Reconfigurable network interface apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A reconfigurable computer network interface apparatus comprising:
- (a) a reconfigurable transceiver having a transceiver port associated therewith for operatively connecting with a transceiver connector of a media adapter, and further including a transceiver configuration input for receiving hardware and software transceiver configuration instructions, and a circuit array that is reconfigurable by the transceiver configuration instructions to communicate across the transceiver port in any one of a plurality of network hardware protocols;
(b) a media adapter having a media connector for operatively connecting to a desired computer network communications medium, and further having the transceiver connector for operatively connecting to the transceiver port, the transceiver connector being in communication with the media connector for enabling data to be passed back and forth between the transceiver port and the communications medium to which the media connector is connected;
(c) a reconfigurable bus interface having a bus port associated therewith, and further including a bus configuration input for receiving hardware and software bus configuration instructions, and a circuit array that is reconfigurable by the bus configuration instructions to communicate across the bus port in any one of a plurality of bus architecture protocols;
(d) a bus adapter having a bus port connector for operatively connecting with the bus port associated with the reconfigurable bus interface, and also having a bus socket connector for operatively connecting to a socket of a particular computer bus type, the bus port connector and the bus socket connector being in communication for passing data back and forth between a computer bus to which the bus socket connector is connected and the bus port associated with the reconfigurable bus interface;
(e) a device bus connected to the reconfigurable transceiver and the reconfigurable bus interface;
(f) a reconfigurable controller connected to the device bus, the reconfigurable controller including a controller configuration input for receiving hardware and software controller configuration instructions, and further including a circuit array that is reconfigurable by the controller configuration instructions to communicate with the reconfigurable transceiver across the device bus in any one of a plurality of different network software protocols and to communicate with the reconfigurable bus interface across the device bus;
(g) configuration control means connected to the reconfigurable transceiver, the reconfigurable controller, and reconfigurable bus interface for directing the transceiver configuration instructions to the transceiver configuration input, for directing the controller configuration instructions to the controller configuration input, and for directing the bus configuration instructions to the bus configuration input; and
(h) memory means connected to the device bus for storing digital data.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reconfigurable computer network interface device (10) includes a reconfigurable controller (12), reconfigurable bus interface (22), and reconfigurable transceiver (14). The device (10) also includes a configuration control arrangement (20) and on-board memory (16) for storing configuration instructions. The preferred form of the invention also includes an arrangement for receiving configuration instructions from an external source. The reconfigurable bus interface (22) may be configured by hardware set-up and operational software instructions to emulate a bus interface for any of a number of different computer bus architectures. A bus adapter (26) connects between a bus port (39) associated with the reconfigurable bus interface (22) and the computer bus to provide the physical connection between the device (10) and the host computer. The reconfigurable transceiver (14) is reconfigurable by hardware set-up and operational software instructions to communicate in any one of a number of different network hardware protocols. A media connector (24a, 24b) cooperates with a transceiver port (23a, 23b) associated with the reconfigurable transceiver (14) to provide the physical connection between the device (10) and network medium (32a, 32b). The reconfigurable controller (12) is configurable by hardware set-up and operational software instructions to communicate in any of a number of different software protocols. Thus, the reconfigurable computer network interface device (10) may operate as a network card, bridge, router, brouter, or gateway between substantially any type of computer and any type of computer network.
358 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A reconfigurable computer network interface apparatus comprising:
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(a) a reconfigurable transceiver having a transceiver port associated therewith for operatively connecting with a transceiver connector of a media adapter, and further including a transceiver configuration input for receiving hardware and software transceiver configuration instructions, and a circuit array that is reconfigurable by the transceiver configuration instructions to communicate across the transceiver port in any one of a plurality of network hardware protocols; (b) a media adapter having a media connector for operatively connecting to a desired computer network communications medium, and further having the transceiver connector for operatively connecting to the transceiver port, the transceiver connector being in communication with the media connector for enabling data to be passed back and forth between the transceiver port and the communications medium to which the media connector is connected; (c) a reconfigurable bus interface having a bus port associated therewith, and further including a bus configuration input for receiving hardware and software bus configuration instructions, and a circuit array that is reconfigurable by the bus configuration instructions to communicate across the bus port in any one of a plurality of bus architecture protocols; (d) a bus adapter having a bus port connector for operatively connecting with the bus port associated with the reconfigurable bus interface, and also having a bus socket connector for operatively connecting to a socket of a particular computer bus type, the bus port connector and the bus socket connector being in communication for passing data back and forth between a computer bus to which the bus socket connector is connected and the bus port associated with the reconfigurable bus interface; (e) a device bus connected to the reconfigurable transceiver and the reconfigurable bus interface; (f) a reconfigurable controller connected to the device bus, the reconfigurable controller including a controller configuration input for receiving hardware and software controller configuration instructions, and further including a circuit array that is reconfigurable by the controller configuration instructions to communicate with the reconfigurable transceiver across the device bus in any one of a plurality of different network software protocols and to communicate with the reconfigurable bus interface across the device bus; (g) configuration control means connected to the reconfigurable transceiver, the reconfigurable controller, and reconfigurable bus interface for directing the transceiver configuration instructions to the transceiver configuration input, for directing the controller configuration instructions to the controller configuration input, and for directing the bus configuration instructions to the bus configuration input; and (h) memory means connected to the device bus for storing digital data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of configuring an interface device between a computer and a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) connecting a bus port to a computer bus slot with a suitable bus adapter, and connecting a transceiver port to a network medium with a suitable media adapter; (b) monitoring the signals received at the bus port; (c) comparing a pattern of signals received at the bus port to bus signal patterns stored in memory to identify a bus type; (d) loading bus configuration instructions from memory onto a reconfigurable bus interface circuit to enable the bus interface circuit to communicate with the computer across the bus port in a bus architecture protocol associated with an identified bus type; (e) loading transceiver configuration instructions into a reconfigurable transceiver circuit to enable the reconfigurable transceiver circuit to communicate with the computer network across the transceiver port in a network hardware protocol associated with a network type; and (f) loading controller configuration instructions into a reconfigurable controller circuit to enable the controller circuit to communicate with the bus interface circuit and communicate with the reconfigurable transceiver in a network software protocol associated with the network type. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of configuring an interface device between a computer and a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) connecting a bus port to a computer bus slot with a suitable bus adapter, and connecting a transceiver port to a network medium with a suitable media adapter; (b) loading bus configuration instructions from memory external to the interface device into a reconfigurable bus interface circuit to enable the bus interface circuit to communicate with the computer across the bus port in a bus architecture protocol associated with a computer bus type; (c) loading transceiver configuration instructions from memory external to the interface device into a reconfigurable transceiver circuit to enable the reconfigurable transceiver circuit to communicate with the computer network across the transceiver port in a network hardware protocol associated with a network type; and (d) loading controller configuration instructions from memory external to the interface device into a reconfigurable controller circuit to enable the controller circuit to communicate with the bus interface circuit and communicate with the reconfigurable transceiver in a network software protocol associated with the network type. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification