US5162675A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual personal computer architecture peripheral adapter board and circuit
Assignee: Attachmate Corp
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Filing: 1989-04-14
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Granted: 1992-11-10
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Expires: 2009-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A peripheral adapter board (10) and circuit (30) which is capable for operation with two different personal computer bus architectures (6, 8) is disclosed. The preferred peripheral function for the board and circuit is a terminal emulator, which allows a personal computer into which the board is plugged to function as a terminal for a mainframe or minicomputer. Edge connectors or contacts (14, 16) are provided on opposite side edges of the board; each one of the edge connectors is compatible with a different computer bus. The adapter board (10) may be flipped over to plug into either computer bus. A removable, repositionable connector board assembly (20) is provided at one end of the board, for mounting communications connectors (24, 25) in a position accessible from the back panel of a host personal computer. The connector board (20) may be repositioned to maintain the orientation of the communications connectors with respect to the personal computer back panel when the adapter board is flipped over to plug into a different computer bus. Circuitry (120, 128) is provided for detecting the particular computer bus into which the adapter board is plugged, and for providing appropriate address, data, and control signals associated with the selected computer bus.
Inventors
- 👤 Derek S. Olsen
- 👤 Richard D. Cavaness
- 👤 Gail R. Snyder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/40; G06F13/4063; G06F13/409; H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/0286; H05K1/11; H05K1/117; H05K1/14; H05K1/141
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A circuit board for use for systems having a mother board for inclusion of additional circuit boards in the systems, the interfaces between the mother boards and the additional circuit boards of first and second systems conforming to first and second mutually incompatible interface standards, comprising: circuit board means for locating and connecting circuitry and for connection to a mother board, said circuit board means having a first interface means for connecting said circuit board means to the first interface standard, said first interface means being located on a side of said circuit board means, said circuit board means having a second interface means for connecting said circuit board means to the second interface standard, said second interface means being located on a side of said circuit board means, and means for interconnecting the circuitry located on said circuit board means to cooperate with the active interface standard, said interconnecting means includes means for sensing which of said connecting means is active and producing an output indicative thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A circuit board for use for systems having a mother board for inclusion of additional circuit boards in the systems, the interfaces between the mother boards and the additional circuit boards of first and second systems conforming to first and second mutually incompatible interface standards, comprising: circuit board means for locating and connecting circuitry and for connection to a mother board, said circuit board means having a first interface means for connecting said circuit board means to the first interface standard, said first interface means being located on a side of said circuit board means, said circuit board means having a second interface means for connecting said circuit board means to the second interface standard, said second interface means being located on a side of said circuit board means, and means for interconnecting the circuitry located on said circuit board means to cooperate with the active interface standard, said interconnecting means includes means for sensing which of said connecting means is active and producing an output indicative thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The circuit board of claim 1, wherein said sensing means utilizes a power supply line of said interface means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The circuit board of claim 1, said interconnecting means further including means for enabling portions of circuitry and disabling other portions of circuitry located on said circuit board means in response to said output of said sensing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The circuit board of claim 3, wherein said means for enabling and disabling includes a programmable logic device connected to said circuitry located on said circuit board means and means for providing input data to said programmable logic device to allow said programmable logic device to enable and disable said portions of said circuitry.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The circuit board of claim 4, wherein said means for providing input data to said programmable logic device includes a read-only memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
A peripheral interface adaptor operative in a plurality of mutually incompatible computer system bus architectures, comprising: peripheral function circuit means for carrying out a peripheral function for a computer system with which said peripheral interface adaptor is operatively associated; first connector means for connecting to a first one of a plurality of computer bus architectures; second connector means for connecting to a second one of said plurality of said computer bus architectures; and means for detecting whether said first connector means is operatively associated with a computer bus or whether said second connector means is operatively associated with a computer bus and for providing a bus architecture identification signal corresponding to the detection of either said first bus architecture or said second bus architecture in said operatively associated computer system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
130 words
A peripheral interface adaptor operative in a plurality of mutually incompatible computer system bus architectures, comprising: peripheral function circuit means for carrying out a peripheral function for a computer system with which said peripheral interface adaptor is operatively associated; first connector means for connecting to a first one of a plurality of computer bus architectures; second connector means for connecting to a second one of said plurality of said computer bus architectures; and means for detecting whether said first connector means is operatively associated with a computer bus or whether said second connector means is operatively associated with a computer bus and for providing a bus architecture identification signal corresponding to the detection of either said first bus architecture or said second bus architecture in said operatively associated computer system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The peripheral interface adaptor of claim 6, wherein said first computer bus architecture is IBM Personal Computer Architecture (PCA) and wherein said second computer bus architecture is IBM Micro Channel Architecture (MCA).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The peripheral interface adaptor of claim 6, wherein said peripheral function circuit means comprises a terminal emulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The peripheral interface adaptor of claim 6, wherein said peripheral function circuit means comprises a dedicated programmable data processor, and further comprising program memory means for storing instructions for said programmable data processor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The peripheral interface adaptor of claim 9, wherein said program memory means comprises random access memory means operable to receive said instructions from said operatively associated computer system.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-11-10 | 1996-05-11 | 1996-11-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-11-10 | 2000-05-11 | 2000-11-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-11-10 | 2004-05-11 | 2004-11-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |