Computer peripheral device network with peripheral address resetting capabilities
May 31, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesAutomation initialization of reconfigurable on-line automatic test system Self configuring computer network with automatic bus exchange of module identification numbers and processor assigned module numbers Local area network with carrier sense collision avoidance Local area network with self assigned address method Apparatus for assigning addresses to pluggable modules based on contact configuration Self-configuring modular computer system with automatic address initialization Method for configuring an input/output module coupled to a programmable logic controller Modular expansion bus configuration Apparatus and method for assigning addresses to SCSI supported peripheral devices Automatic station identification where function modules automatically initialize Patent #: 5204669 InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 680313 filed on 04/04/1991US Classes:710/9, Address assignment370/257, In a bus system370/463Details of circuit or interface for connecting user to the networkExaminersPrimary: Bowler, Alyssa H.Assistant: Shah, Alpesh M. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesG06F 013/00G06F 013/22 AbstractA desktop communications network connects numerous peripheral devices to a host computer via a single host interface. The host interface and each peripheral device's interface has its own CPU, with software for assigning each peripheral device a unique address. The bus interface associated with each peripheral device typically stores a unique identifier string that is used by the host computer to identify each peripheral device connected to the network. Alternately, the host can distinguish identical peripheral devices by the order in which they are first used. As a result, several peripheral devices of the same type can be connected to the network, each being assigned a distinct network address. Peripherals can be connected and disconnected to the desktop bus while the system is running. The software in the host and peripheral bus interfaces automatically reconfigure the assigned bus addresses. Peripherals with sub-devices are accommodated with a communications protocol that allows up to four sub-devices to be connected to each bus interface. Each peripheral device's bus interface contains a set of capabilities information that is retrieved by the host's interface and is used to determine how the host computer communicates with each peripheral device. For instance, the capabilities information may be used to select a device driver program for use with each peripheral device. In the case of keyboards, the capabilities information may contain a translation table which specifies how the data generated by each keystroke should be interpreted.Other References
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