Multi-channel data communications controller
US4975828A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 1987 |
| Grant date | Dec 4, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/385
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
This invention provides a flexible, general-purpose, engine-based architecture for a multi-channel data communications controller. It can be customized to handle a wide range of protocols and other host system requirements with minimal reliance on the host's processing power. The always present time-critical tasks of transmitting and receiving serial data, as well as transmitting and receiving characters to/from the host, are handled quickly and efficiently by utilizing dedicated interface processors. This leaves the general purpose main engine less burdened with these time cricital tasks, enabling it to perform the relatively more complex (though less time critical) tasks of assembling and disassembling characters, as well as maintaining RAM-based data FIFOs and performing error-checking and other protocol-related tasks. Custon protocols can be implemented merely by re-microcoding the machine, without requiring modifications to the basic architecture of the chip, substantially reducing design time. The flexibility of this general purpose architecture enables controllers to be more customized to a particular user's requirements, resulting not only in faster performance by the contr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.