US4987572A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and associated methods for converting asynchronous nonhomogeneous variable width parallel data to a format suitable for transmission over synchronous high speed serial transmission media
Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc
•
Filing: 1990-01-29
•
Granted: 1991-01-22
•
Expires: 2010-01-29
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and associated methods are disclosed for converting asynchronous nonhomogeneous variable width parallel data pattern signals to serial data pattern signals representative of said input signals and suitable for transmission over a synchronous high speed serial transmission media. The disclosed devices are modular, may each be packaged as a single semiconductor integrated circuit device, and may be cascaded. When cascaded, the devices permit parallel data pattern input signals generated by a plurality of data sources to be simultaneously converted to a single serial output bit stream suitable for high speed synchronous serial transmission.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul H. Scott
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 00:27
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/02; H04J3/04; H04J3/047; H04L; H04L5/00; H04L5/22; H04J3/06; H04J3/0635; H04J3/0685; H04L7/00; H04L7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
Apparatus for converting asynchronous nonhomogeneous variable width parallel data pattern input signals to serial data pattern signals, representative of said input signals, suitable for transmission over a synchronous high speed serial transmission media, including at least one transmitter device wherein each such device comprises: (a) first means, including first storage means, for clocking one of said asynchronous inputs into said first storage means; (b) second means, including second storage means, for synchronously transferring data from said first storage means into said second storage means, thereby freeing said first storage means to accept a new input; (c) third means, including data encoding means, responsive to data transferred into said storage means, for identifying the type of nonhomogeneous data input and for internally, automatically, multiplexing said data to said data encoding means wherein said identified data is encoded in accordance with a preselected coding convention; and (d) fourth means coupled to said third means, for synchronously accepting newly encoded data from said encoding means for insertion into an output serial bit stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
Apparatus for converting asynchronous nonhomogeneous variable width parallel data pattern input signals to serial data pattern signals, representative of said input signals, suitable for transmission over a synchronous high speed serial transmission media, including at least one transmitter device wherein each such device comprises: (a) first means, including first storage means, for clocking one of said asynchronous inputs into said first storage means; (b) second means, including second storage means, for synchronously transferring data from said first storage means into said second storage means, thereby freeing said first storage means to accept a new input; (c) third means, including data encoding means, responsive to data transferred into said storage means, for identifying the type of nonhomogeneous data input and for internally, automatically, multiplexing said data to said data encoding means wherein said identified data is encoded in accordance with a preselected coding convention; and (d) fourth means coupled to said third means, for synchronously accepting newly encoded data from said encoding means for insertion into an output serial bit stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said third means of each transmitter device is further operative to automatically multiplex said nonhomogeneous data inputs on a preselected priority basis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said preselected coding convention permits the synchronous transfer of serial data over a fiber optic transmission media.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said third means of each transmitter device is operative in response to a first selected control signal, indicative of data width, to encode each of said inputs to a given transmitter as a function of the data width indicated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fourth means of each transmitter device includes serial input means for accepting serial data input from an external source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said output serial bit stream of each transmitter device comprises said newly encoded data, serial data input to said serial input means from an external source whenever no newly encoded data is present, and a synchronization bit pattern generated by said serial input means whenever no newly encoded data and no valid serial data are present.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said fourth means of each transmitter device further includes means for interfacing with a transmission media which, in a first mode, modifies said output serial bit stream for direct transmission over said media and, in a second mode, outputs the serial bit stream as encoded.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for interfacing when operating in said first mode outputs NRZI data and when operating in said second mode outputs NRZ data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said transmitter devices may be selected to operate in a local mode in which the output serial bit stream from a given transmitter is directly transmitted over said media.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 which further includes a plurality of said transmitter devices which each may be selected to operate in a cascade mode in which the output serial bit stream from each transmitter chosen to operate in said cascade mode is input to the serial input means of another of said plurality of transmitter devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of said transmitter devices is responsive to a mode control signal to operate in said local mode whenever said mode control signal is in a first state and to operate in said cascade mode whenever said mode control signal is in a second state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said transmitters operating in local mode outputs NRZI encoded serial data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said transmitters operating in cascade mode outputs NRZ encoded serial data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said transmitter devices further includes clock generator means for outputting clock pulses whenever a given transmitter device operates in local mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of said clock generator means is operative to accept clock pulse inputs from an external source whenever a given transmitter device operates in cascade mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said clock generator means comprises: (a) A master frequency source; (b) A phase locked loop connected to said master frequency source and; (c) A master counter connected to said phase locked loop, for providing internal synchronous control signals within a given transmitter device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatuses set forth in claim 16 wherein said master frequency source is a crystal oscillator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said master frequency source for a first of said transmitter devices is the clock generator output of a second of said transmitter devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said phase locked loop incorporates a phase detector which ignores missing pulses.