Dynamic address assignment system

Claim 2

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, a method of uniquely identifying each peripheral device comprising: storing digital data representing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each peripheral device, type numbers stored by all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers stored by peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values such that the combination of stored type and peripheral numbers is unique for each peripheral device.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 wherein a type number is stored in a read only memory accessable by an associated peripheral device.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 1 wherein a serial number is adjusted by changing the position of at least one switch.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 1 wherein a serial number is adjusted by selective placement of at least one jumper.

Claim 6

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: generating a series of count commands on the bus; and causing each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to obtain from the host computer and store the unique address code when the count reaches a poll number stored by the interface device, each interface device storing a unique poll number.

Claim 7

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: generating a series of count commands on the bus; and causing each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to obtain from the host computer and store the unique address code when the count reaches a poll number stored by the interface device, each interface device storing a unique poll number.

Claim 8

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: storing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; generating a series of count commands on the bus; and causing each interface device to count the count commanda occuring on the bus and to obtain from the host computer a unique address code when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and serial numbers.

Claim 9

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: storing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; generating a series of count commands on the bus; and causing each interface device to count the count commanda occuring on the bus and to obtain from the host computer a unique address code when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and serial numbers.

Claim 10

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: storing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; setting the stored address in each interface device to a univeral address code upon system start-up; transmitting a series of universally addressed count commands on the bus; causing each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to transmit an address request message on the bus containing the associated type and serial numbers when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and serial numbers; obtaining a unique address code from the host computer based on the type and serial number contained in the address request message; and replacing the universal address code stored in each interface device with the unique address code obtained from the host computer, the interface device thereafter using the unique address code in transmitting and receiving messages on the bus.

Claim 11

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: storing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; setting the stored address in each interface device to a univeral address code upon system start-up; transmitting a series of universally addressed count commands on the bus; causing each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to transmit an address request message on the bus containing the associated type and serial numbers when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and serial numbers; obtaining a unique address code from the host computer based on the type and serial number contained in the address request message; and replacing the universal address code stored in each interface device with the unique address code obtained from the host computer, the interface device thereafter using the unique address code in transmitting and receiving messages on the bus.

Claim 12

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: setting the stored address code in each interface device to a universal address code upon system startup; storing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; transmitting a series of universally addressed count commands on the bus; causing each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to transmit an address request message on the bus containing the associated type and aerial numbers when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and aerial numbers; obtaining a unique address code from the host computer based on the type and serial number contained in the address request message; transmitting on the bus a universally addressed addressing command containing the type number, the serial number and the unique address code; and replacing the universal address code stored in each interface device with the unique address code contained in the addressing command when the addressing command contains the stored type and aerial numbers, the interface device thereafter using the unique address code in transmitting and receiving messages on the bus.

Claim 13

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, a method for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising the following steps: setting the stored address code in each interface device to a universal address code upon system startup; storing a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; transmitting a series of universally addressed count commands on the bus; causing each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to transmit an address request message on the bus containing the associated type and aerial numbers when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and aerial numbers; obtaining a unique address code from the host computer based on the type and serial number contained in the address request message; transmitting on the bus a universally addressed addressing command containing the type number, the serial number and the unique address code; and replacing the universal address code stored in each interface device with the unique address code contained in the addressing command when the addressing command contains the stored type and aerial numbers, the interface device thereafter using the unique address code in transmitting and receiving messages on the bus.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 8 wherein the number of count commands transmitted equals at least the highest possible poll number associated with any interface device.

Claim 15

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, an appparatus for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising: means to set the stored address code in each interface device to a universal address code upon system startup; means to store a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; means to transmit a series of universally addressed count commands on the bus; means associated with each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to transmit on the bus an address request message containing the associated type and serial numbers when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and serial numbers; means to obtain a unique address code from the host computer based on the type and serial number contained in the address request message; means to transmit on the bus a universally addressed addressing command containing the type number, the serial number and the unique address code; and means to replace the universal address code stored in each interface device with the unique address code contained in the addressing command when the addressing command contains the stored type and aerial numbers, the interface device thereafter using the unique address code in transmitting and receiving aes- sages on the bus.

Claim 16

For a computer system of the type having a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a host computer through a common serial bus, each peripheral device being coupled to the bus by an associated interface device for transmitting and receiving messages accompanied by an address code matching a stored address code, an appparatus for dynamically assigning and storing a unique address code in each interface device following system startup comprising: means to set the stored address code in each interface device to a universal address code upon system startup; means to store a type number and an adjustable serial number in each interface device, type numbers associated with all peripheral devices of the same type being identical, serial numbers associated with peripheral devices of the same type being adjusted to different values; means to transmit a series of universally addressed count commands on the bus; means associated with each interface device to count the count commands occuring on the bus and to transmit on the bus an address request message containing the associated type and serial numbers when the count reaches a poll number uniquely determined by a combination of the associated type and serial numbers; means to obtain a unique address code from the host computer based on the type and serial number contained in the address request message; means to transmit on the bus a universally addressed addressing command containing the type number, the serial number and the unique address code; and means to replace the universal address code stored in each interface device with the unique address code contained in the addressing command when the addressing command contains the stored type and aerial numbers, the interface device thereafter using the unique address code in transmitting and receiving aes- sages on the bus.

Claim 17

An apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising a read only memory associated with each interface device for storing the peripheral type number.

Claim 18

An apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising at least one switch for adjusting a peripheral serial number.

Claim 19

An apparatus as in claim 10 comprising at least one cuttable jumper for adjusting the peripheral serial number.