In-line SCSI bus circuit for providing isolation and bi-directional communication between two portions of a SCSI bus

• US 5,586,271 A
• Filed: 09/27/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Macrolink, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Macrolink, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Parrett, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Application Number:
  US08/313,434
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 395/282, 395/283
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling

Abstract

An in-line SCSI bus isolation circuit includes two ports for transparently communicating bidirectional data and controls signals therebetween during normal operation using respective dedicated sets of line drivers which may be data bit-by-bit and control signal-by-signal selectively enabled and disabled to permit the bidirectional transparent SCSI communications, and which may be completely disabled to electrically isolate a connected SCSI device on a first SCSI port from the other remaining connected SCSI components on the second SCSI port, so that that device may be removed or inserted onto the SCSI bus at the first port when the line drivers are disabled to prevent the voltage transient signals generated on the first SCSI port from being propagated to the second SCSI port connected to the other SCSI components prior to enabling the line drivers and bidirectional SCSI communications between the two SCSI ports.

Claims

1. A system for communicating data bidirectionally over a data bus within a data bus specification and for isolating said bus, said system comprising,

a first means for communicating said data,

a second means for communicating said data,

bus means having a first portion connected to said first means and a second portion connected to said second means, both of said portions of said bus means for bidirectional transparent communication of said data between said first means for communicating said data and said second means for communicating said data within said data bus specification, and

an isolation means connected in-line between said first and second portions of said bus means for isolating said first and second portions of said bus means from each other and for communicating said data between said first and second portions of said bus means, said isolation means comprising first set of line drivers connected to said first portion of said bus means, comprising second set of line drivers connected to said second portion of said bus means, and comprising a control means physically disposed in-line between said first and second portions of said bus means for disabling said first and second sets of line drivers for isolation of said first and second portions of said bus means from each other, said control means also for sensing said bus means and determining direction of said bidirectional transparent communication of said data and for then enabling at least a portion of said first set of line drivers and disabling at least a respective portion of said second set of line drivers and by disabling at least another portion of said first set of line drivers and enabling at least another respective portion of said second set of line drivers so as to enable said bidirectional transparent bus communication through first and second sets of line drivers.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein

said bus means is a data bus communicating said data including data signals and control signals,

said first means for communicating said data is a computer,

said second means for communicating said data is a peripheral, and

said first and second sets of line drivers each having at least a first set of data line drivers for communicating said data signals and a second set of control line drivers for communicating said control signals, each data line driver of said first and second sets of data line drivers has an enabling input to selectively enable or disable said each data line driver, at least two control line drivers of each of said first and second sets of control line drivers have an enabling input to selectively enable or disable respective control line drivers of said first and second sets of control line drivers.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a control panel having a means for communicating to said isolation means a disconnect signal commanding said isolation means to isolate said first means for communicating said data from said second means for communicating said data by disabling said first and second sets of line drivers.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein

said isolation means has at least a first set of buffers connected to said first portion of said bus means for receiving said data from said first means for communicating said data, and connected to said second set of line drivers for communicating said data to said second means for communicating said data through said second set of line drivers, and

said isolation means has at least a second set of buffers connected to said second portion of said bus means for receiving said data from said second means for communicating data, and connected to said first set of line drivers for communicating said data to said first means for communicating said data through said first set of line drivers.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first set of line drivers are single ended line drivers and said second set of line drivers are differential line drivers.

6. An in-line isolation circuit for isolating a first device connected on a first portion of a data bus from a second device connected on a second portion of said data bus, said in-line isolation circuit also for bidirectional transparent communication of said data between said first and second devices through said data bus, said in-line isolation circuit comprising

a first set of line drivers connected to said first portion of said data bus for communicating said data to said first device,

a second set of line drivers connected to a second portion of said data bus for communicating said data to said second device, and

a control means physically disposed in-line between said first and second portions of said data bus for disabling said first and second sets of line drivers for isolation of said first and second portions of said data bus from each other, said control means also for sensing said data bus and determining direction of said bidirectional transparent communication of said data and for then enabling at least a portion of said first set of line drivers and disabling at least a respective portion of said second set of line drivers and by disabling at least another portion of said first set of line drivers and enabling at least another respective portion of said second set of line drivers so as to enable said bidirectional transparent bus communication through first and second sets of line drivers.

