Abstract: A printer control device which operates via a cordless link to control a dedicated printer in a shared access mode, allowing access by an alternate computer. In the preferred embodiment, the cordless printer control device operates in an environment in which a host computer is directly connected to a dedicated printer which operates in a normal printing mode. The device is provided as a pair of compact add-on units, a transmitter unit connected to a portable computer and a receiver/switch unit connected to the dedicated printer. The pair of units operate to provide an infrared transmission link by which an alternate/portable computer can detect a break in the normal printing mode and temporarily access the dedicated printer for printing tasks. The receiver/switch unit is provided with a time-out switch which operates to allow the alternate computer to gain access to the printer only if during a predetermined interval, the dedicated printer is not busy with a printing task already assigned to it.

Abstract: A device for terminating a telephone line and connecting a telephone handset/headset thereto under control of a computer system having a keyboard and a computer, without requiring keyboard replacement or hardware modification inside the computer. The device is connected between a computer and a standard keyboard, enabling the integration of a telephone with a computer system. The device reads the scan codes which are transmitted on the keyboard bus and used by the computer to pass information from the keyboard to the computer I/O port. A keyboard controller in the keyboard provides primary control of the keyboard bus. The device recognizes scan codes which are dedicated to it, and would not otherwise be recognized by the keyboard controller. Thus, the standard keyboard ignores these scan codes, while the device will interpret them as commands to operate telephone functions.