Patent EP0141659A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0141659A2
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Communication interface
Assignee: Inmos Ltd
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Filing: 1984-11-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-11-02
Abstract
Abstract A communication interface for effecting communication by serial bit packets on unidirectional non-shared lines comprises a packet generator 70 arranged to output a byte of data in a data packet of a first format or an acknowledgement packet of a second format and a packet decoder 71 is arranged to decode incoming packets.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael David May
- 👤 Henry Miles Chesney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 21:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/42; G06F13/4204; G06F13/4221; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/163; G06F15/173; G06F15/17337; H; H04; H04L; H04L1/00; H04L1/12; H04L1/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A communication interface to enable communication between a device and a microcomputer, or between devices in a network including one or more microcomputers, which interface comprises an output channel for outputting data and an input channel for receiving data, the output channel comprising: (a) an output terminal for connection to an external unidirectional communication line so as to transmit data bits serially along the line, and (b) packet generator means arranged to generate and supply to the output terminal serial bit packets comprising data packets of a first format for conveying data and acknowledgement packets of a second format to indicate receipt of a data packet, said input channel comprising: (c) an input terminal for connection to an external unidirectional communication line so as to receive databits serially along the line, and (d) packet decoding means for receiving serial bit packets from the said input terminal and detecting whether the packet is of the said first format or of the said second format, said interface including control means connected to said packet generator means and to said packet decoding means and responsive to the output of a packet by the output channel or receipt of a packet by the input channel to cause the packet generator means to output an acknowledgement packet in response to receipt of the data packet by the input channel and after output of a data packet to prevent output of a further data packet until the input channel has received an acknowledgement packet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A communication interface to enable communication between a device and a microcomputer, or between devices in a network including one or more microcomputers, which interface comprises an output channel for outputting data and an input channel for receiving data, the output channel comprising: (a) an output terminal for connection to an external unidirectional communication line so as to transmit data bits serially along the line, and (b) packet generator means arranged to generate and supply to the output terminal serial bit packets comprising data packets of a first format for conveying data and acknowledgement packets of a second format to indicate receipt of a data packet, said input channel comprising: (c) an input terminal for connection to an external unidirectional communication line so as to receive databits serially along the line, and (d) packet decoding means for receiving serial bit packets from the said input terminal and detecting whether the packet is of the said first format or of the said second format, said interface including control means connected to said packet generator means and to said packet decoding means and responsive to the output of a packet by the output channel or receipt of a packet by the input channel to cause the packet generator means to output an acknowledgement packet in response to receipt of the data packet by the input channel and after output of a data packet to prevent output of a further data packet until the input channel has received an acknowledgement packet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A communication interface according to claim 1 in which the packet generator includes means for controlling the length of each packet so that a data packet includes a standard number of data bits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A communication interface according to claim 2 in which the packet generator is arranged to generate data packets each containing 8 bits of data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A communication interface according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the packet generating means includes counter means arranged to count each data bit which is output in a packet and to provide a signal indicating when the number of data bits reaches the standard, whereby the packet generator ouputs a predetermined signal to indicate termination of the data packet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
A communication interface according to claim 4 in which the packet decoder means includes counter means to count the number of data bits received in an incoming data packet and the packet decoding means is arranged to provide a signal when the number of data bits reaches the standard, said signal being received by the control means and arranged to initiate action by the packet generator means to output an acknowledgement packet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A communication interface according to any one of the preceding claims in which the packet generator has means for generating a first format bit pattern followed by a succession of data bits in order to output a data packet and a second format bit pattern without data bits in order to output an acknowledgement packet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A communication interface according to claim 6 in which the first and second format are each determined by 2 bits at the start of each packet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A communication interface according to any one of the preceding claims in which the output channel includes a single byte register for holding eight data bits to be output by the packet generator means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A communication interface according to claim 1 or claim 8 in which the input channel includes a single byte register for holding eight data bits received by the input channel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
128 words
A communication interface according to any one of the preceding claims in which said control means comprises first latch means settable to one condition in which it provides an output signal to permit output of a data packet by the packet generator means and settable to a second condition in which it inhibits the output of a data packet, said first latch means being arranged to receive a signal from the packet decoding means on receipt of an acknowledgement packet by the input channel in order to set the first latch means to said one condition, and said first latch means being arranged to receive a signal from the packet generator means to set the latch means to said other condition on completion of a data packet output.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
135 words
A communication interface according to claim 10 in which said control means includes second latch means settable to one condition in which it provides a signal indicating to the packet generator means that an acknowledgement packet should be output and settable to a second condition in which it does not provide such a signal, said second latch means being arranged to receive an input responsive to the packet decoding means to indicate that a data packet has been received by the input channel and thereby set said second latch means to said one condition in order to cause output of an acknowledgement packet, said second latch means having a further input responsive to output of an acknowledgement packet by said packet generator means in order to set said second latch means to said other condition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A communication interface according to any one of the preceding claims including timing means arranged to provide clock pulses to control the signal timing in the input and output channels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
A communication interface according to claim 12 in which the output channel includes timing means arranged to output signals at a predetermined frequency and phase and said input channel includes signal synchronising means in order to synchronise incoming signals of the same frequency as said predetermined frequency but having a different phase said synchronising means including means for sampling signals received at said input terminal at a frequency higher than said predetermined frequency.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
96 words
A communication interface according to claim 13 in which said synchronising means includes means for sampling the signal level at the input terminal at a frequency, higher than the bit frequency of the incoming signal, in order to detect a leading edge of a first bit of a packet and supplying to said packet decoding means signal levels after suitable time interval from detection of said leading edge in order that the signal level may provide a true indication of the bit pattern in the incoming packet, regardless of the phase of the incoming packet signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A communication interface according to claim 14 in which said synchronising means includes a succession of sampling flip-flops for detecting the leading edge of the first bit of a packet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
A communication interface according to any one of the preceding claims having means for connection to a device to which the interface is to be attached for communication purposes, said connections including connections to the input channel comprising an input data path and an input control signal line, and connections to said output channel comprising an output data transmission path and an output control signal line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
An integrated circuit device having a communication interface according to any one of the preceding claims.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
A network of two or more devices incorporating communication interfaces as aforesaid, each of said interfaces being connected to another interface by non-shared unidirectional signal wires interconnecting the output terminal of each interface with the input terminal of another interface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A network of two or more devices incorporating communication interfaces as aforesaid, each of said interfaces being connected to another interface by non-shared unidirectional signal wires interconnecting the output terminal of each interface with the input terminal of another interface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A network according to claim 20 wherein different devices within the network have different timing clocks arranged to provide signals of a common frequency.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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