CHAPTER 2

INPUT, OUTPUT AND STORAGE DEVICES

Input-Output Devices - An Introduction:

nput ouput devices are reading data from the input

responsible for sensing or
medium and converting this data into the form that the computer can understand and
process also referred as machine language. Also these devices are responsible ror
converting computer-stored data into information that can be read and understood by the
user. The data and the instruction must be inputted to the computer betore any
computation can be performed.

A computer system can be proved to be useful only when it is able to

communicate with its external environment through the input output (I/O) devices. These
devices providethe means of communication between the computer and the outside
world. The faster and more efficientiy we can data to the computer, the more
input
are also
efficientdy the computer will function and faster we can obtain the output. They CPU.
known as the peripheral devices because they constitute the periphery around the
The overall of a
efficiency computer is highly dependent on peripheral devices.

device is
A wide range of I0 devices is available and choice of a particular
called I/0 interface are required
dependent on type of application. The special processor
to convert the input data into internal codes used by computer
and to convert internal
IO interfaces are
codes to human readable form while supplying the output. These
referred to as 1O processors (1OP).
The /O processor is generally very slow as compared to the speed of CPUJ
the mechanical
because the speed of IO devices in most of the cases depends upon
movement of certain parts and potential for improvement
of such devices is limited. It
has been difficult to manufacture I/0 devices that can match the processor and storage

speeds.
2.1 INPUT DEVICES:
the
They used to enter the input i.e. the data and the instructions into
are
Computers main memory. There is a wide range of input devices that can be employed
according to the nature of application. For example
 Windows Based Computer.
68
puter Cou
characters into computer's memory
the
beysed to input
.Keyboard can the position of pointer on the seu een.
device that controls
Mouse is a pointing on the s c r e e n .
in writing directly
. P e n based systems
help
input directly through the monitor.
T o u c h screens accept
translate them into numbers.
readers can read bar codes,
.Bar code with OCR can convert printed images into
.Image scanners equipped

formats.
digt

Mouse&
Keyboard
Figure 2.1 Input Devices
turn it into text and computer comme
Microphones can accept auditory input and
with voice recognition software.

2.1.1 Keyboard:
Keyboard is the input device used for entering the data into a computer
pressing one key at a time. The pressing of a key sends a different character o
corresponding to key depressed to the CPU. Keyboards for personal computers com
variety of styles and layouts. They are the most simple, common and extensively
ts

input devices. The common keyboard layout was established by the IBM enhan
keyboard. It has 101 keys arranged in four groups such as

Alphanumeric keys
Numeric keys
Function keys
Cursor movement keys

The alphanumeric keys: Isfrom

The alphanumeric keys are the collection of alphabets A-Z . nuniera T

end punctuation marks that are arranged the same way on almost every
ommon arrangement of keys is called the Qwerty layout because the first SIX A
 69
Fundametals

he
top rowof the letters are
Q. W.E.R,T,Y. In addition to letters and puncua
alphanumeric keys also include the modifier kevs such as Shift. CtriCO
a
Alt(alternate). 1 hey are used in conjunction with other kevs. User can press a i
cial
number whle holding down one of
the modifier keys to carry out number ot spe and
functions Such as
converting the small case letters to upper case by pressing Sni
particular letter key.

The Numeric keypad:

non
tis usually located the right side of the keyboard and appears like a
on
scientitic calculator with its ten digits ( 0-9) and the arithmetic operators(t, ,).
'

The Function keys:

The Function keys numbered from Fl to F12 are usually arranged in a first row at

the top of the keyboard. Each function key performs different function depending upon
the current application being run by the user. They allow the user to issue computer
commands without having to type long cryptic strings of characters. For example in most
of the applications F1 is the help key, which displays the information about how to use a
particular application.

