Computer input/output control apparatus
First Claim
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1. In a digital computer system comprising a central processor, a first peripheral unit controlled by a peripheral control unit, and a second peripheral unit, the improved interface for providing for said central processor simultaneously to communicate with said peripheral control unit and to control directly and communicate with said second peripheral unit comprising:
- first interface apparatus comprising a first universal port and a first module removably connectable to said first port and comprising a first circuit group and a first set of lines coupling said first circuit group to said peripheral control unit, said first circuit group for receiving control signals and data signals from said first port and from said peripheral control unit and in response to said signals received thereby transmitting appropriate and corresponding control and data signals to said first port and to said peripheral control unit; and
second interface apparatus comprising a second universal port and a second module removably connectable to said second port and comprising a second circuit group and a second set of lines coupling said second circuit group to said second peripheral unit, said second circuit group for receiving control signals and data signals from said second port and from said second peripheral unit and in response to said signals received thereby transmitting appropriate and corresponding control and data signals to said second port and to said second peripheral unit;
wherein said first circuit group includes first control means for responding to a first plurality of control signals received from said peripheral control unit and for transmitting a second plurality of control signals to said peripheral control unit, said second circuit group includes second control means for responding to a third plurality of control signals received from said second peripheral unit and for transmitting a fourth plurality of control signals to said second peripheral unit, said first and third pluralities being different in number and said second and fourth pluralities being different in number; and
said first control means transmits a subset of said second plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said first plurality of control signals, said second control means transmits a subset of said fourth plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said third plurality, said first and second circuit groups further including timing means for controlling the respective duration of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the respective durations of said subset of said fourth plurality of signals, and for controlling the relative timing among the signals of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the relative timing among said subset of said fourth plurality of signals; and
wherein said first and second universal ports are identical, each of said ports comprising an equal number of lines coupled to said central processor for transmitting control signals and data signals between said central processor and the one of said modules coupled to said port.
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Abstract
Apparatus for the flexible coupling of peripheral units to a digital computer system, wherein any input/output port of the system is capable of communicating with a peripheral unit over various forms of interface.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. In a digital computer system comprising a central processor, a first peripheral unit controlled by a peripheral control unit, and a second peripheral unit, the improved interface for providing for said central processor simultaneously to communicate with said peripheral control unit and to control directly and communicate with said second peripheral unit comprising:
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first interface apparatus comprising a first universal port and a first module removably connectable to said first port and comprising a first circuit group and a first set of lines coupling said first circuit group to said peripheral control unit, said first circuit group for receiving control signals and data signals from said first port and from said peripheral control unit and in response to said signals received thereby transmitting appropriate and corresponding control and data signals to said first port and to said peripheral control unit; and second interface apparatus comprising a second universal port and a second module removably connectable to said second port and comprising a second circuit group and a second set of lines coupling said second circuit group to said second peripheral unit, said second circuit group for receiving control signals and data signals from said second port and from said second peripheral unit and in response to said signals received thereby transmitting appropriate and corresponding control and data signals to said second port and to said second peripheral unit;
wherein said first circuit group includes first control means for responding to a first plurality of control signals received from said peripheral control unit and for transmitting a second plurality of control signals to said peripheral control unit, said second circuit group includes second control means for responding to a third plurality of control signals received from said second peripheral unit and for transmitting a fourth plurality of control signals to said second peripheral unit, said first and third pluralities being different in number and said second and fourth pluralities being different in number; and
said first control means transmits a subset of said second plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said first plurality of control signals, said second control means transmits a subset of said fourth plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said third plurality, said first and second circuit groups further including timing means for controlling the respective duration of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the respective durations of said subset of said fourth plurality of signals, and for controlling the relative timing among the signals of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the relative timing among said subset of said fourth plurality of signals; andwherein said first and second universal ports are identical, each of said ports comprising an equal number of lines coupled to said central processor for transmitting control signals and data signals between said central processor and the one of said modules coupled to said port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a data processing system having a plurality of different kinds of peripheral devices, the combination comprising:
