Segmented communications adapter with packet transfer interface

• US 5,717,855 A
• Filed: 02/21/1996
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schrum, Sidney Brower Jr., Norman, Vernon Roberts
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Application Number:
  US08/604,201
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.2, 395/200.12, 395/200.14, 395/825, 395/500, 395/200.1, 395/200.17, 370/463
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/128 for dedicated transfers to a network for protocol converters G06F13/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/433 with asynchronous transmission, e.g. token ring, register insertion

Abstract

A data transfer device for use in a communications highway includes an integrated bus for transmitting data signals and command signals, an address bus and a control line for transmitting control signals which indicate the presence of command signals and/or data signals on the integrated bus. A bus control point (BCF) allows entities to use the integrated bus based upon request signals received from the entities. In addition, devices are provided to generate commands or data on the integrated bus. The data transfer device in combination with a Network Interface Unit (NIU) and a Machine Interface Unit (MIU) provides an adapter which couples work stations, computers or the like to a local area network (LAN).

Claims

1. A segmented adapter, for coupling a computing device to a Local Area network LAN, comprising:

a network interface unit means for coupling to the Local Area network;

a machine interface unit means for coupling to the computing device; and

a packet transfer interface means interconnecting the network interface means and the machine interface means;

said packet transfer interface means transmitting integrated frames through a single channel to the computing devices with said integrated frames comprises of LAN frames received from the Local Area network, coded in accordance with a specific LAN protocol, and interspersed with commands inserted in the LAN frames by the packet transfer means wherein the commands represent computing action to be taken, by the computing device, with respect to the sub-fields of the integrated frame.

7. The segmented adapter of claim 1 or claim 6 wherein the specific LAN protocol includes a token ring protocol.

8. The segmented adapter of claim 1 or claim 6 wherein the specific protocol includes a collision type protocol.

2. A segmented adapter, for coupling a computing device to a Local Area network LAN, comprising:

a network interface unit for coupling to the Local Area network;

a machine interface unit for coupling to the computing device; and

a packet transfer interface interconnecting the network interface and the machine interface;

said packet transfer interface transmitting integrated frames through a single channel to the computing devices with said integrated frames comprised of LAN frames received from the Local Area network, coded in accordance with a specific LAN protocol, and interspersed with commands inserted in the LAN frames by the packet transfer interface wherein the commands represent computing action to be taken, by the computing device, with respect to the sub-fields of the integrated frame; and

control means, operatively coupled with the packet transfer interface, for generating the commands and concatenating the commands to the selected subfields in the LAN frames.

3. A segmented adapter, for coupling a computing device to a Local Area network LAN, comprising:

a network interface unit for coupling to the Local Area network;

a machine interface unit for coupling to the computing device; and

a packet transfer interface interconnecting the network interface and the machine interface;

said packet transfer interface transmitting integrated frames through a single channel to the computing devices with said integrated frames comprised of LAN frames received from the Local Area network, coded in accordance with a specific LAN protocol, and interspersed with commands inserted in the LAN frames by the packet transfer interface wherein the commands represent computing action to be taken, by the computing device, with respect to the sub-fields of the integrated frame;

said packet transfer interface including

a data bus for transporting the integrated frames;

an address bus;

an identification means for transporting electrical signals indicating if command or data is being transmitted on the data bus with said electrical signal being transmitted to the computing device;

a local bus controller for providing bus clocking signals and for granting access to the data bus and address bus;

a network interface data control means coupled to the data bus, the address bus and the identification means;

said network interface data control means activating selected conductors in the data bus, the address bus and identification means in response to data received from the communications network and receiving data from the data bus to be transmitted on said communication network; and

a first control means, coupled to the network interface data control means, for generating the commands and inserting in the frames received from the communications network.

4. The segmented adapter of claim 3 further including a second control means, coupled to the network interface data control means, for receiving integrated frames from the data bus and segregating commands and other local bus protocol information so that a frame compatible with the Local Area network protocol is provided.

5. The segmented adapter of claim 4 further including a third control means, coupled to the data bus, for activating selected lines in the data bus in response to data received from the computing device and for receiving data from the data bus;

fourth control means coupled to the third control means, for inserting predetermined commands in information to be transmitted on the local bus.

6. A device for transmitting information coded in accordance with a specific Local Area Network protocol between a data source and data sink, comprising:

a bus for transmitting integrated frames between the data source and the data sink with each integrated frame being transmitted through a single channel on said bus;

a first means operatively coupled to the bus and operable for receiving bus request signals from the data source and the data sink and awarding priority to use said bus;

a second means operatively coupled to the first means;

said second means generating the integrated frames by receiving frames coded in accordance with the specific Local Area Network protocol, generating commands representative of control information which identifies sub-fields in the integrated frames and concatenating said commands to selected fields of the frame; and

identification means, coupled to the second means, for transporting to the data source or data sink control signals, received from the second means, indicating if a command is on the bus.

9. The segmented adapter of claim 6 wherein the specific LAN protocol includes a Token Ring protocol.

10. The segmented adapter of claim 6 wherein the specific protocol includes a collision type protocol.