Alphanumeric Keys Function keys

TIHNTIIIITNg959
SIITNTINI

Modifier Keys Cursor nmovement Numeric Pad

keys
Figure 2.2 Key board Layout
 L Windows Based Compu
70
Mpuler Cn
Cursor movement keys:

The cursor movement kevs let you change the position of the cursor on
When a word processing program is used, there is a mark on the screen
sCreen where
where the
yped by user would be entered. This mark is called the cursOr or insertion
ion po chat
poinm. a .
on the screen in the form of a bOx, a line or a symbol
looks like.
that
appear
known as I-beam cursor .The cursor movement keys helps to carry out the
the editi carpie
editing
quite quickly by positioning the cursor in the displayed document at the point of
eiting
Procedure of accepting input from the keyboard:

When user press a key on the keyboard , a tiny computer chip cal
allet
keyboard controller, records that a key has been pressed. The keyboard controlle

the code into a part of the memory, called the keyboard buffer, indicating the
has been pressed. This code is called the key's scan code. The keyboard controil
signals the computer system software that some key has been pressed at the kek
The signal the keyboard sends to the computer is a special kind of message
b
interrupt request. The keyboard sends an interrupt request to the system software wh
receives a complete key stroke. For example if you press a letter D, the con
ntr
immediately issues an interrupt request. If you hold down the shift key before typin
the controller waits until the whole combination of keys has been entered.
ypin

Key is pressed

Keyboard Keyboard System CPU

Controller Buffer Softwaree
Figure 2.3 Procedure of input from
keyboard
When the system software receives an
etermine the appropriate response. When a key interrupt request, it evaluates the req
press has occurred, the system ies
aemory location in the keyboard buffer that contains the scan code of the key
"essed. It then passes the scan code to the CPU. tn
y number of keystrokes at once. It is Actually, the keyboard butfer cau
essing of a key and the computers readingnecessary because sometime elapses
of that key from the buffer.
 72 Windows Raxed
Computer s

3 Cards are easily read bv humans with ittle difticulty and are easy to handle

4 Cards are old and a habituated. reliable medium.

S.Cards are multi purpose media. they can he used for inpi, ouput and storage

Despite of certain benefits, punched cards suffer from following limitations

.Fven when all the columns of a card are punched, data density of the card
small ( Data density is number of characters stored per unit physical space)
card is
Due to low data density, card files are bulky. Such bulky card decks make proe
slow since lot of paper has to be moved.
3 is possible for a few cards to be misplaced or separated Irom their original te
Also the folded. stapled and mutilated cards can't be used for processing purpose
4 A card cannot be crased and reused to enter new data and must be stored.
ed
processed in designated order.
S. Cards can't be stored for long duration of time because they are subject to wear
tear
6 Cards are quite costly and card readers operate at very slow speed.

2.1.3 Mouse: BAVBSc-Apri-2004/6ND

A mouse is a hand movable input device that controls the position of the cursr
a computer screen without using the keyboard. It can be described as tool with buttons
the top and a ball on the bottom. A mouse rolls around a flat surface usually a desk or u
with the user's hand over it to control the pointer. The pointer is an on screen objeu
usuaily an arrow that is used to select text, access menus, move files or interact with othe
program, files or data that appear on the screen. Today all the new PC's come with moux
as pointing device.

A mouse is a very convenient tool for certain types of input. For exampie. ia
mouse lets user position the cursor any where on the screen without much scrollinguI
cursor movement keys. User can simply move the pointer on the desired screen pesiltie
the and the cursor appears there. A mouse also allows user urs
press mouse button
graphue clements on the sCreen, such as lines, curves and tree hand shapes and it mao
to
us1ng menus and interactive message boxes much easier.

Using the mouse:

Mouse is used to point on the location on screen.Push the mouse forwar a
pounier goes up, move the mouse to right and the pointer goes to the right. To p
bject or location on the screen, simply move the mouse to place the poiner o nh
the object or location. Anything user wishes to do with the mouse can be aee
by combining pointing with four other lechniques
 73
Fundamentals

Clicking
Double clicking
Dragging
Right clicking
the

with the mouse means, to move

the pointer to the on
item
To click on something click on an iem
button once. To double -

to press and release the mouse twice in

screen and and release the mouse button
to it with the cursor and to press
means to point the mouse cursor over the
item. then
1o drag an item. user position
quick succession. as you move the mouse.
the mouse button and hold it down
depress

