Information processing apparatus with discriminating communication and distinguishing display functions

A data processing apparatus capable of distinguishing the data entered from the keyboard from those received through a communication line, thus facilitating the use by the operator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for 
handling various information. 
2. Related Background Art 
In the conventional information processing apparatus, the received 
information and the entered information are displayed in same manner and 
cannot be mutually distinguished. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In consideration of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to 
provide an information processing apparatus capable, in displaying 
received information and distinguishing the displayed received information 
from the information from input means, thereby facilitating the use by the 
operator. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information 
processing apparatus comprising: 
memory means for storing information; 
input means for entering information into the memory means; 
reception means connected to the memory means for receiving information 
transmitted through a communication line; and 
display control means, in case the information received from the reception 
means is stored in the memory means, for causing the received information 
to be displayed in a different manner from the information entered from 
the input means. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information 
processing apparatus with communicating function, comprising: 
input means to be manipulated for entering characters; 
memory means for storing the characters entered from the input means; 
display means for displaying the characters stored in the memory means; 
communication interface means connected with a communication line for 
receiving characters transmitted through the communication line; 
memory control means for causing the characters transmitted through the 
communication interface means to be stored in the memory means; and 
display control means for displaying the characters, transmitted through 
the communication line and stored in the memory means by the memory 
control means, in a distinguishable manner from the characters entered 
from the input means. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an information 
processing apparatus comprising: 
input means to be manipulated for entering characters; 
memory means for storing the characters entered from the input means; 
display means for displaying the characters stored in the memory means; 
communication interface means connected with a communication line for 
receiving characters transmitted through the communication line; 
memory control means for causing the characters transmitted through the 
communication interface means to be stored in the memory means, and 
causing distinguishing information, for distinguishing from the characters 
entered from the input means, to be stored in the memory means; and 
display control means for displaying the characters, transmitted through 
the communication line and stored in the memory means by the memory 
control means, together with the distinguishing information, and the 
characters entered from the input means. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus 
comprising: 
input means to be manipulated for entering characters; 
memory means for storing the characters entered from the input means; 
save memory means for saving the characters stored in the memory means; 
display means for displaying the characters stored in the memory means; 
communication interface means connected with a communication line for 
receiving characters transmitted through the communication line; 
memory control means for controlling the memory, in storing the characters 
transmitted through the communication interface means into the memory 
means, by discriminating whether the characters stored in the memory means 
have been saved into the save memory means; and 
display control means for causing the characters stored in the memory means 
to be displayed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present 
invention. 
In FIG. 1, a keyboard KB is used for entering, as shown in FIG. 2, 
alphabetic characters, numerals, symbols and functions, which include USE 
FRONT, LEAP, UNDO, SORT and LEARN. 
Data of the key manipulated on the keyboard KB are sent to a bus B through 
a keyboard interface KBI/F. 
A control memory SYSROM stores the control sequence for the entire 
apparatus, for example the control sequence shown in FIG. 5. 
A memory SVROM stores a word dictionary for spelling check. 
A memory SVRAM stores word etc. for spelling check. 
A processing unit CPU executes processing based on the control sequence 
stored in the control memory SYSROM and the information stored in the 
memory SYSRAM. 
A bus B transmits address, data and control signals to the entire system. 
A display unit CRT displays, through a display interface CRTI/F, the 
information stored in an area DISP AREA for storing bit map data in the 
memory SYSRAM, by means of a display control circuit CRTC. 
The memory SYSRAM stores information as shown in FIG. 3. The information in 
an area TEXT is displayed by character codes as represented by TEXT STRING 
in FIGS. 6A and 6B, while that in a bit map area DISP is displayed by 
pattern as represented in TEXT SCREEN. 
An external memory FDD is used for storing the information entered in the 
area TEXT of the memory SYSRAM, and the access to the external memory is 
made through a disk interface DISKI/F. 
A printer PRINTERP prints the information received through a printer 
interface PRINTI/F. 
A telephone line TEL PH LIN transmits and receives information through a 
modem interface MODI/F, of which details are shown in FIG. 4. 
In the following there will be explained the function of the 
above-explained embodiment, while making reference to a flow chart shown 
in FIG. 5. 
In FIG. 5, a step 1 performs initialization of the entire system according 
to a procedure stored in the control memory SYSROM, for example when the 
power supply is started. 
Then a step 2 sets a timer TMRO at a predetermined value. The timer is used 
for activating the apparatus for a predetermined period and thereafter 
maintaining the apparatus in a stand-by state in which, for example, the 
display is dimmed or transmission data from another apparatus can be 
received. 
