Method and apparatus for providing modular I/O expansion of computing devices
US6286060A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 26, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 26, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/385
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing modular I/O expansion. Apparatus are provided on a host computing device and an expansion unit to support multiple port types, and multiplexing apparatus are provided to support simultaneous I/O sessions between multiple applications on the host computing device and multiple I/O ports on the expansion unit over a single host I/O port. The expansion unit is equipped with one or more port interface modules that are each configured to support data transmission in accordance with one port type from a set of port types. Apparatus on the expansion unit perform multiplexing and demultiplexing of data transmitted between the host computing device and the port interface modules of the expansion unit. Port interface objects in the host computing device each support data transmission in accordance with one port type from the set of port types. A host multiplexor on the host computing device performs multiplexing and demultiplexing of data between the expansion unit and the port interface objects. A registry is maintained to map port interface objects to port interface modules.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.