Serial network architecture for user oriented devices

• US 4,794,592 A
• Filed: 10/06/1987
• Issued: 12/27/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Simon, Jean-Jacques, Caine, Nathanael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scutch, III, Frank M.
• Application Number:
  US07/084,965
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 370/85, 370/86, 370/87, 370/88, 370/15, 370/96, 370/97, 379/4, 379/5, 379/22, 379/26, 340/825.5, 340/825.05
• US Class Current: 370/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0661 and decentralised selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/366 using a centralised polling arbiter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17337 Direct connection machines, e.g. completely connected computers, point to point communication networks coupling between buses G06F13/4004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40006 Architecture of a communication node current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling

Abstract

A serial network architecture is presented which can be used to link user oriented devices together. Network devices are linked together in serial fashion. If data is transmitted serially, an interface between two devices requires only two wires. Additionally, a wire for power and a wire for ground may be added so that each individual network device does not need to have its own power supply.

Claims

1. In a computing system having a network comprising a central computing device and a plurality of computer peripheral devices coupled serially, a method for configuring the network comprising:

sending a reset command from the central computing device serially to each computer peripheral device of the plurality of computer peripheral devices;

sending a configuration command with an encoded address from the central computing device to a first computer peripheral device;

incrementing the address and sending the configuration command with the incremented address directly from the first computer peripheral device to the central computing device;

resending the configuration command with the original encoded address from the central computing device to the first computer peripheral device;

incrementing the address and sending the configuration command with the incremented address from the first computer peripheral device to a second computer peripheral device; and

,

incrementing the address a second time and sending the configuration command with the incremented address from the second computer peripheral device through the first computer peripheral device to the computing system.