7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein

said data bus communicates said data including data signals and control signals,

said first set of line drivers has a first set of data line drivers for communicating said data signals and a first set of control line drivers for communicating said control signals, and

said second set of line drivers has a second set of data line drivers for communicating said data signals and a second set of control line drivers for communicating said control signals, each data line drivers of said first and second sets of data line drivers has an enabling input to selectively enable or disable each data line driver of said first and second set of data line drivers, and, at least two control line drivers of each of said first and second sets of control line drivers have an enabling input to selectively enable or disable said at least two control line drivers of each of said first and second sets of control line drivers.

8. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said circuit further comprises

a set of single ended receivers connected to said first portion of said data bus for receiving said data from said first device, said first set of line drivers are single ended line drivers for communicating said data to said first device through said first portion of said data bus, said set of single ended receivers and said first set of line drivers provide said transparent bidirectional communication on said first portion of said data bus, and

a set of differential receivers connected to said second portion of said data bus for receiving said data from said second device, said second set of line drivers are differential line drivers for communicating said data to said second device through said second portion of said data bus, said set of differential receivers and said second set of line drivers provide said transparent bidirectional communication on said second portion of said data bus.

9. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said circuit further comprises,

reset means connected to said control means, said reset means for providing a reset signal provided for a duration of time, said control means for receiving said reset signal and adapted to disable said first and second sets of line drivers during the presence of said reset signal.

10. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said data bus communicates said data including data signals and control signals, said first set of line drivers has a first set of data line drivers for communicating said data signals and a first set of control line drivers for communicating said control signals, said second set of line drivers has a second set of data line drivers for communicating said data signals and a second set of control line drivers for communicating said control signals, each data line driver of said first and second sets of data line drivers has an enabling input to selectively enable or disable each data line driver of said first and second sets of data line drivers, and, at least two control line drivers of each of said first and second sets of control line drivers have an enabling input to selectively enable or disable said at least two control line drivers of each of said first and second sets of control line drivers, said in-line isolation circuit further comprises,

a first set of receivers connected to said first portion of said data bus for receiving said data signals and said control signals from said first device, said first set of data line drivers and said first set of control line drivers communicate said data signals and said control signals to said first device through said first portion of said data bus, said first set of receivers and said first set of line drivers provide said transparent bidirectional communication on said first portion of said data bus, said first set of receivers communicate said data signals and said control signals respectively to said second sets of data line drivers and said second set of control line drivers, said first set of receivers communicate said data signals and said control signals to said control means, said control means senses said data signals and said control signals and provides enabling and disabling signals to said second sets of line drivers, and

a second set of receivers connected to said second portion of said data bus for receiving said data signals and said control signals from said second device, said second set of data line drivers and said second set of control line drivers communicate said data signals and said control signals to said second device through said second portion of said data bus, said second set of receivers and said second set of line drivers provide said transparent bidirectional communication on said second portion of said data bus, said second set of receivers communicate said data signals and said control signals respectively to said first set of data line and said first set of control line drivers, said second set of receivers communicates said data signals respectively to said first set of data line drivers and said first set of control line drivers, said second set of receivers communicates said data signals and said control signals to said control means, said control means senses said data signals and said control signals and provides enabling and disabling signals to said first sets of line drivers.

