US5634074A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Serial I/O device identifies itself to a computer through a serial interface during power on reset then it is being configured by the computer
Assignee: Apple Inc
•
Filing: 1993-05-07
•
Granted: 1997-05-27
•
Expires: 2013-05-07
Abstract
Abstract A self-configuring startup procedure for communications devices, including telecommunications adapters, provides unambiguous identification of the telecommunications adapter, or other communications device, connected to a serial port. The procedure does not interfere with the operation of other existing I/O devices that might be connected to the serial port, such as network, MIDI, or other serial I/O devices. The I/O device is connected to a computer through a serial interface and a serial link. When the I/O device exits a reset state, the I/O device sends across the serial link to the computer a "beacon" signal identifying the I/O device. In particular, during the beacon phase, the I/O device communicates identification and configuration parameters. Preferably, the beacon phase may be instigated by the computer using the same serial-link communications channel.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark Devon
- 👤 John Lynch
- 👤 James B. Nichols
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:07
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/4401; G06F9/4411; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/382; G06F13/385; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/177
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
In a system comprising a computer and an I/O device connected to the computer through a serial interface by a serial cable no more than a few feet in length, a method of identifying the I/O device, comprising the steps of: in response to at least one of a power-up reset signal and a control signal from the computer, sending from the I/O device to the computer a beacon signal comprising a sequence of bytes identifying the I/O device; and in response to the beacon signal, determining within the computer a manner of interaction of the computer with the I/O device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a system comprising a computer and an I/O device connected to the computer through a serial interface by a serial cable no more than a few feet in length, a method of identifying the I/O device, comprising the steps of: in response to at least one of a power-up reset signal and a control signal from the computer, sending from the I/O device to the computer a beacon signal comprising a sequence of bytes identifying the I/O device; and in response to the beacon signal, determining within the computer a manner of interaction of the computer with the I/O device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the I/O device is a communications pod, and the beacon signal identifies a type of the communications pod from among possible types of communications pods including telephony and LAN telecommunications pods.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the beacon signal is sent with asynchronous framing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the beacon signal is sent at a predetermined low speed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the beacon signal is sent to the computer in accordance with a clock signal provided to the computer from the I/O device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said control signal from the computer comprises a pulse on a hardware control line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said control signal comprises at least one byte of data sent from the computer to the I/O device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of: in response to the beacon signal, sending from the computer to the I/O device a beacon acknowledge signal identifying a type of the serial interface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 8, comprising the further step of: in response to the beacon acknowledge signal, sending from the I/O device to the computer a beacon completion signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the beacon acknowledge signal further includes configuration information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal indicates to the I/O device the maximum data speed that the computer can support.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal indicates the maximum frame size, from I/O device to computer, that the computer can support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal indicates the maximum frame size, from computer to I/O device, that the computer can support.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal indicates a computer receive mode from among possible receive modes including a polled receive mode and a DMA receive mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal indicates an expected I/O device receive mode from among possible receive modes including a polled receive mode and a DMA receive mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 8, comprising the further step of: in response to the beacon acknowledge signal, sending from the I/O device to the computer a beacon completion signal indicating whether an error has occurred, including whether an incompatibility exists between the computer and the I/O device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the beacon completion signal indicates to the computer the actual data speed that the I/O device will use to send data to the computer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal further indicates a maximum frame size, from I/O device to computer, that both the I/O device and the computer can support.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the beacon acknowledge signal further indicates the maximum frame size, from computer to I/O device, that both the I/O device and the computer can support.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4660141A
Cited
US4773005A
Cited
US4689786A
Cited
US4787028A
Cited
WO1987001484A1
Cited
US4750136A
Cited
US5038320A
Cited
JPH02113742A
Cited
EP0410314A2
Cited
US5452420A
Cited
US5204669A
Cited
GB2255877A
Cited
US5226040A
Cited
US5379296A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-05-26 | 2000-11-25 | 2001-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-05-26 | 2004-11-25 | 2005-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-05-26 | 2008-11-25 | 2009-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |