Peripheral interface, data stream, and data transfer method

US8943228B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Andreas Kuehm · Jena, DE
• Nico Presser · Jena, DE
• Joerg Engel · Triebes, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 29, 2011
• Grant date: Jan 27, 2015
• Expiry date: Mar 29, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F13/28
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A peripheral interface for use with a control computer and a peripheral device. The peripheral interface has a controller receiving an input data stream from the control computer and delivering an output data stream to the peripheral device, the controller obtaining an instruction from the input data stream for a modification of the output data stream. Prior art devices transfer data streams for peripheral devices blockwise by means of DMA using peripheral interfaces. In conventional peripheral interfaces, a burdensome real-time operating system must be used on the control computer in order have a sufficiently short reaction time to bring about a continuous, uninterrupted data stream. The invention achieves the object using a non-real-time operating system. A data stream is generated in the control computer, comprising control data (Bn) for the peripheral device and a segment (SOS) having spare control data to be output in case of a break in the data stream, and a leading spare data marking, particularly a jump command (JMP) past the spare control data. The data stream is received in the peripheral interface, and output to the peripheral device, wherein an instruction for a modific…