System for extending ISA bus without using dedicated device driver software by using E.sup.2 P.sup.2 interface which provides multiplexed bus signal through standard parallel port connector

• US 5,619,659 A
• Filed: 06/30/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PDACO LIMITED
• Original Assignee: Elonex IP Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Jocobs, William S., Kikinis, Dan, Dornier, Pascal, Seiler, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Ki S.
• Application Number:
  US08/497,610
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/750, 395/822, 395/831, 395/281, 395/309, 395/821, 395/825, 395/882, 395/883, 365/238, 365/239, 365/240.1, 365/240.4
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00238 using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer output via network, e.g. network printing H04N1/00233
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0461 part of the apparatus being used in common for reading and reproducing simultaneous scanning of the original picture and the reproduced picture with a common scanning device H04N1/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1135 for the main-scan only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 : Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A bus interface system for expanding the I/O capability of a portable computer utilizes a parallel port connector with master interface circuitry connected to the internal ISA I/O bus of the portable computer and driving a 25-conductor Centronics-type cable as an intermediate bus. The master interlace circuitry is device-driver-transparent, and multiplexes address data, and control information over a byte-wide avenue of the intermediate bus according to premapped state translation tables. In a preferred embodiment a single peripheral I/O device comprising a slave circuitry may be connected to the 25-pin port, and the slave circuitry demultiplexes the intermediate bus states, providing a synthesized sub-set of ISA states to drive the peripheral device. In another embodiment a docking box comprises a bus with multiple I/O ports, such as a network port, a COM serial port, and additional floppy and hard disk drives. Power circuitry is provided for driving a single connected peripheral device, and for recharging a docked portable computer.

Claims

1. A computer having a CPU and an industry standard internal I/O (ISA) bus, comprising:

a standard parallel port (SPP) connector; and

a state-translation circuitry connected between said internal I/O bus and said SPP connector, once configured automatically and independently of the CPU and dedicated device driver software, multiplexing signals of the internal ISA bus onto pins of SPP connector, the signals including address signals from address lines of the internal bus;

wherein said CPU, upon power-up and reset of said computer, tests devices connected to the internal bus through the SPP connector for compatibility with a standard parallel port (SPP) communication mode, a standard enhanced parallel port (EPP) communication mode, and with a proprietary E² P² communication mode, and configures the state-translation circuitry to operate in an appropriate mode according to the results of the compatibility tests performed during power-up and reset.

2. A computer as in claim 1 further comprising an on-board storage power supply connected to selected pins of said SPP connector for providing power to a peripheral I/O device coupled to said SPP connector, wherein said storage power supply provides power to said peripheral I/O device through or derives charging power from said selected pins during communication across said SPP connector.

3. A peripheral I/O non-volatile mass storage device comprising:

a standard parallel port (SPP) connector for interfacing with a host computer through an intermediate bus link of lesser width than internal I/O bus of said host computer; and

a state translation circuitry connected between said SPP connector and a controller within said I/O mass storage device;

wherein said state-translation circuitry, automatically and independently of the host computer and dedicated device driver software within said host computer, synthesizes ISA bus signals from address, data and control signals multiplexed on said intermediate bus link by a host device in accordance with a proprietary E² P² communication mode;

said ISA bus signal having the same width and the same parallel structure of signal in the internal I/O bus of the host computer.

4. A peripheral I/O mass storage device as in claim 3 wherein power for operation of the mass storage device is provided over said intermediate bus link.

5. A docking box for expanding the I/O capability of a computer, comprising:

a standard parallel port (SPP) connector for interfacing with a host computer through an intermediate bus link of lesser width than internal I/O bus of said host computer;

a state-translation circuitry connected between said SPP connector and a parallel bus within said docking box, said parallel bus having the same width and the same parallel structure of the internal I/O bus of the host computer; and

one or more peripheral I/O devices connected to said parallel bus, the peripheral I/O devices being one or more of a network port with an external connector for interfacing to a serial cable, a controller for connecting to a hard disk drive, a controller for connecting to a floppy disk drive, a serial communication port with an external serial connector, and a printer port with an external connector for interfacing to a printer;

wherein said state-translation circuitry, automatically and independently of the host computer and dedicated device driver software within said host computer, synthesizes bus signals onto the parallel bus within the docking box from multiplexed address, data, and control signals on said intermediate bus link by a host device in accordance with a proprietary E² P² communication mode;

said bus signal having the same width and the same parallel structure of signal in the internal I/O bus of the host computer.

6. A docking box as in claim 5 further comprising a primary power supply connected to selected pins of said SPP connector for charging a storage power supply of a docked computer.