Reconfigurable communication interface and method therefor
First Claim
1. An electronic apparatus for operably coupling to at least a first device of a variety of devices having at least one connector thereon, the apparatus comprising:
- a variety of connectors, wherein the variety of connectors include a first connector that connects to the at least one connector;
a programmable coupler having an input for receiving coupling instructions and having communication ports coupled to the variety of connectors, wherein at least one of the communication ports is coupled to the first connector, the programmable coupler for coupling the at least one communication port in accordance with the coupling instructions;
a controller coupled to the programmable coupler, the controller for determining that the first device is connected to the first connector, and for providing the coupling instructions, the controller for accessing a first device driver of a variety of device drivers, and accessing a first connector core of a variety of connector cores, and the controller being coupled to provide the first device driver and the first connector core; and
a programmable logic unit coupled to the controller and the programmable coupler, and the programmable logic unit having a variety of logic resources, the programmable logic unit for receiving the first device driver and the first connector core, for configuring at least some of the variety of logic resources in accordance with the first connector core to provide a first connector processor and first device driver and the, and for configuring the first device driver to operate with the connector processor, wherein the first device driver and the first connector processor establish communication with the first device via the programmable coupler.
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Accused Products
Abstract
When an external device (not shown) is connected to a matching connector of a variety of connectors (235–260), a microcontroller 205 detects the matching connector (235–260) and the external device, then accesses a memory (210) to get an appropriate connector core, device driver and an application, in accordance with the detected requirements of the external device. The microcontroller (205) uses the connector core, device driver and application to configure a programmable logic device (PLD) 230 to support communication with the external device through the matching connector (235–260).
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An electronic apparatus for operably coupling to at least a first device of a variety of devices having at least one connector thereon, the apparatus comprising:
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a variety of connectors, wherein the variety of connectors include a first connector that connects to the at least one connector; a programmable coupler having an input for receiving coupling instructions and having communication ports coupled to the variety of connectors, wherein at least one of the communication ports is coupled to the first connector, the programmable coupler for coupling the at least one communication port in accordance with the coupling instructions; a controller coupled to the programmable coupler, the controller for determining that the first device is connected to the first connector, and for providing the coupling instructions, the controller for accessing a first device driver of a variety of device drivers, and accessing a first connector core of a variety of connector cores, and the controller being coupled to provide the first device driver and the first connector core; and a programmable logic unit coupled to the controller and the programmable coupler, and the programmable logic unit having a variety of logic resources, the programmable logic unit for receiving the first device driver and the first connector core, for configuring at least some of the variety of logic resources in accordance with the first connector core to provide a first connector processor and first device driver and the, and for configuring the first device driver to operate with the connector processor, wherein the first device driver and the first connector processor establish communication with the first device via the programmable coupler. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An electronic apparatus for operably coupling to at least a first device of a variety of devices having at least one connector thereon, the apparatus comprising:
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a variety of connectors, wherein the variety of connectors include a first connector that physically connects to the at least one connector; a first memory having a device driver portion for storing a variety of device drivers and having a connector core portion for storing a variety of connector cores; a programmable logic device having communication ports coupled to the variety of connectors; and a controller coupled to the first memory and the programmable logic device, the controller for communicating with the programmable logic device to determine the first device is connected to the first connector, and the controller for providing at least a first device driver of the variety of device drivers and at least a first connector core of the variety of connector cores from the first memory to the programmable logic device, wherein the programmable logic device configures a corresponding connector processor therein and configures a corresponding device driver to operate with the connector processor, and wherein the corresponding device driver and the corresponding connector processor establish communication with the first device through the first connector. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method in a reconfigurable communication interface for operably coupling to a first device of a variety of devices, the first device having at least one connector thereon, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing the reconfigurable communication interface comprising; a variety of connectors, wherein the variety of connectors include a first connector that connects to the at least one connector; a programmable logic device having a plurality of communication ports coupled to the variety of connectors; and a controller coupled to the programmable logic device; b) detecting the first device is physically connected to the fist connector; c) accessing a first connector core of a variety of connector cores associated with the first connector; d) configuring a first connector processor in the programmable logic device; e) accessing a first device driver of a variety of device drivers associated with the first device; f) configuring the first device to operate with the first connector processor in the programmable logic device; and g) establishing communication with the first device through the first connector using the first connector processor and the first device driver. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification