Universal communications interface adaptable for a plurality of interface standards

• US 5,264,958 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 11/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Daniel W. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHUN, DEBRA
• Application Number:
  US07/790,050
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/275, 395/325, 340/325.01, 370/85.1
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2858 Access network architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The interface subsystem comprises a universal interface card or unit for use with any of a plurality of electrical interface standards, for example, EIA-232-D, and CCITT Recommendations V.35 and X.21. The interface subsystem further comprises a cable selected from a set of cables for use with the particular standard being utilized. The particular cable has preconditioning means so that the signals conforming to the corresponding interface standard are within a voltage-level window suitable for the universal interface unit for processing. The universal interface unit comprises an input/output port for receiving the preconditioned signals having common pins among the interface standards. The preconditioned signals are routed to one or more receivers for converting the signals to TTL level for processing by a communications processor.

Claims

1. For use in a network comprising a first business machine and a second business machine employing interchange of binary signals, said binary signals having signal characteristics conforming to one of a plurality of predefined electrical interfaces, an interface subsystem for receiving said binary signals from said second businesses machine, said interface subsystem comprising:

a universal interface unit for receiving and processing said binary signals, said universal interface unit having;

a port having a predetermined common electrical interface for receiving binary signals;

a communications processor for processing said binary signals; and

receiver means connected by signal lines between said communications processor and said port for receiving and conditioning said binary signals so that said binary signals may be processed by said communications processor; and

a plurality of cables corresponding to said plurality of predefined electrical interfaces so that each cable corresponds to a unique predefined electrical interface, each cable for being individually connected between said port and said second business machine for conveying said binary signals to said port from said second business machine, each cable having a unique means for preconditioning said binary signals having signal characteristics conforming to one of said unique predefined electrical interfaces so that said binary signals have new signal characteristics conforming to said predetermined common electrical interface of said port.

2. The interface subsystem defined in claim 1 wherein said binary signals have a unique voltage level and said preconditioning means comprises at least one resistor for altering the voltage level of at least one of said binary signals.

3. The interface subsystem defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver means comprises at lest one balanced line receiver and at least one single-ended receiver.

4. The interface subsystem defined in claim 1 wherein said interface subsystem is further capable of transmitting binary signals having signal characteristics conforming to one of said plurality of predefined electrical interfaces, said interface subsystem further comprising driver means connected by signal lines between said communications processor and said port for driving said binary signals over said cable connected between said port and said second business machine.

5. A network employing interchange of binary signals conforming to one of a plurality of predefined electrical interfaces between data terminal equipment (DTE) and data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE), at least one of said DTE and said DCE having a universal interface unit for receiving and processing binary signals confoming to a predetermined common electrical interface, said universal interface unit having a port for receiving said binary signals conforming to a predetermined common electrical interface, a cable selected from a set of cables for being connected to said universal interface unit for conveying said binary signals to said universal interface unit, each cable comprising means for preconditioning said binary signals so that said binary signals conform to said predetermined common electrical interface, whereby each of said plurality of cables may be selectively connected to said universal interface unit for conveying said binary signals conforming to at least one particular electrical interface of said plurality of predefined electrical interfaces and for preconditioning said binary signals so that said binary signals conform to said predetermined common electrical interface.

6. The network defined in claim 5 wherein said binary signals have a voltage level and said preconditioning means comprises at least one resistor for altering the voltage level of at least one of said binary signals.

7. The network defined in claim 5 wherein said receiver means comprises at least one balanced line receiver and at least one single-ended receiver.

8. The network defined in claim 5 wherein said interface subsystem is further capable of transmitting binary signals conforming to one of said plurality of predefined electrical interfaces, said interface subsystem further comprising driver means connected by signal lines between said communications processor and said port for driving said binary signals over said cable connected between said port and said second business machine.