Reconfigurable output port

Claim 2

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and any selected one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for receiving data from said computer, said port comprising: a plurality of input terminals for receiving input data from said computer; a plurality of output terminals for transmitting output data to said computer; a plurality of logic elements; and means receiving programming data from said computer for adjustably interconnecting said input terminals, said output terminals and said logic elements in accordance with said programming data such that said ones of said logic elements act in concert to forward input data received from said computer at said input terminals as output data to any selected one of said output devices via said output terminals in accordance with an interface arrangement required by the selected one of said output devices.

Claim 3

A port for alternatively conveying data from a computer to any selected one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for receiving data, said port comprising: means configurable by programming data for executing operations defined by said programming data; first means coupling said configurable means to said computer for conveying said programming data and input data from said computer to the configurable means; and second means connecting said configurable means to said plurality of output devices for conveying output data from said configurable means to any selected one of said output devices, wherein said operations defined by said programming data comprise forwarding input data received from said computer to said selected one of said plurality of output devices via said second means in a manner consistent with an interface arrangement required by said selected one output device.

Claim 4

A port for alternatively conveying data from a computer to any selected one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for receiving data, said port comprising: means configurable by programming data for executing operations defined by said programming data; first means coupling said configurable means to said computer for conveying said programming data and input data from said computer to the configurable means; and second means connecting said configurable means to said plurality of output devices for conveying output data from said configurable means to any selected one of said output devices, wherein said operations defined by said programming data comprise forwarding input data received from said computer to said selected one of said plurality of output devices via said second means in a manner consistent with an interface arrangement required by said selected one output device.

Claim 5

The port in accordance with claim 2 wherein said configurable means comprises: a plurality of input terminals for receiving said input data; a plurality of output terminals for transmitting said output data; a plurality of logic elements for carrying out logic operations; and means receiving said programming data for adjustably interconnecting said input terminals, said output terminals and said logic elements such that the interconnected logic elements perform said operations defined by said programming data.

Claim 6

The port in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second means comprises multiplexing means coupling said configurable means to said plurality of output devices for conveying output data from said configurable means to any selected one of said plurality of output devices, and wherein said operations defined by said programming data further comprise providing an output signal to said multiplexing means for controlling selection by said multiplexing means of one of said output devices for receiving said output data.

Claim 7

The port in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first means comprises: buffer means connected to said configurable means for storing a sequence of data elements and for successively forwarding each element of said sequence as input data to said configurable means; and bus means interconnecting said buffer means and said computer for conveying said data sequence from said computer to said buffer means for storage therein.

Claim 8

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and any selected one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for receiving data from said computer, said port comprising: a plurality of input terminals; means for conveying input data and programming data from said computer to ones of said plurality of input terminals; a plurality of output terminals; multiplexing means for connecting ones of said output terminals to any selected one of said plurality of output devices; a plurality of logic elements; and means responsive to said programming data received by said input terminals for adjustably interconnecting ones of said input terminals, output terminals and logic elements in accordance with said programming data such that said ones of said logic elements act in concert to forward input data received from said computer at said input terminals to the selected one output device via said multiplexing means consistent with an interface arrangement of said selected one output device.

Claim 9

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and any selected one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for receiving data from said computer, said port comprising: a plurality of input terminals; means for conveying input data and programming data from said computer to ones of said plurality of input terminals; a plurality of output terminals; multiplexing means for connecting ones of said output terminals to any selected one of said plurality of output devices; a plurality of logic elements; and means responsive to said programming data received by said input terminals for adjustably interconnecting ones of said input terminals, output terminals and logic elements in accordance with said programming data such that said ones of said logic elements act in concert to forward input data received from said computer at said input terminals to the selected one output device via said multiplexing means consistent with an interface arrangement of said selected one output device.

Claim 10

The port in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for conveying comprises: buffer means connected to ones of said input terminals for storing a sequence of data elements and for successively forwarding each element of said sequence as input data to said ones of said input terminals; and bus means interconnecting said buffer means and said computer for conveying said data sequence from said computer to said buffer means for storage therein.

