Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
363 words
Apparatus for transmitting data between a processor (12) and one or more remote peripheral devices (30, 32, 34) comprising one or more channels (14) connected between said processor and one or more peripheral device controllers (24, 26, 28) for controlling one or more peripheral devices (30, 32, 34) in response to signals from said channel in accordance with a predetermined communications protocol, and a serial data link adapter (17) connected between one of said channels and one or more of said peripheral device controllers for extending the range of communications between said channels and said controllers, characterised in that said serial data link adapter (17) comprises first and second sub-adapters (16, 20) each communicating with the other across said serial data link and each sub-adapter having transmit and receive sections, in that said transmit section of each of said sub-adapters comprises frame generation means (40A, 40B) responsive to signals received from said channel (14) and said peripheral device controllers respectively, said signals conforming to said predetermined protocol, said frame generation means including means for generating one or more unique start frame characters in response to control signals received by said frame generation means, means for generating predetermined idle characters, said idle characters having an error immune relationship with said start frame characters, such that idle characters having single and double bit errors transmitted on said serial data link will not be recognized as start frame characters, an encoder (50A, 50B) for encoding data for efficient and error free transmission over said data link, a serializer (60A, 60B) for converting said encoded data from parallel format to serial format and link interface and driver means (110A, 110B) for transmitting serialized encoded data into said serial data link, and in that said receive section of each of said sub-adapters, comprises a receiver (80A, 80B) for receiving said encoded serialized data; a deserializer (90A, 90B) for converting said serial encoded data to parallel format; a decoder (100A, 100B) for recovering digital data in an error free form; and interface means (110A, 110B) for reconstructing data and control signals in said predetermined protocol for transmission to said one or more peripheral device controllers or to said channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
363 words
Apparatus for transmitting data between a processor (12) and one or more remote peripheral devices (30, 32, 34) comprising one or more channels (14) connected between said processor and one or more peripheral device controllers (24, 26, 28) for controlling one or more peripheral devices (30, 32, 34) in response to signals from said channel in accordance with a predetermined communications protocol, and a serial data link adapter (17) connected between one of said channels and one or more of said peripheral device controllers for extending the range of communications between said channels and said controllers, characterised in that said serial data link adapter (17) comprises first and second sub-adapters (16, 20) each communicating with the other across said serial data link and each sub-adapter having transmit and receive sections, in that said transmit section of each of said sub-adapters comprises frame generation means (40A, 40B) responsive to signals received from said channel (14) and said peripheral device controllers respectively, said signals conforming to said predetermined protocol, said frame generation means including means for generating one or more unique start frame characters in response to control signals received by said frame generation means, means for generating predetermined idle characters, said idle characters having an error immune relationship with said start frame characters, such that idle characters having single and double bit errors transmitted on said serial data link will not be recognized as start frame characters, an encoder (50A, 50B) for encoding data for efficient and error free transmission over said data link, a serializer (60A, 60B) for converting said encoded data from parallel format to serial format and link interface and driver means (110A, 110B) for transmitting serialized encoded data into said serial data link, and in that said receive section of each of said sub-adapters, comprises a receiver (80A, 80B) for receiving said encoded serialized data; a deserializer (90A, 90B) for converting said serial encoded data to parallel format; a decoder (100A, 100B) for recovering digital data in an error free form; and interface means (110A, 110B) for reconstructing data and control signals in said predetermined protocol for transmission to said one or more peripheral device controllers or to said channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said frame generation means further comprises control means (158) for controlling transmission of frames of information on said serial data link in one of a plurality of predetermined transmission modes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein said control means (158) comprises means for controlling the transmission of frames of information in a double transmission mode without intervening idle characters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein said control means comprises means for controlling the transmission of frames of information in a single frame transmission mode with one or more intervening idle characters between frames.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said frame generation means further comprises control means (158) for transmitting control and data signals between said channel and said peripheral device controller in a single frame having a plurality of characters therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein said frame comprises three characters, a first character including one of a plurality of predetermined start characters, said start character being selected for error immunity with respect to an idle character, a second character of said frame including a plurality of control signals, and a third character of said frame including a plurality of data signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said interface means for reconstructing for comprises frame control means for controlling recovery of frame information transmitted in any of said plurality of transmission modes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to Claim 7 wherein said frame control means further comprises means for detecting a control frame containing signals used to test the integrity of said serial data link adapter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said interface means for reconstructing further comprises frame compare means for comparing a first and second frame transmission transmitted in a double frame transmission mode for testing integrity of transmission.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said interface means for reconstructing further comprises means for detecting a predetermined error character sequence, and means for transmitting said error character sequence until said error has been eliminated.