Manager component for managing input from both legacy and non-legacy input devices in a similar manner

Abstract

A manager component for managing input from legacy and non-legacy devices in a similar manner is disclosed. An inventive manager component receives input from both non-legacy input drivers for non-legacy input devices, and legacy input drivers for legacy input devices. The manager component provides the input to application programs that desirably have previously registered to receive input from one or more types of input devices. The application programs receive this input without directly communicating with the drivers.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A system comprising: 
 at least one non-legacy input driver, each non-legacy input driver corresponding to a non-legacy input device;    at least one legacy input driver, each legacy input driver corresponding to a legacy input device;    a manager component, the manager component receiving input from the at least one non-legacy input driver and the at least one legacy input driver, and providing the input to one or more application programs, such that the one or more application programs receive input from the non-legacy input device corresponding to each non-legacy input driver without directly communicating with each non-legacy input driver;    one or more pre-processors that receive the input from the manager component before the input is provided to the one or more application programs, each pre-processor receiving the input from the manager component that relates to a type of device for which the pre-processor previously registered, each pre-processor performing an action related to the input received from the manager component; and    one or more post-processors that receive the input from the one or more application programs after the input is provided to the one or more application programs from the manager component, each post-processor receiving the input from the one or more application programs that relate to a type of device for which the post-processor previously registered, each post-processor performing an action related to the input received from the manager component.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the manager component provides the input from the at least one non-legacy input driver according to a pre-existing manner in which the one or more application programs had previously received only the input from the at least one legacy input driver, such that the manager component leverages the pre-existing manner for providing the input from the at least one legacy input driver.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the manager component provides the input from the at least one non-legacy input driver and the at least one legacy input driver to the one or more application programs in an integrated manner, such that the one or more application programs receive the input from the at least one non-legacy input driver in a same way as the programs receive the input from the at least one legacy input driver, through the manager component.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the manager component provides the input from the at least one non-legacy input driver and the at least one legacy input driver to the one or more application programs in a manner by which new non-legacy input devices and corresponding non-legacy input drivers are addable to the system without requiring revision of the manager component for the manager component to be able to provide input from the new non-legacy input devices.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the manager component provides the input from the at least one non-legacy input driver and the at least one legacy input driver to the one or more application programs in a manner by which new non-legacy input devices and corresponding non-legacy input drivers are addable to the system without requiring revision of the one or more application programs for the one or more application programs to be able to receive input from the new non-legacy input devices through the manager component.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the manager component provides the input to the one or more applications programs via a messaging command, the messaging command used by the manager component to provide the input from both the at least one non-legacy input driver and the at least one legacy input driver.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an input queue for each of the one or more application programs, such that the input provided by the manager component is provided to the one or more application programs through the input queue for each application program.  
   
   
       17 - 31 . (canceled)