Patent ID: 8321598

Claim:
A system for scanning a first keypad or keyboard, the system comprising: a computer system having a parallel interface arranged to generate first parallel scan line signals for a keypad and to receive first parallel sense line signals as if the computer system was attached directly to and scanning the keypad; a deserializer having an interface that receives the first parallel scan line signals from the computer system and generates the first parallel sense line signals to the computer system, wherein the deserializer duplicates the same response that a keypad would when directly attached to the computer system's parallel scan and sense lines; a serializer that generates second parallel scan line signals to and receives second parallel sense line signals from the keypad; wherein the serializer duplicates the parallel scan and sense line signals of the computer system, as if the computer system were directly attached to the keypad, wherein the parallel scan and sense lines signals are formatted into a serial bit stream by the serializer; a serial connection between the deserializer and the serializer, the serial connection arranged to send data in a serial bit stream on a single wire in the serial connection, wherein the bit stream is received by the deserializer and reformatted into a form that is returned to the computer system as if the keypad was directly attached to the computer system, wherein the system operates as if the deserializer and seralizer and serial connection were not present.