Standard hardware-software interface for connecting any instrument which provides a digital output stream with any digital host computer
First Claim
1. In a communication system having a digital host computer and an instrument which generates a stream of serial digital outputs, a universal communication interface coupled between the host computer and the instrument, the interface comprising:
- a microprocessor having executive means for executing instructions entered by the host computer into the microprocessor, the instructions forming a set of distinct instructions; and
a scratchpad memory for receiving and storing digital signals;
wherein the executive means divides the scratchpad memory into a defined structure of at least one record in response to the receiving of at least one corresponding instruction having a selectable variable portion from the host computer, the selected variable portion determining the defined structure of the scratchpad memory and wherein digital signals, corresponding to the digital outputs from the instrument, are directed into and in conformance with the defined structure of one of the at least one record in response to a corresponding instruction from the host computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microprocessor-controlled interface for permitting any digital host computer to receive serial digital data from any instrument wherein (a) the time at which digital data from the instrument is to enter the host computer and (b) the logical structure of the digital data entering the host computer are controlled by instructions from the host computer to the microprocessor and wherein (a) physical formatting incompatabilities between the host computer and the instrument and (b) the communicating of prohibited characters from the instrument to the host computer and vice versa are avoided. The timing control and logical structure of the digital data are effected by directing data from the instrument into a scratchpad memory, which is divided into records pursuant to instructions from the host computer, the contents of the scratchpad memory being sent to the host computer upon a corresponding instruction therefrom. A terminal for communicating with the host computer and the instrument may be included. Physical formatting discrepancies are avoided by translating inputs to the interface into a common physical format and translating outputs from the interface into the physical format of the instrument, host computer, or terminal which is receiving such outputs.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. In a communication system having a digital host computer and an instrument which generates a stream of serial digital outputs, a universal communication interface coupled between the host computer and the instrument, the interface comprising:
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a microprocessor having executive means for executing instructions entered by the host computer into the microprocessor, the instructions forming a set of distinct instructions; and a scratchpad memory for receiving and storing digital signals; wherein the executive means divides the scratchpad memory into a defined structure of at least one record in response to the receiving of at least one corresponding instruction having a selectable variable portion from the host computer, the selected variable portion determining the defined structure of the scratchpad memory and wherein digital signals, corresponding to the digital outputs from the instrument, are directed into and in conformance with the defined structure of one of the at least one record in response to a corresponding instruction from the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 40, 41, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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28. In a communication system having a digital host computer and an instrument which generates a stream of serial digital outputs to be processed by the host computer, and interface communicatively coupled between the host computer and the instrument, the interface comprising:
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a microprocessor having executive means for executing instructions entered one at a time by the host computer into the microprocessor; means for controlling the timing of communication of the digital outputs to the host computer, the controlling means comprising a scratchpad memory means for storing digital outputs from the instrument in response to a corresponding instruction to the executive means from the host computer, the digital outputs stored in the scratchpad memory means communicated to the host computer in response to a corresponding instruction to the executive means from the host computer; and means for converting prohibited digital data characters from the instrument into digital characters which are allowed inputs to the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. In a communication system having a digital host computer, a terminal, and an instrument which generates a stream of serial digital outputs to be processed by the host computer, an interface communicatively coupled between the host computer, the terminal, and the instrument, the interface comprising:
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a microprocessor having executive means for executing instructions entered one at a time by the host computer into the microprocessor; means for controlling the timing of communication of the digital outputs to the host computer in response to a corresponding instruction to the executive means from the host computer, the controlling means comprising a scratchpad memory means for receiving and storing digital signals which correspond to the digital outputs from the instrument, the digital outputs stored in the scratchpad memory means being communicated to the host computer in response to a corresponding instruction to the executive means from the host computer; physical compatibility means for (a) conforming all digital signals entering the interface from the host computer, the terminal, and the instrument into a standard physical format compatible with the microprocessor means and (b) conforming the digital signals exiting the interface into the physical format corresponding to either the host computer, the terminal, or the instrument, respectively, whichever is the destination of the exiting signals; means for converting prohibited digital data characters from the instrument into digital characters which are allowed inputs to the host computer; and means for converting to digital data characters required by the instrument, characters which are normally prohibited to be out from the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 35, 43)
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36. A method of interfacing by means of a microprocessor (a) an instrument which provides a series of digital outputs and (b) a digital host computer, the method comprising the steps of:
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interposing a scratchpad memory between the instrument and the host computer; forming a set of distinct instructions executable by the microprocessor; transmitting a first number of the instructions from the host computer to the microprocessor whereupon the microprocessor executes the first number of instructions by dividing the scrathpad memory into a plurality of records; transmitting a second number of the instructions from the host computer to the microprocessor whereupon the microprocessor executes the second number of instructions by entering digital signals, which correspond to the digital outputs from the instrument, into one record after another; and transmitting a third number of the instructions from the host computer to the microprocessor whereupon the microprocessor executes the third number of instructions by directing the digital signals entered into the records toward the host computer; whereby the transmission and execution of the first number of instructions, the second number of instructions, and the third number of instructions in sequence results in the host computer controlling the time at which the host computer is to receive digital inputs corresponding to the digital outputs from the instrument; the first, second, and third number of instructions each including at least one instruction. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 44)
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Specification