In a step 3, the processing unit CPU discriminates whether a key in the 
keyboard KB has been actuated. If actuated, a step 4 checks the state of a 
flag FSLEEP, which is "1" in the idle state or "0" in the active state. 
If the flag is "1", a step 5 changes the screen of the display unit CRT 
from the display of idle state to that of active state by writing image 
information into an area DISP AREA and sets the flap FSLEEP to "0", and 
the sequence returns to the step 2. On the other hand, if FSLEEP=0 in the 
step 4, a step 6 executes editing or command processing according to the 
actuated key on the keyboard KB, and the sequence returns to the step 1. 
Then the step 2 again sets the timer TMRO at the initial value, and the 
above-explained process is repeated. 
If the step 3 identifies that no key has been actuated, a step 7 checks the 
state of a flag FMOD, which is "1" or "0" respectively when a telephone is 
connected or not. 
If it is "0", a step 8 checks the state of a flag FANS. 
If it is "1", steps 9 and 10 check the call tone, and, if it is normal, a 
step 12 checks the state of the flag FSLEEP, and accordingly shifting the 
display to the active state or shifting the flag FSLEEP to "0". In case of 
FSLEEP=1, the sequence directly moves to a step 13. 
A step 13 shifts the handset to an offhook state, and a step 14 checks if 
connection has been made. If connection has not been made, a step 15 
shifts the handset to the on-hook state, and the sequence returns to the 
step 2. 
If connection has been made in the step 14, a step 16 sets flags FMOD, 
FRXD1 to "1". 
Then a step 17 checks if the information of the area TEXT of the memory 
SYSRAM has been saved in the external memory FDD, and, if saved, the area 
TEXT of the memory SYSRAM is cleared. If it is not saved, the sequence 
proceeds directly to a step 19 for setting a timer TMR1, and then returns 
to the step 2. 
If the flag FANS=0, absence of detection of call tone or absence of call 
tone is detected in the above-mentioned step 8, 9 or 10, a step 20 checks 
the state of the flag FSLEEP, and, if it is "1", the sequence returns to 
step 3. If it is "0", there is discriminated whether the timer TMR0 has 
expired, and, if not, the sequence returns to the step 3. If it has 
expired, a step 22 causes the content of the area TEXT of the memory 
SYSRAM to be saved in the disk FDD. Then a step 23 checks a disk error, 
and, if any error is present, the sequence returns to the step 2. If no 
error is present, a step 24 shifts the screen of the display unit to the 
sleep display state and shifts the flag FSLEEP to "1", and the sequence 
returns to the step 3. 
If the flag FMOD=1 in the step 7, the sequence proceeds to a step 25, and, 
if the signal RXD is absent, a step 26 detects the carrier. If a carrier 
is not detected, a step 31 checks if the timer TMR1 has expired. If it has 
not expired, the sequence returns to the steps 2, 7, 25 and 26 for 
detecting the carrier. If it has expired, the timer TMR1 is set and the 
sequence returns to the step 2. On the other hand, if the result is 
affirmative in the step 25, a step 28 checks the state of a flag FRXD1, 
and, if it is "0", a step 30 inserts the received data in the area TEXT. 
If it is "1", a step 29 checks document break (FIGS. 6A, 6B) and sets the 
flag FRXD1 to "0", and the step 30 inserts the information to the area 
TEXT. 
When the step 25 identifies the absence of the information RXD, the step 26 
detects the carrier, and, if absent, there is discriminated whether the 
timer TMR1 has expired. If it has expired, a step 32 shifts the handset to 
the on-hook state and sets the flag FMOD to "0". Then the document break 
is checked and inserted. Then a step 34 displays the received content in 
the area TEXT in a highlighted state, distinguishable from other 
information, and the sequence returns to the step 2. The sequence of steps 
including steps 26, 27 and 31 through 34 just described with respect to 
the flow chart of FIG. 5 under control of the CPU of FIG. 1 discriminates 
whether or not characters transmitted through the modem MOD/F of FIG. 1 
should be received. 
The apparatus of the present invention is provided with: 
memory means for storing information; 
input means for entering information into the memory means; 
reception means connected to the memory means for receiving information 
transmitted through a communication line; and 
display control means capable, when the information received from the 
reception means is stored in the memory means, of displaying the received 
information in distinguishable manner from the information entered from 
the input means, thereby enabling to distinguish the received information 
from the information entered from the input means.