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said phase locked loop incorporates a master/slave oscillator arrangement.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said transmitter devices includes first circuit means for providing a handshake protocol with the source of said inputs.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said transmitter devices is a single semiconductor integrated circuit device.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for converting asynchronous nonhomogeneous variable width parallel data pattern input signals to serial data pattern signals, each representative of a given input, suitable for transmission over a synchronous serial transmission media, comprising the steps of: (a) clocking one of said asynchronous input signals into a first means for accepting input signals; (b) transferring data synchronously from said first means for accepting input signals into a second means for accepting input signals, thereby freeing said first means to accept a new input; (c) identifying the type of nonhomogeneous data input to said second means; (d) multiplexing said identified data to a data encoder; (e) encoding said identified data in accordance with a preselected coding convention; (f) generating a serial output bit stream which includes said newly encoded data; and (g) outputting said bit stream.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for converting asynchronous nonhomogeneous variable width parallel data pattern input signals to serial data pattern signals, each representative of a given input, suitable for transmission over a synchronous serial transmission media, comprising the steps of: (a) clocking one of said asynchronous input signals into a first means for accepting input signals; (b) transferring data synchronously from said first means for accepting input signals into a second means for accepting input signals, thereby freeing said first means to accept a new input; (c) identifying the type of nonhomogeneous data input to said second means; (d) multiplexing said identified data to a data encoder; (e) encoding said identified data in accordance with a preselected coding convention; (f) generating a serial output bit stream which includes said newly encoded data; and (g) outputting said bit stream.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of multiplexing identified data is performed on a preselected priority basis.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said preselected coding convention permits the synchronous transfer of serial data over a fiber optic transmission media.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of encoding is performed as a function of input data width.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of generating said bit stream further comprises the steps of: (a) determining if newly encoded data is present and if present generating a bit stream comprised of said newly encoded data; (b) determining, whenever no newly encoded data is present, if other valid serial data for transmission is present and if present generating a bit stream comprised of said valid data; and (c) generating a bit stream comprised of a preselected synchronization pattern whenever no newly encoded data and not other valid serial data are present.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 23 further comprising the step of outputting said serial bit stream as NRZI data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 23 further comprising the step of outputting said serial bit stream as NRZ data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
99 words
A method as set forth in claim 27 further comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a strobe signal is being sent by a data source; (b) determining, whenever said strobe signal is present, if said first means for accepting input signals is available to accept data; (c) generating an enable signal to permit said first means to accept a data pattern input signal whenever said first means has been determined to be available; and (d) generating a full flag signal, indicating said first means for accepting input signals unavailable to accept new data, after generating said enable signal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as set forth in claim 30 further comprising the steps of (a) generating clock pulses the frequency of which correspond to byte boundaries for said data pattern input signals; (b) monitoring said clock pulses to determine byte boundaries; (c) clearing said full flag signal, indicating said first means for accepting input signals is available to accept data, at the start of each byte boundary.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
102 words
A method as set forth in claim 31 further comprising the steps of: (a) monitoring an operating mode input signal; (b) outputting and maintaining a signal acknowledging acceptance of data from said data source whenever said enable signal is generated, said strobe signal is present and a first operating mode is specified by said mode input signal; and (c) outputting and maintaining a signal acknowledging acceptance of data from said data source whenever said enable signal is generated, said strobe signal present, a synchronization pattern is detected in said bit stream and a second operating mode is specified by said input signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as set forth in claim 32 further comprising the step of dropping said acknowledgment signal in response to the absence of said strobe signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-01-21 | 1994-07-23 | 1995-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-01-21 | 1998-07-23 | 1999-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-01-21 | 2002-07-23 | 2003-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |