I/O device connected to the USB host controller to an address other than main memory.

Claim 17

The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a memory modification device coupled to the main memory which writes an indication to a memory data structure to indicate an operation to be performed by the USB host controller.

Claim 18

The computer system of claim 14 wherein the transfer device transfers the data from an I/O device connected to the USB host controller to a register.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the signal is in the first state when the I/O device is not a USB compatible device.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the signal is in the second state when the I/O device is a USB compatible device.

Claim 23

A computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method for generating signals using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host controller comprising: receiving data from a keyboard; receiving a signal associated with the data from the keyboard, the signal indicating where the data will be written; if the signal is in a first state, writing the data to a register, and generating an interrupt to a central processing unit (CPU); and if the signal is in a second state, writing the data to main memory.

Claim 24

A computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method for generating signals using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host controller comprising: receiving data from a keyboard; receiving a signal associated with the data from the keyboard, the signal indicating where the data will be written; if the signal is in a first state, writing the data to a register, and generating an interrupt to a central processing unit (CPU); and if the signal is in a second state, writing the data to main memory.

Claim 25

The medium of claim 20 wherein the signal is in the first state when the keyboard is not a USB keyboard.

Claim 26

The medium of claim 20 wherein the signal is in the second state when the keyboard is a USB keyboard.