Patent
1996-09-17
1999-02-09
Kriess, Kevin A.
395834, G06F 300
Patent
active
058706267
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device allowing the transfer of computer data between on the one hand heterogeneous apparatuses and on the other hand one or more computers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
There are already numerous devices, or interfaces, for the computerized linking of machines of different types. They are often specific to a given hardware. It is generally tedious if not impossible to adapt these interfaces to other hardware with varied protocols and/or different physical links. In the medical field, for example, it is virtually impossible in most cases to link a monitor of one make to a monitor of another make. If it is desired to connect a computer for data centralization, for example an alarm facility, to several apparatuses of different makes, the user is forced to develop software and specific hardware and he then finds himself confronted with the problem of linking all these specific modules to a single computer. Although this problem is still solvable with two or three apparatuses to be connected, it becomes a real headache with the rise in and diversity of the apparatuses to be connected and even if achieved leads anyway to systems which cannot be exploited in practice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by automatically configuring an interface by loading and executing specific programs for protocol conversion and by adapting the physical link, on the basis of recognizing the link cable between the interface on the one hand and the computer or computers and apparatuses to be connected on the other hand.
The device according to the invention is characterized in that a key is attached or contained in the link cable linking on the one hand an interface and on the other hand one or more apparatuses or computers; this key takes the form of a component or set of electrical or electronic components; the interface having the means of reading this key and therefore of identifying the cable which is connected thereto; the interface being fitted with plugs making it possible to connect each of these cables to a "channel" processor; these channel processors being capable of being configured at software level following the reading of these keys specific to each link cable; these channel processors being linked within the interface to a "central" processor; this central processor benefitting from a library of protocol conversion programs; all these processors being fitted with a linkage allowing on the one hand the transfer of the protocol conversion programs and information required for the proper operation of the interface and on the other hand the bidirectional transfer of the information between the machine or machines and the computer or computers linked to the interface.
The channel processors are also capable of being configured at hardware level following the reading of the keys specific to each link cable between the said interface and the apparatuses and the computers to be linked; this configuring is done by adapting the physical layer by means of electrical or electronic switching of hardware specific to the link, the central processor benefitting from an additional library for configuring the physical links.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings.
FIG. 1 is a representation of the device for the computer linking of apparatuses and computers.
FIG. 2 represents a possible connection of a key to a cable, for example in a plug.
FIG. 3 represents a variant of the computerized linking device together with a motherboard of a computer fitted for example with expansion boards and able to fulfill the functionalities of the interface.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the implementation illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatuses 1, 2, 3 and 4 are linked to the interface 20 by cables 5, 6, 7 and 8 each including an identification key k5, k6, k7 and k8. Four apparatuses have b
REFERENCES:
patent: 5420412 (1995-05-01), Kowalski
patent: 5644712 (1997-07-01), Coscarella et al.
patent: 5664229 (1997-09-01), Bhargava et al.
LandOfFree
Device for the computer linking of apparatuses with heterogeneou does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Device for the computer linking of apparatuses with heterogeneou, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Device for the computer linking of apparatuses with heterogeneou will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1959098