Peripheral-unit controller apparatus

Details Peripheral-unit controller apparatus Peripheral-unit controller apparatus

1975-12-24

1978-11-07

Nusbaum, Mark E.

Boots, shoes, and leggings

G06F 304, G06F 916

Patent

active

041248880

ABSTRACT:
A distributed input/output system is disclosed for controlling numerous peripheral devices and the transfer of data signals and control signals between those devices and a general purpose digital computer. The control system described includes a multiplexer which can accommodate as many as eight input/output devices under the control of separate programmable microcoded peripheral-unit controllers. Each controller is adapted to be located at or on an individual peripheral device and each is connected to the multiplexer by an identical ribbon cable that is employed to carry both signals and power. Each controller employs a substantially identical microengine, that is, a microcoded processor, currently of five integrated circuit chips. The peripheral-unit controllers may be configured somewhat differently depending upon whether the peripheral device utilizes data signals in parallel or in series. Data may be transferred directly between a computer memory unit and the peripheral devices without requiring the use of any computer working registers and without requiring subroutines to preserve an ongoing main program. Each peripheral-device controller can issue interrupt signals which are processed by the computer on a priority basis when they occur simultaneously. Some microengines employ two sets of programmed microcodes and each set is selectable by a switch, such as a wire jumper, for controlling either of two different kinds of devices.

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patent: 3686637 (1972-08-01), Zachar et al.
patent: 3710328 (1973-01-01), Hunter et al.
patent: 3798613 (1974-03-01), Edstrom et al.
patent: 3828325 (1974-08-01), Stafford et al.
patent: 3842405 (1974-10-01), Key et al.
patent: 3909799 (1975-09-01), Recks et al.
patent: 4003033 (1977-01-01), O'Keefe

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