Data terminal with controller for selectively modifying data transmitted to and from

• US 6,119,180 A
• Filed: 12/03/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Erkkila, Marko, Terho, Mikko, Vapaakoski, Simo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US09/204,580
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 710/2-39, 710/58-74, 710/101-103, 710/126-181, 485/484, 485/587, 485/588, 379/93, 379/93.01, 375/222, 709/300-308
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/105 where the programme performs an input/output emulation function
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A data adapter functioning as an intermediary between a data terminal and a digital data transmission network is implemented by using the parts the data terminal usually comprises and by directing their activity by processor commands recorded in the memory of the data terminal.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data between a data terminal and an external device coupled thereto, the data terminal comprising:

an application program for controlling the operation of the data terminal and processing the transmitted data,

a communications controller for controlling the internal data transfer of the data terminal, and

at least one communication port, and a port controller controlling said at least one communication port, for transmitting data between said data terminal and said external device, in which method the transmitted data is processed in the application program and directed through the port controller and the communication port,

wherein the improvement comprises the steps of;

carrying out a predefined modification of the transmitted data between the form of data processed by said application program and the form of data processed by said external device in a device controller using processing software installed internally in the data terminal, and

implementing the data transmission by coupling said device controller with said application program through said communications controller.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein transmitted data is formed in said application program, directed through said communications controller to said device controller, software processed in said device controller into a form processed by said external device, and directed through said communications controller to said port controller to be transmitted to said external device.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein transmitted data is transmitted from said external device to said port controller, directed from there through said communications controller to said device controller, software processed in said device controller into a form processed by said application program, and directed through said communications controller to said application program.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of providing a memory in the data terminal and wherein the arrangement for carrying out the method is recorded in electric form in the memory of the data terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said application program controls the operation of said device controller by providing said device controller with AT commands.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device controller applies a framing arrangement according to GSM standards 07.02 and 04.22 in software processing the transmitted data.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device controller applies a framing arrangement according to the WORM_-- ARQ standards in software processing the transmitted data.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device controller applies a framing arrangement according to the IS136 data communications standard in software processing the transmitted data.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device controller applies a framing arrangement according to the IS95 data communications standard in software processing the transmitted data.

10. A data terminal comprising, for transmitting data between the data terminal and an external device coupled thereto,

an application program for controlling the operation of the data terminal and processing the transmitted data,

a communications controller for controlling the internal data transfer of the data terminal, and

at least one communication port and a port controller controlling said at least one communication port for transmitting data between said data terminal and said external device, wherein the improvement comprises:

means for software processing the transmitted data into a first form of data processed by said application program and a second form of data processed by said external device, said software processing means comprising;

a device controller internal to the data terminal and coupled to said communications controller for transmitting data processed in said device controller, between said device controller and said application program, and between said device controller and said port controller.

11. A data terminal according to claim 10, wherein said device controller comprises software comprising:

an interpreting part for interpreting the incoming commands in said transmitted data, and

means for modifying the data between the form of data processed by said application program and the form of data processed by said external device.

12. A data terminal according to claim 10, further comprising a memory in the data terminal, and wherein said device controller is recorded in electric form in the memory of said data terminal.

13. A data terminal according to claims 10, wherein said data terminal uses the Microsoft Windows95 operating system, and said communications controller is a VCOMM communications controller which belongs to said operating system.

14. A data terminal according to claim 10, wherein said communication port is a serial communication port according to standard RS-232.

15. A data terminal according to claim 10, wherein said communication port is an infrared link.

16. A device controller in a data terminal for processing data transmitted between an application program controlling the operation of the data terminal and an external device coupled to the data terminal, the data terminal comprising:

a communications controller for controlling the internal data transfer of said data terminal, and

at least one communication port, and a port controller that controls said at least one communication port, for transmitting data between said data terminal and said external device,

and wherein the improvement comprises;

said device controller software processes the data internally transferred into the form of data processed by said application program and the form of data processed by said external device, and is coupled to said communications controller for transmitting data between said device controller and said application program.

17. A device controller according to claim 16, further comprising:

an interpreting part for interpreting the incoming commands in said transmitted data, and

means for modifying the data between the form of data processed by said application program and the form of data processed by said external device.

18. A device controller according to claim 16, further comprising a memory in the data terminal, and wherein said device controller is recorded in electric form in the memory of said data terminal.

19. A device controller according to claim 16, wherein said communication port is an infrared link.

20. A data terminal according to claim 16, wherein said communication port is a serial communication port according to standard RS-232.