Apparent network interface for and between embedded and host processors
US6058434A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 19, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 2, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 19, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparent network interface permits one processor such as a processor embedded within a larger processing system (an embedded processor) to communicate to a host processor or other processors and devices on the network to which the embedded processor is attached, using standard network communication mechanisms/protocols such as TCP/IP, NFS, FTP, HTTP, etc. The web server protocol HTTP is particularly useful because it permits the embedded computer to publish a user interface for remote monitoring and remote control using a standard web browser application. The invention provides the host computer with an apparent network interface that appears to be a standard network device, such as an Ethernet interface card. This apparent interface communicates directly with the embedded processor, which appears to be a device on this apparent network. Significant cost savings and performance enhancements are realized by implementing the communication directly over the host computer's peripheral bus rather than using standard network hardware such as Ethernet hardware.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.