11. A method of isolating a first device from a second device connected together through a data bus bidirectionally communicating data signals and control signals, said data bus separated into a first portion and a second portion by an in-line isolation circuit having a first port connected to said first portion of said data bus connected to said first device and a second port connected to said second portion of said data bus connected to said second device, said in-line isolation circuit having a first set of data line drivers and a first set of control line drivers for said first port and having a second set of data line drivers and a second set of control line drivers for said second port, said in-line isolation circuit having a control means physically disposed in-line between said first and second portions of said data bus to disable for isolation and enable for transparent bidirectional communication both first and second sets of said data line drivers and said control line drivers, each data line driver of said first and second sets of data line drivers are selectively enabled and disabled, at least two control line drivers of each of said first and second sets of control line drivers are selectively enabled and disabled, communication through said data bus is provided by enabling line drivers of said first set of line drivers and disabling respective line drivers of said second sets of data line drivers and by enabling line drivers said second set line drivers and disabling respective line drivers of said first set of line drivers, said method comprising the steps of,

data disabling said first and second sets of data line drivers,

control disabling said first and second sets of control line drivers, the disabling of said first and second sets of data line drivers and said first and second sets of control line drivers electrically isolating said first and second devices from each other through said data bus,

sensing said data signals and said control signals for determining direction of said bidirectional transparent communication,

data enabling by enabling at least one of said first set of data line drivers and disabling a respective one of said second set of data line drivers for one communication direction or by enabling at least one of said second set of data line drivers and disabling a respective one of said first set of data line drivers for another communication direction to enable the communication of a respective at least one data signal of said data signals between said first and second devices, and

control enabling by enabling at least one of said first set of control line drivers and disabling a respective one of said second set of control line drivers for one communication direction or by enabling at least one of said second set of control line drivers and disabling a respective one of said first set of control line drivers for another communication direction to enable communication of a respective at least one control signal of said control signals between said first and second devices.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of

sensing said first port for asserted control signals, said control enabling step for respectively enabling said control line drivers of said second set of control line drivers for respectively asserted control signals on said first port, said control disabling step also for respectively disabling said control line drivers of said second set of control line drivers for respectively unasserted control signals on said first port, and

sensing said second port for asserted control signals, said control enabling step for respectively enabling said control line drivers of said first set of control line drivers for respectively asserted control signals on said second port, and said disabling step also for respectively disabling said control line drivers of said first set of control line drivers for respectively unasserted control signals on said second port.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of

sensing said first port for asserted data bits signals, said data enabling step for respectively enabling said data line drivers of said second set of data line drivers for respectively asserted data bit signals on said first port, said data disabling step also for respectively disabling data line drivers of said second set of data line drivers for respectively unasserted data bit signals on said first port, and

sensing said second port for asserted data bit signals, said enabling step for respectively enabling data line drivers of said first set of data line drivers for respectively asserted data bit signals on said second port, said data disabling step also for respectively disabling data line drivers of said first set of data line drivers for respectively unasserted data bit signals on said second port.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of

sensing an I-O control line of said control signals for each of said first port and said second port, said I-O control line having a first state and a second state, said data enabling step for enabling said first set said data line drivers and said data disabling step for disabling said second set of data line drivers when said I-O control line is in said first state, said data enabling step for enabling said second set said data line drivers and said disabling step for disabling said first set of data line drivers when said I-O control line is in said second state.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said data disabling step disables said first and second set of data line drivers and wherein said control disabling step disables said first and second set of control line drivers a predetermined amount of time after an application of power to said in-line isolation circuit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said in-line isolation circuit has at least an auto connect state or an auto disconnect state, said method further comprising the steps of

determining if said in-line isolation circuit is in said auto connect state or in said auto disconnect state,

continuing said data disabling step and said control disabling step an indefinite period of time if said in-line isolation circuit is in said auto disconnect state, and

discontinuing said data disabling step and said control disabling step if said in-line isolation circuit is in said auto connect state.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said in-line isolation circuit is connected to an external means providing an external connect signal, said method further comprising the steps of

determining the presence of said external connect signal, and

executing said enabling steps in the presence of said external connect signal.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said in-line isolation circuit is connected to an external means providing an external disconnect signal, said method further comprising the steps of

determining the presence of said external disconnect signal, and

executing said data disabling and said control disabling steps in the presence of said disconnect signal.