OBJECT ORIENTED DEVICE DRIVER SYSTEM FOR PROCEDURAL DEVICE DRIVERS

摘要

A method and apparatus for communicating between an object-oriented element and a procedurally programmed device driver is disclosed. Both object-oriented elements and procedurally programmed device drivers are both parts of the data processing system. The method and apparatus both encapsulate specific device driver information associated with a specific device driver and transfer the object oriented elements to device drivers, specifically, by sending calls or commands when interfacing with the device driver from the object oriented element to the device driver Disconnect from the active device driver. The object-oriented element not only initializes the device using information in the device, but also creates an interface object that allows communication to the device driver to be opened or closed and to control the device through the device driver. It also allows transport objects to be created and to transfer data from object-oriented device drivers to object-oriented elements. In another embodiment, a method for connecting communications between an object-oriented element and a programmed device driver creates an object-oriented element in an object-oriented subsystem. Next, the system builds the interface object and builds the transport object in the object-oriented subsystem. Communication is then established between the device driver and the object-oriented element via the interface and the transport object. Interface objects not only allow data types to be set from object-oriented subsystems, but also allow element attributes of device drivers. Both the transport object and the interface object allow data to be transferred between the object-oriented subsystem and the device driver, as well as allow commands to be executed by the device driver from the object-oriented subsystem.