Claim 11

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and a selected one of a plurality of output devices having differing interface arrangements for transmitting and receiving data to and from said computer, said port comprising: means configurable by programming data for executing operations defined by said programming data; first means coupling said configurable means to said computer for conveying input data and said programming data from said computer to the configurable means and for conveying output data from said configurable means to said computer; and second means for conveying output data from said configurable means to any selected one of said plurality of output devices and for conveying input data from said selected one of said plurality of output devices to said configurable means, wherein said operations defined by said programming data comprise forwarding input data received from said computer to the selected output device via said second means in a manner compatible with an interface arrangement required by the selected output device.

Claim 12

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and a selected one of a plurality of output devices having differing interface arrangements for transmitting and receiving data to and from said computer, said port comprising: means configurable by programming data for executing operations defined by said programming data; first means coupling said configurable means to said computer for conveying input data and said programming data from said computer to the configurable means and for conveying output data from said configurable means to said computer; and second means for conveying output data from said configurable means to any selected one of said plurality of output devices and for conveying input data from said selected one of said plurality of output devices to said configurable means, wherein said operations defined by said programming data comprise forwarding input data received from said computer to the selected output device via said second means in a manner compatible with an interface arrangement required by the selected output device.

Claim 13

The port in accordance with claim 8 wherein said operations defined by said programming data further comprise receiving input data conveyed from said selected one of said plurality of output devices via said second means in a manner compatible with the interface arrangement required by the selected output device.

Claim 14

The port in accordance with claim 8 wherein said configurable means comprises: a plurality of input terminals for receiving said input data; a plurality of output terminals for transmitting said output data; a plurality of logic elements for carrying out logic operations; and means receiving said programming data from said computer for adjustably interconnecting said input terminals, said output terminals and said logic elements such that the interconnected logic elements perform said operations defined by said programming data.

Claim 15

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and any one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for transmitting and receiving data to and from said computer, said port comprising: a plurality of input terminals for receiving input data from said computer and from said output devices; a plurality of output terminals for transmitting output data to said computer and to said output devices; a plurality of logic elements; and means receiving programming data from said computer for adjustably interconnecting ones of said input terminals, said output terminals and said logic elements in accordance with said programming data such that said ones of said logic elements act in concert to forward input data received from said computer at said input terminals to a selected one of said output devices via said output terminals in accordance with an interface arrangement required by said selected one of said output devices, and to forward to said computer via said output terminals input data transmitted by said selected one of said output devices to ones of said input terminals in accordance with said interface arrangement required by said selected one output device.

Claim 16

A port for alternatively providing an interface between a computer and any one of a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for transmitting and receiving data to and from said computer, said port comprising: a plurality of input terminals for receiving input data from said computer and from said output devices; a plurality of output terminals for transmitting output data to said computer and to said output devices; a plurality of logic elements; and means receiving programming data from said computer for adjustably interconnecting ones of said input terminals, said output terminals and said logic elements in accordance with said programming data such that said ones of said logic elements act in concert to forward input data received from said computer at said input terminals to a selected one of said output devices via said output terminals in accordance with an interface arrangement required by said selected one of said output devices, and to forward to said computer via said output terminals input data transmitted by said selected one of said output devices to ones of said input terminals in accordance with said interface arrangement required by said selected one output device.

Claim 17

In a system comprising a computer, a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for communicating with a computer, and a port configurable by input programming data for alternatively providing an interface between said computer and any selected one of said plurality of output devices in accordance with the interface arrangement required by the selected output device, a method for said computer for communicating with ones of said plurality of output devices comprising the steps of: transmitting programming data to said port configuring said port for interfacing said computer to one of said output devices in accordance with the interface arrangement required by said one output device; communicating with said one output device through said port; transmitting programming data to said port reconfiguring said port for interfacing said computer to another one of said output devices in accordance with a differing interface arrangement required by said another one of said output devices; and communicating with said another one of said output devices through said port.

Claim 18

In a system comprising a computer, a plurality of output devices requiring differing interface arrangements for communicating with a computer, and a port configurable by input programming data for alternatively providing an interface between said computer and any selected one of said plurality of output devices in accordance with the interface arrangement required by the selected output device, a method for said computer for communicating with ones of said plurality of output devices comprising the steps of: transmitting programming data to said port configuring said port for interfacing said computer to one of said output devices in accordance with the interface arrangement required by said one output device; communicating with said one output device through said port; transmitting programming data to said port reconfiguring said port for interfacing said computer to another one of said output devices in accordance with a differing interface arrangement required by said another one of said output devices; and communicating with said another one of said output devices through said port.