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a central processor provided with a plurality of universal ports for providing simultaneous communication with all of said peripheral devices, all of said ports being identical and comprising an equal number of lines and an identical first-type connector, all of the lines of each of said ports being coupled to a respective one of said first-type connectors, at least one group of said lines of each port transferring signals representing information characters between the respective connector and said central processor and others of said lines of each port transferring respective control signals between the respective connector and said central processor; a first module for enabling communication and control via one of said ports between said central processor and a first kind of said peripheral devices, said first module comprising a first circuit group for receiving signals representing information characters and control signals from said central processor and said first-kind peripheral device and in response to said received signals transferring appropriate and corresponding signals representing information characters and control signals to said central processor and said first-kind peripheral device; a second module for enabling communication and control via one of said ports between said central processor and a second kind of said peripheral devices, said second module comprising a second circuit group for receiving signals representing information characters and control signals from said central processor and said second-kind peripheral device and in response to said received signals transferring appropriate and corresponding signals representing information characters and control signals to said central processor and said second-kind peripheral device; a first set of lines coupled between said first circuit group and said first-kind peripheral device for transferring signals representing information characters and control signals therebetween; a second set of lines coupled between said second circuit group and said second-kind peripheral device for transferring signals representing information characters and control signals therebetween; and a second-type connector connected to each of said modules and coupled to the respective circuit group of said module for enabling communication between said module and said central processor, each of said second-type connectors being removably matable with any one of said first-type connectors; each of said second-type connectors being mated with one of said first-type connectors; wherein said first and second sets of lines differ from each other in the number of lines and wherein said first circuit group includes first control means for responding to a first plurality of control signals received from said first-kind peripheral device and for transmitting a second plurality of control signals to said first-kind peripheral device, said second circuit group includes second control means for responding to a third plurality of control signals received from said second-kind peripheral device and for transmitting a fourth plurality of control signals to said second-kind peripheral device, said first and third pluralities being different in number and said second and fourth pluralities being different in number; and
said first control means transmits a subset of said second plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said first plurality of control signals, said second control means tramsmits a subset of said fourth plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said third plurality, said first and second circuit groups further including means for controlling the respective duration of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the respective durations of said subset of said fourth plurality of signals, and for controlling the relative timing among the signals of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the relative timing among said subset of said fourth plurality of signals. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. For employment with a central processor provided with a plurality of universal ports for providing simultaneous communication with a plurality of peripheral devices, all of said ports being identical and comprising an equal number of lines coupled to said central processor, and each of said ports comprising a first-type connector to which all of the lines of said port are connected, at least one group of said lines of each port transferring signals representing information characters and others of said lines of each port transferring individuals control signals;
- the combination comprising;
a plurality of second-type connectors, each of said second-type connectors being removably matable with any one of said first-type connectors; a first circuit group coupled to one of said second-type connectors; a first set of lines coupling said first circuit group for communication with a first of said peripheral devices; a second circuit group coupled to another of said second-type connectors; and a second set of lines coupling said second circuit group for communication with a second of said peripheral devices; each of said sets of lines transmitting between the respective ones of said circuit groups and said peripheral devices a plurality of control signals and a plurality of data signals, wherein said first and second line sets differ from each other in the number of lines and wherein said first circuit group includes first control means for responding to a first plurality of control signals received from said first peripheral device and for transmitting a second plurality of conrol signals to said first peripheral device, said second circuit group includes second control means for responding to a third plurality of control signals received from said second peripheral device and for transmitting a fourth plurality of control signals to said second peripheral device, said first and third pluralities being different in number and said second and fourth pluralities being different in number; and
said first control means transmits a subset of said second plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said first plurality of control signals, said second control means transmits a subset of said fourth plurality of control signals in response to receipt of respective ones of a subset of said third plurality, said first and second circuit groups further including means for controlling the respective duration of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the respective durations of said subset of said fourth plurality of signals, and for controlling the relative timing among the signals of said subset of said second plurality of signals to differ from the relative timing among said subset of said fourth plurality of signals;
wherein each of said second-type connectors is mated with one of said first-type connectors.
- the combination comprising;
Specification