DRAG

DOUBLE CLICK
CLICK
Figure 2.4 Mouse operations

clicking, and dragging

are
double
mice have two buttons, clicking,
most mouse is usualy placed
to the
Although most mouse
button. The
out with the left
usually carried handed people.
right of the keyboard for right

Working of the mouse: When user slides

extends just below its container.
that
A mousehas a ball inside it or a mouse pad, the ball rolls. There
around a flat surface such as a desktop trom each other.
the mouse on
ball, at a 90-degree angle
two sides of the
two small rollers on the
are rolls.
hat touch the mouse and spin when the ball
to the
and sends this information
each roller spins
A sensor detects how much the position of the
screen
and changes
translates the information a mouse
onputer. The computer the mouse. Like the keyboard,
position indicated by
PO1nter to correspond to the the program that the computer is running.
directly to
DES not actually send a message the CPU. The program that is running checks regularly-
y Sends an interrupt request to
 74 Windows Based Compuler C
Our
to see whether the mouse has been used and the program reads a memory location

what has happened and then it reacts appropriately,

t0
2.1.4 Track ball:
A trackball is a pointing device that uses a billiard size ballto position thee
and works like an upside-down mouse. User can rest his/her thumb on the exposed
and fingers on the buttons. To move the cursor around the screen, roll the ball wi
tnumb. Here it is not required to move the whole device, thus a track ball requires
ball be very useful.
when the space is limited, the track
can
Space than a mouse, so

advent of laptop computers, wh.

Track balls gained popularity with the whic
without any room for mouse.
work surfaces
ypically are used on laps or on small
the computer and act like a remmole
Some trackballs are not even attached to
Control for the pointer. They are specially, useful while giving presentations, because t
rather than siting in front of the computer.
presenter often walks around the room

Figure 2.5 Track ball used

as pointing device

1.5 Light pen: IBABSc- Aprit-2004,Sept.-2005 (GNDU

This is a pen like device connected by a cable to the display device. When use
ints at the screen , the computer registers the position of the point. By moving the pen
e user can select items from a menu, draw graphic displays, cause a set of lines to move
ith it and be repositioned as required.

Figure 2.6 Light pen

used directly to input
on screen
Fumdamentals 75

The light pen consists of a light sensing element usually a

photo diode
photo
ansistor set at the end of a pen. Attachecd to the other end is a cable through which the
or

signal is transmitted. The pen tip is positioned by hand to a desired screen location and
he screen is touched with the tip of the pen. Depressing it causes the pen to be activated.
1 ight spots are sensed and a signal is sent to the system indicating the position. Thus the
computer may identity any element of the graphic display. The light pen is moved about
the display screen and indicates the current position which is illuminated by a blinking
eharacter called cursor. The light pen is widely used for corrections in architectural
designs and to denote probable loop holes in the fielding aspect during telecasts of cricket
matches.

2.1.6 DIGITIZER:

The digitizer device is used for converting two or three-dimensional graphic input
such as charts, graphs and blueprints into digital form that can be manipulated and stored
by the computer. A digitizing system consists of a programmable controller and a flat
pointing table adjustable for rack and elevation. The digitizing table or graphic tablet
consists of a flat surface consisting of a grid of closely spaced horizontal and vertical
Wires.
The components used in conjunction with the graphics tablet may include a stylus
or pen, a push button cursor and a menu. The tablet is available in wide range of sizes (9"
x 12" to 48" x 72") .The grid of wires are used to detect electrical pulses at desired
locations using a stylus. Their locations in terms of x and y coordinates are then entered
into the computer. The digitizing table may input graphical information directly and as

such, is used in such applications as map drawing, input information from aerial
photographs, transferring and modifying engineering and architectural plans, printed
circuit designs etc.
The digitizers conjunction with cathode ray tubes. When used
may be used in
with the CRT, the computer displays the figure inputted through digitizer which will have
sketches with rounded and bold lines. After the final
well groomed printing and corners

the design using suitable software.

Sketching, the computer may be instructed to analyze in an
list, displayed
neraction vía CRT or digitizer may be controlled using a menu

ddressable region of screen or placed on the tablet.

Stylus

Figure 2.7
Digitizing Table
or Pad