Flexible approach for representing different bus protocols

• US 20040057391A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Inventors: Polyakov, Evgeny
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/328 in the presentation layer [OSI layer 6]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for flexibly defining communication constructs includes providing at least one communication element type for at least one layer of a generalized communication model, such as a bus model. Each communication element type has a user-definable structure that is adaptable for representing a corresponding protocol layer of a target communication medium. Users can define specific communication element types to substantially represent the target protocol. Users can also define the communication element types to depart from the target protocol in precisely defined ways.

Claims

1. A method of communicating over a plurality of different target media, comprising:

providing, for each of the plurality of different target busses, a plurality of communication element types, each communication element type being structured to represent a particular protocol layer a of the respective target communication medium.

2. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein instances of each communication element type can be created for exchanging data on the respective target medium.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising defining the plurality of communication element types responsive to exchanges allowed by the protocol of the respective target medium.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

creating an instance of at least one of the plurality of communication element types; and

processing the instance of the communication element type for exchanging information on the respective target medium.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication element type defines a structure for transmitting data over the target medium.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication element type defines a structure for receiving data over the target medium.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one communication element type is a message type that includes a portion for holding message data associated with instances of the respective message type.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the message data has a fixed length.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the message data has a variable length.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication element type has a fixed portion that is the same for all instances of the communication element type.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein any communication element type can be defined in terms of other communication element types.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication element types includes at least one message type, and each instance of the message type includes a portion for prescribing timing.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the timing includes a setting for specifying a pre-message gap.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the timing includes a setting for specifying a pre-word gap.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the timing includes a setting for specifying a begin message timeout.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the timing includes a setting for specifying a trailing gap.

17. A method of structuring communications over a communication medium having a known protocol, comprising:

providing at least one user-definable communication element type for at least one layer of a generalized communication model,

each communication element type having a user-definable structure that is adaptable for representing a corresponding layer of the protocol.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein specific instances of the communication element types can be created for representing transactions over the medium.

19. A method of creating an interface with a communication medium having a protocol, comprising:

creating at least one user-definable communication element type for at least one layer of a generalized communication model,

structuring each at least one user-definable communication element type to substantially represent the protocol of the medium at the respective layer of the generalized communication model; and

saving the at least one user-definable communication element type in a computer readable format that can be accessed for communicating over the medium.