Input device interface with power connect state and serial data channel enabling power to the device from time to time
First Claim
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1. An interface between a host and an input device, comprising:
- a plurality of signal lines for connecting the input device to the host, including a power supply line, a data transmission line, a control signal transmitting line and a control signal receiving line;
power supply in communication with said power supply line for supplying power over said power supply line to the input device;
a data transmission channel coupled to said data transmission line for receiving data from the input device and for transferring the received data to the host; and
control logic coupled to the host and said power supply for enabling the supply of power over said power supply line to the input device from time to time, and monitoring said control signal receiving line to maintain the supply of power until a time out occurs, or until a data transfer on said data transmission channel ends.
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Abstract
An interface for connecting a local input device to a host, such as a telephone message receiving unit. The interface transfers data serially from the local input device to the telephone message receiving unit for print out or facsimile transmission thereby. Control of the interface is governed by a state machine having several states.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An interface between a host and an input device, comprising:
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a plurality of signal lines for connecting the input device to the host, including a power supply line, a data transmission line, a control signal transmitting line and a control signal receiving line; power supply in communication with said power supply line for supplying power over said power supply line to the input device; a data transmission channel coupled to said data transmission line for receiving data from the input device and for transferring the received data to the host; and control logic coupled to the host and said power supply for enabling the supply of power over said power supply line to the input device from time to time, and monitoring said control signal receiving line to maintain the supply of power until a time out occurs, or until a data transfer on said data transmission channel ends. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An interface apparatus for connecting an input device to a host, comprising:
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a plurality of signal lines for connecting the input device to the host, including a power supply line, a control signal transmitting line, a control signal receiving line, a data receiving line and a clock line; control logic coupled to said plurality of signal lines for controlling the propagation of signals thereon; a state machine for driving operation of said control logic, said state machine including; a first state in which power on said power supply line is disabled; a second state, entered from time to time from the first state, in which power on said power supply line is enabled and said control signal receiving line is monitored for a signal indicating a presence of an input device, wherein control is transferred from said second state to said first state when said signal indicating the presence of an input device is not received within a predefined time period; a third state, entered into if the presence of an input device is indicated in the second state, in which a clock signal is generated on said clock line and a reset signal is propagated on said control signal transmitting line to the input device; a fourth state, entered into in response to a signal on said control signal receiving line indicating reset of the input device is complete, in which a host idle signal is transmitted on said control signal transmitting line and said control signal receiving line is monitored for an indication that a line of data is ready in the input device for transfer to the host; a fifth state, entered into when a line of data from the input device is ready for transfer, in which a signal enabling transfer is propagated over said control signal transmitting line; a sixth state, entered into upon propagation of said transfer enabling signal, in which data is received over said data receiving line from the input device; and a seventh state entered into upon completion of said data transfer or interruption thereof, in which control is transferred to said fifth state if a signal on said control signal receiving line indicates that another line of data is ready for transfer from the input device and further in which control is transferred to said first state upon the occurrence of certain predefined conditions. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An interface apparatus for connecting an input device to a host, comprising:
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a plurality of signal lines for connecting the input device to the host, including a control signal transmitting line, a control signal receiving line, a data line, and a clock line; a data transmission channel coupled to said data line for receiving both image data, in data lines of predetermined length, and command data from the input device and for transmission of said image data to the host; control logic for controlling propagation of signals on said plurality of signal lines; command logic coupled to said control logic that monitors a line of data transmitted on said data line to detect a predefined sequence of bits equal in length to said predetermined length and which indicates that command data follows said predefined sequence, and when said predefined sequence is detected to detect the command data following the predefined sequence. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification