Communication system and method for interfacing differing communication standards

• US 6,434,644 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Young, Bruce, Meyer, Corwyn Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US09/587,408
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 710/62, 710/63, 710/64, 701/24
• US Class Current: 710/63
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A system and method for communicating information between an information handling system and a peripheral device of the information handling system are disclosed. A processor is coupled to a bus for carrying information provided by the processor, and a host controller coupled to the bus receives the information and sends the information to the peripheral device according to a first communications standard. A peripheral device controller coupled to the host controller converts the information from the first communications standard to a second communications standard and transmits the information to the peripheral device in accordance with the second communications standard interpretable by the peripheral device. Control information is generated and sent to a peripheral device controller according to a first communications standard. The control information is converted from the first communication standard to a second communication standard and transmitted to the peripheral. The peripheral device receives and interprets the control information and executes a control function.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information between an information handling system and a peripheral device of the information handling system, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions on the information handling system, said processor being coupled to a bus for carrying information provided by said processor;

a host controller coupled to said bus for receiving the information and for sending the information to the a peripheral device according to a first digital communications standard; and

a digital peripheral device controller coupled to the bus via said host controller for converting information from the first digital communications standard to the peripheral device as a digital control in accordance with the second digital communications standard, the second digital communications standard being interpretable by the peripheral device,

the peripheral device being a legacy device having a manufacturer specific infrared control code.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, said digital peripheral device controller comprising an infrared controller.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, said digital peripheral device controller comprising a microcontroller having a serial port interface for generating control information for the peripheral device, and a transducer coupled to said microcontroller for transmitting the control information to the peripheral device.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, the serial port interface being in compliance with an RS-232 standard.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, the first digital communications standard being a serial communications standard.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, the serial communications standard being in compliance with RS-232 standards.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, the second digital communications standard being an infrared communications standard.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, the second digital communications standard being a radio frequency standard.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, said host controller being a USB controller.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, the first digital communications standard being in compliance with a USB standard.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, said digital peripheral device controller comprising a microcontroller having a serial communications interface for generating control information for the peripheral device, a converter, coupled between said host controller and said microcontroller, for converting the information from the first communications standard to the second communications standard, and a transducer coupled to said microcontroller for transmitting the control information to the peripheral device according to the second communication standard.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, said host controller being a USB controller, the serial communications interface of said microcontroller being in compliance with an RS-232 standard, and said converter being a USB to RS-232 converter.

13. A system for communicating information between an information handling system and a digital peripheral device of the information handling system, comprising:

means for executing instructions on the information handling system, said executing means being coupled to means for carrying information provided by said executing means;

means, coupled to said information carrying means, for receiving the information and for sending the information to the a digital peripheral device according to a first digital communications standard; and

means, coupled to said information carrying means via said information receiving means, for converting the information from the first digital communications standard to a second digital communications standard and for transmitting the information to the digital peripheral device as an digital signal in accordance with the second digital communications standard, the second digital communications standard being interpretable by the digital peripheral device,

the digital peripheral device being a legacy device having a manufacturer specific infrared control code.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, said information converting means comprising an infrared controller.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13, said information converting means comprising a means having a serial port interface for generating control information for the peripheral device, and means, coupled to said generating means, for transmitting the control information to the peripheral device.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, the serial port interface being in compliance with RS-232 standards.

17. A system as claimed in claim 13, the first digital communications standard being a serial communications standard.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, the serial communications standard being in compliance with an RS-232 standard.

19. A system as claimed in claim 13, the second digital communications standard being an infrared communications standard.

20. A system as claimed in claim 13, the second digital communications standard being a radio frequency standard.

21. A system as claimed in claim 13, said receiving means being a USB controller.

22. A system as claimed in claim 13, the first digital communications standard being in compliance with a USB standard.

23. A system as claimed in claim 13, said information converting means comprising means having a serial communications interface for generating control information for the peripheral device, means, coupled between said receiving means and said control information generating means, for converting the information from the first digital communications standard to the second digital communications standard, and means, coupled to said control information generating means, for transmitting the control information to the peripheral device according to the second digital communication standard.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23, said information receiving means being a USB controller, the serial communications interface of said microcontroller being in compliance with RS-232 standards, and said means for converting being a USB to RS-232 converter.

25. In an information handling system, a method for communicating with a peripheral device with a first communication standard wherein the peripheral device interprets information according to a second communication standard differing from the first communications standard, comprising:

generating control information for controlling the peripheral device;

sending control information to a peripheral device controller according to a first digital communications standard;

converting the control information from the first digital communication standard to the second digital communication standard with a converter in the digital peripheral device controller that converts a signal in the first digital communication standard to a signal in the second digital communication standard, the control information in the second communication standard being interpretable by the peripheral device; and

transmitting the converted control information to the peripheral device as a digital signal according to the second digital communication standard whereby the peripheral device receives and interprets the control information and executes a control function in response thereto,

wherein said transmitting step comprising the step of transmitting the converted control signal to the peripheral device as an infrared signal,

the peripheral device being a legacy device having a manufacturer specific control code.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, the second digital communications standard being in compliance with an RS-232 standard.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25, the first digital communications standard being in compliance with a USB standard.

28. A computer readable medium readable by an information handling system whose contents cause the information handling system to execute steps for communicating with a peripheral device with a first digital communication standard wherein the peripheral device interprets information according to a second digital communication standard differing from the first digital communications standard, the steps comprising:

generating control information for controlling the peripheral device;

send the control information to a digital peripheral device controller according to a first digital communications standard;

converting the control information from the first digital communication standard to the second digital communication standard with a converter in the peripheral device controller that converts a signal in the first digital communication standard to a signal in the second digital communication standard, the control information in the second communication standard being interpretable by the peripheral device; and

transmitting the converted control information to the peripheral device a digital signal according to the second digital communication standard whereby the peripheral device receives and interprets the control information and executes a control function in response thereto,

wherein said transmitting step comprising the step of transmitting the converted control information to the peripheral device as an infrared signal,

the peripheral device being a legacy device having a manufacturer specific control code.

29. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 28, the second digital communications standard being in compliance with an RS-232 standard.

30. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 28, the first digital communications standard being in compliance with a USB standard.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a USB controller for controlling for communicating with devices using USB formatted signals;

a USB to RS-232 converter coupled with said USB controller for converting USB formatted signals from said USB controller to RS-232 formatted signals such that said USB controller is capable of communicating with an RS-232 peripheral device; and

a wireless communication transducer coupled to said USB to RS-232 converter for wirelessly communicating with the peripheral device,

the peripheral device being a legacy device having a manufacturer specific control code.

32. A system for communicating information between an information handling system and a peripheral device of the information handling system, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions on the information handling system, said processor being coupled to a bus for carrying information provided by said processor;

a host controller coupled to said bus for receiving the information and for sending the information to the peripheral device according to a first digital communications standard; and

a peripheral device controller coupled to the bus via said host controller for converting the information from the first digital communications standard to a second digital communications standard and for transmitting the information to the peripheral device as an analog signal in accordance with the second digital communications standard,

wherein one of the first and second digital communications standard is a USB standard, an other of the first and second digital communications standard is an RS 232 standard, and the analog signal is either an rf signal or an infrared signal,

the peripheral device being a legacy device having a manufacturer specific control code.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein the peripheral device controller comprises a converter which converts the information from the first digital communications standard to a second digital communications standard.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein the converter is implemented as a hardware device having specific circuitry designed to implement the conversion function.

35. A system according to claim 33, wherein the converter is implemented as a software routine stored in read only memory.

36. A system according to claim 33, wherein the converter is implemented as a software program.

37. A system according to claim 32, wherein the first digital communications standard is a USB standard.

38. A system according to claim 33, wherein the legacy device is one of the group consisting of a VCR, an audio amplifier, a laser disc player, and a DVD player.

39. A system according to claim 33, wherein the peripheral device controller further comprises a microcontroller with an interface to receive the information in the second digital communications standard from the converter.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein the microcontroller outputs control code to an infrared diode transmitter.

41. A system for communicating information between an information handling system and a peripheral device of the information handling system, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions on the information handling system, said processor being coupled to a bus for carrying information provided by said processor;

a host controller coupled to said bus for receiving the information and for sending the information to the peripheral device according to a first digital communications standard; and

a peripheral device controller coupled to the bus via said host controller for converting the information from the first digital communications standard to a second digital communications standard and for transmitting the information to the peripheral device as an analog signal in accordance with the second digital communications standard,

wherein the first digital communications standard is a USB standard, the second digital communications standard is an RS-232 standard, the analog signal is either an rf signal or an infrared signal, the peripheral device is a legacy device and the analog signal transmits a manufacturer specific control code,

wherein the peripheral device controller comprises a converter which converts the information from the first digital communications standard to a second digital communications standard,

wherein the converter is implemented as a hardware device having specific circuitry designed to implement the conversion function, as a software routine stored in read only memory, or as a software program,

wherein the peripheral device controller further comprises a microcontroller with an interface to receive the information in the second digital communications standard from the converter, the microcontroller outputting to a transducer.

42. A system according to claim 41, wherein the legacy device is one of the group consisting of a VCR, an audio amplifier, a laser disc player, and a DVD player.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the manufacturer specific control code is either a REC-80 IR control or a RC-5 code.