Flexible interface for Communication between a host and an analog I/O device connected to the interface regardless the type of the I/O device

• US 6,470,399 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Papst Licensing GmbH & Company Kg
• Original Assignee: LTT Labortechnik Tasler GmbH
• Inventors: Tasler, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Du, Thuan
• Application Number:
  US09/331,002
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 710/15, 710/16, 710/11, 710/12, 710/62, 710/63, 710/64, 703/23, 703/24, 703/25
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• 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: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/068 Hybrid storage device

Abstract

An interface device (10) provides fast data communication between a host device with input/output interfaces and a data transmit/receive device, wherein the interface device (10) comprises a processor means (13), a memory means (14), a first connecting device (12) for interfacing the host device with the interface device, and a second connecting device (15) for interfacing the interface device (10) with the data transmit/receive device. The interface device (10) is configured by the processor means (13) and the memory means (14) in such a way that, when receiving an inquiry from the host device via the first connecting device (12) as to the type of a device attached to the host device, regardless of the type of the data transmit/receive device, the interface device sends a signal to the host device via the first connecting device (12) which signals to the host device that it is communicating with an input/output device.

Claims

1. An interface device for communication between a host device, which comprises drivers for input/output devices customary in a host device and a multi-purpose interface, and a data transmit/receive device, the data transmit/receive device being arranged for providing analog data, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a first connecting device for interfacing the host device with the interface device via the multi-purpose interface of the host device; and

a second connecting device for interfacing the interface device with the data transmit/receive device, the second connecting device including a sampling circuit for sampling the analog data provided by the data transmit/receive device and an analog-to-digital converter for converting data sampled by the sampling circuit into digital data,

wherein the interface device is configured by the processor and the memory to include a first command interpreter and a second command interpreter,

wherein the first command interpreter is configured in such a way that the command interpreter, when receiving an inquiry from the host device as to a type of a device attached to the multi-purpose interface of the host device, sends a signal, regardless of the type of the data transmit/receive device attached to the second connecting device of the interface device, to the host device which signals to the host device that it is an input/output device customary in a host device, whereupon the host device communicates with the interface device by means of the driver for the input/output device customary in a host device, and

wherein the second command interpreter is configured to interpret a data request command from the host device to the type of input/output device signaled by the first command interpreter as a data transfer command for initiating a transfer of the digital data to the host device.

2. An interface device according to claim 1,

wherein the drivers for input/output drivers customary in a host device comprise a hard disk driver, and the signal indicates to the host device that the host device is communicating with a hard disk.

3. An interface device according to claim 1,

wherein the memory means comprises a buffer to buffer data to be transferred between the data transmit/receive device and the host device.

4. An interface device according to claim 1,

wherein the multi-purpose interface of the host device is an SCSI interface and the first connecting device also comprises an SCSI interface.

5. An interface device according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is a digital signal processor.

6. An interface device according to claim 2,

wherein the data to be transferred from the data transmit/receive device to the host device in the interface device is formatted in a suitable format for a hard disk present in the host device.

7. An interface device according to claim 2,

which further comprises a root directory and virtual files which are present on the signaled hard disk drive and which can be accessed from the host device.

8. An interface device according to claim 7,

wherein the virtual files comprise a configuration file in text format which are stored in the memory means and using which the user can configure the interface device for a specific data transmit/receive device.

9. An interface device according to claim 7,

wherein the virtual files comprise batch files or executable files for the microprocessor means which are stored in the interface device in order to perform data processing, independently of the host device, of data received via the second connecting device.

10. An interface device according to claim 7,

wherein the virtual files comprise batch files or executable files for the host device which are stored in the interface device.

11. An interface device for communication between a host device, which comprises a multi-purpose interface and a specific driver for this interface, and a data transmit/receive device, the data transmit/receive device being arranged for providing analog data, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a first connecting device for interfacing the host device with the interface device via the multi-purpose interface of the host device; and

a second connecting device for interfacing the interface device with the data transmit/receive device, the second connecting device including a sampling circuit for sampling the analog data provided by the data transmit/receive device and an analog-to-digital converter for converting data sampled by the sampling circuit into digital data,

where the interface device is configured using the processor and the memory to include a first command interpreter and a second command interpreter,

wherein the first command interpreter is configured in such a way that the interface device, when receiving an inquiry from the host device as to the type of a device attached at the multi-purpose interface of the host device, sends a signal, regardless of the type of the data transmit/receive device attached to the second connecting device of the interface device, to the host device which signals to the host device that it is an input/output device customary in a host device, whereupon the host device communicates with the interface device by means of the specific driver for the multi-purpose interface, and

wherein the second command interpreter is configured to interpret a data request command from the host device to the type of input/output device signaled by the first command interpreter as a data transfer command for initiating a transfer of the digital data to the host device.

12. An interface device according to claim 11, wherein in addition to the first connecting device of the interface device, there is a further input/output device at the multi-purpose interface of the host device, and wherein the interface device can communicate directly with said further input/output device via the specific driver for the multi-purpose interface.

13. An interface device according to claim 11,

wherein the multi-purpose interface is an SCSI interface, and wherein the specific driver for the multi-purpose interface is an ASPI manager.

14. A method of communication between a host device, which comprises drivers for input/output devices customary in a host device and a multi-purpose interface, and a data transmit/receive device, the data transmit/receive device being arranged for providing analog data, via an interface device, comprising:

interfacing of the host device with a first connecting device of the interface device via the multi-purpose interface of the host device;

interfacing of the data transmit/receive device with a second connecting device of the interface device, the second connecting device including a sampling circuit for sampling the analog data provided by the data/transmit/receive device and an analog-to-digital converter for converting data sampled by the sampling circuit into digital data;

inquiring by the host device at the interface device as to the type of device to which the multi-purpose interface of the host device is attached;

regardless of the type of the data transmit/receive data attached to the second connecting device of the interface device, responding to the inquiry from the host device by the interface device in such a way that it is an input/output device customary in a host device, whereupon the host device communicates with the interface device by means of the usual driver for the input/output device, and

interpreting a data request command from the host device to the type of input/output device customary in the host device as a data transfer command for initiating a transfer of the digital data to the host device.

15. A method according to claim 14,

wherein the drivers for input/output devices customary in a host device comprise a driver for a storage device and in particular for a hard disk drive.