Adapter and method of connecting devices associated with at least three different protocols

Claim 2

An adapter for connecting a plurality of devices, comprising: a support structure; at least three connectors connected to the support structure, each connector being configured to operate in accordance with a respective first, second and third different protocol; and conversion means connected to the connectors for converting between said respective first, second and third protocols associated with said at least three connectors, wherein the conversion means includes an application specific integrated circuit chip.

Claim 3

An adapter of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a housing.

Claim 4

An adapter of claim 2, wherein the housing has an external surface and at least one of the connectors is arranged relative to the external surface for engagement with a complementary connector on an associated one of the devices.

Claim 5

An adapter of claim 3, wherein the housing includes engagement means on its external surface and at least one of the devices has complementary engagement formations complementarily engagable with the engagement means of the housing to securely retain said at least one device with the engagement formations relative to the housing.

Claim 6

An adapter of claim 1, wherein the connectors include a SCSI port, a wide SCSI port, a fast SCSI port, a serial port, a parallel port, an RS232 port, an Ethernet port, a 10 Base T port, an IPI port, an IDE port, an EIDE port, a TCPIP port, or a coaxial cable port.

Claim 7

An adapter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the connectors comprises a wireless connector port.

Claim 8

An adapter of claim 6, wherein the wireless connector port comprises an infrared port or a radio frequency port.

Claim 9

An adapter of claim 1, wherein the devices include a computer, a memory device, a printer, or a modem.

Claim 10

An adapter of claim 8, wherein the memory device comprises a read-only memory or a read-and-write memory.

Claim 11

An adapter of claim 9, wherein the memory device comprises a ROM chip set, a RAM chip set, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, a removal hard disk drive, a tape drive, or a CD family drive.

Claim 12

An adapter of claim 1, further comprising a storage means for temporarily storing information received by the connectors.

Claim 13

An adapter for connecting a plurality of devices, comprising: a housing defined by an outer wall; at least three connectors secured to the outer wall of the housing, each connector being configured to operate in accordance with a respective first, second, and third different protocol; and conversion means mounted relative to the housing for converting between said respective first, second, and third protocol associated with said at least three connectors, wherein the conversion means includes an application specific integrated circuit chip.

Claim 14

An adapter for connecting a plurality of devices, comprising: a housing defined by an outer wall; at least three connectors secured to the outer wall of the housing, each connector being configured to operate in accordance with a respective first, second, and third different protocol; and conversion means mounted relative to the housing for converting between said respective first, second, and third protocol associated with said at least three connectors, wherein the conversion means includes an application specific integrated circuit chip.

Claim 15

An adapter of claim 12, wherein the housing has an external surface and at least one of the connectors is arranged relative to the external surface for engagement with a complementary connector on an associated one of the devices.

Claim 16

An adapter of claim 13, wherein the housing includes engagement means on its external surface and at least one of the devices has complementary engagement formations complementarily engagable to the engagement means of the housing to securely retain said at least one device with the engagement formations relative to the housing.

Claim 17

An adapter of claim 12, wherein the connectors include a SCSI port, a wide SCSI port, a fast SCSI port, a serial port, a parallel port, an RS232 port, an Ethernet port, a 10 Base T port, an IPI port, an IDE port, an EIDE port, a TCPIP port, or a coaxial cable port.

Claim 18

An adapter of claim 12, wherein at least one of the connectors comprises a wireless connector port.

Claim 19

An adapter of claim 16, wherein the wireless connector port comprises an infrared port or a radio frequency port.

Claim 20

An adapter of claim 12, wherein the devices include a computer, a memory device, a printer, or a modem.

Claim 21

An adapter of claim 18, wherein the memory device comprises a read-only memory or a read-and-write memory.

Claim 22

An adapter of claim 19, wherein the memory device comprises a ROM chip set, a RAM chip set, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, a removal hard disk drive, a tape drive, or a CD family drive.

Claim 23

An adapter of claim 12, further comprising a storage means for temporarily storing information received by the connectors.

Claim 24

A memory system for a computer, comprising: a memory module and an adapter module, wherein the memory module includes a memory housing for storing a memory internal thereto, and the adapter module includes an adapter housing, the housings having complementary communication ports for electrical communication between the two modules, and one of the housings having cartridge retaining means on an outer surface of the housing for retaining at least one memory disk or cassette, the disk or cassette serving to store information and being different from the memory internal to the memory housing, wherein the adapter module includes: at least three electrical connectors mounted on the housing, each connector being configured to operate in accordance with a respective, first, second, and third different protocol; and conversion means connected to the connectors for converting between said respective first, second and third protocols associated with said at least three connectors, said conversion means having an application specific integrated circuit chip.

Claim 25

A memory system for a computer, comprising: a memory module and an adapter module, wherein the memory module includes a memory housing for storing a memory internal thereto, and the adapter module includes an adapter housing, the housings having complementary communication ports for electrical communication between the two modules, and one of the housings having cartridge retaining means on an outer surface of the housing for retaining at least one memory disk or cassette, the disk or cassette serving to store information and being different from the memory internal to the memory housing, wherein the adapter module includes: at least three electrical connectors mounted on the housing, each connector being configured to operate in accordance with a respective, first, second, and third different protocol; and conversion means connected to the connectors for converting between said respective first, second and third protocols associated with said at least three connectors, said conversion means having an application specific integrated circuit chip.

Claim 26

A memory system of claim 22, wherein the housings have complementary connection means for physically connecting the housings to each other.

Claim 27

A memory system of claim 22, wherein the cartridge retaining means comprises rails for slidably receiving the at least one disk or cassette.

Claim 28

A memory system of claim 22, further comprising a storage means for temporarily storing information received by the connectors.

Claim 31

A method of claim 26, wherein at least one of the devices is connected to the housing by means of a standard cable, the cable having connectors at its ends associated with a single interface protocol.

Claim 32

A method of claim 26, wherein the housing and at least one of the devices are provided with complementary connectors and the housing and the at least one device are shaped to permit direct engagement between the complementary connectors, the method further comprising connecting said at least one device directly to the housing.

Claim 33

A method of claim 28, wherein said at least one device connected directly to the housing is retained relative to the housing by means of complementary engagement formations located on the housing and said at least one device.

Claim 34

An adapter for connecting a plurality of devices, comprising: a housing; a first, second, and third connector mounted to the housing and being associated with a respective first, second, and third protocol; and a converter, connected between the first, second and third connector and contained within the housing, which converts signals between said respective first, second, and third protocols associated with said first second and third connector, said converter having an application specific integrated circuit chip.

Claim 35

An adapter for connecting a plurality of devices, comprising: a housing; a first, second, and third connector mounted to the housing and being associated with a respective first, second, and third protocol; and a converter, connected between the first, second and third connector and contained within the housing, which converts signals between said respective first, second, and third protocols associated with said first second and third connector, said converter having an application specific integrated circuit chip.