United States Patent [19]
`Thomas et al.
`
`USOO5649001A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,649,001
`Jul. 15, 1997
`
`[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING
`A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE DEVICE
`
`5,167,021 11/1992 Needham .............................. .. 395/275
`5,181,858
`1/1993 M01 61 a1. . . . .
`. . . .. 439/188
`
`To MULTIPLE NETWORKS
`
`[75] Inventors: Nicholas A. Thomas, Salt Lake City;
`John Evans, Riverton; Richard
`Bentley, South Jordan; Mark L. Gray,
`West Valley City’ an of Utah
`
`-
`
`[73] Assignee: US. Robotics Mobile
`Commumcatlons Corp., Salt Lake
`City, Utah
`
`[21] App1_ No; 410,328
`_
`Mar- 24’ 1995
`[22] Filed:
`[51] Int. (:1.6 .................................................. .. H04M 11/00
`[52] US. Cl. ................... ..
`79/9307‘ 379/9329
`[58] Field of Search ...................... .. 379/98 93 59
`_
`379/58’ 63’ 441’ 442’ 443’ 375/222
`.
`References Clted
`U.S. PAI‘EN'I‘ DOCUMENTS
`1/1988 Serrano et a1, ......................... .. 379/59
`2/1991 Pleva et al. . . . . . . .
`. . . .. 364/200
`6/1992 O’Sullivan
`379/59
`7/1992 Hoch?eld et a1.
`.. 379/98
`
`4,718,080
`4,991,085
`5,127,041
`5,134,648
`
`[56]
`
`COMMUNICATION
`CABLE
`SIDE
`
`5°
`
`GND
`
`5,249,218
`9/1993 Sainton . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`5,333,177 7/1994 Braitberg et a1. ..
`’
`’
`5,430,793
`
`5357 625 10/1994 Arends . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . .. 379/98
`..... .. 379/59
`
`. . . .. 395/500
`
`7/1995 Ueltzen et a1. ......................... .. 379/98
`
`,
`_
`Przmary Exammer-Stella Woo
`Attorney, Agent, or F arm-Workman, Nydegger & Seeley
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`
`A recon?gurable communication interface system is pro
`vided comprising a recon?gurable communication interface
`device and a communication adapter cable. The recon?g
`urable communication interface device contains means to
`identify a valid communication adapter cable. After an
`attached mm‘mica‘m WP“?r “bk is rmgnizcd as
`Valid“ ‘mammal mm a“ d°wnl°adcd ?°m “side ‘he
`“munication intmfacc device and the communica?c’“
`interface device software is recon?gured. Operational values
`may be loaded from the communication adapter cable or
`from the host computer. Adapter cables for a wide variety of
`applications such as various telephone networks, various
`cellular telephones. Ethernet networks, PBX type networks,
`ISDN type networks’ opucal networks’ or other LMI and
`WAN type networks are Pmv‘dcd‘
`
`16 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`/-\54
`.___/
`
`PROGRAM
`STORAGE
`DEVICE
`
`FUNCTIONAL LINES
`
`NETWORK
`SPECIFIC
`FUNCTIONS
`
`COMMUNICATIONS
`NETWORK
`INTERFACE
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 1
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Jul. 15, 1997
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`
`5,649,001
`
`24
`<5 wig??‘?JP"
`COMPUTER
`INTERFACE
`
`DEVICE
`
`2o)
`
`........
`
`ADAPTER
`
`CIRCUITRY
`
`$28
`i
`i
`5- comuumcmou
`Z
`I
`:
`:
`):
`: couuumcmou ADAPTER CABLE :
`[
`""""""""" "
`
`NETWORKIDEVICE
`
`3°
`
`22
`
`22
`
`FIG. 1
`
`RAM
`
`U
`
`RON
`
`U
`
`(4°
`
`2
`
`vi? 22
`
`46
`
`ID DATA 1
`
`COMMUNICATION < 'DCLK'CB'NT
`<3 INTERFACE
`49
`cuumnsn
`CIRCUITRY
`INTERFACE
`
`>CONNECTOR
`R1
`BASE
`SIDE
`
`__
`
`.
`
`y
`T
`WAKEUP
`cmcun ‘~52
`
`6""
`__~so
`
`FUNCTIONAL LINES
`
`34/‘
`
`NJ FIG. 2
`
`42
`
`\26
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 2
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Jul. 15, 1997
`
`Sheet 2 0f 4
`
`5,649,001
`
`F54
`_../
`
`PROGRAM
`STORAGE
`DEVICE
`
`COMMUNICATION
`CABLE
`SIDE
`
`5°
`
`6ND
`
`Z?j
`
`NETWORK
`SPECIFIC
`
`COMMUNICATIONS
`NETWORK
`
`é) FUNCTIONS Qmnmca
`42
`K58
`
`FUNCTIONAL LINES
`
`FIG. 3
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 15, 1997
`
`Sheet 3 0f 4
`
`5,649,001
`
`CABLE IgIéERTION
`REMOVAL
`
`60
`
`IS
`COMMUNICATION
`INTERFACE DEVICE
`AWAKE?
`
`IRQ INTERRUPT
`I
`DELAY 2D0ms /\-/a2
`I
`READ
`INTERRUPT REGISTER
`
`PLAY
`RESET BASE-CARD
`CODE TO DEFAULT *REMOVAL TUNE
`
`ISSUE "INVALID CABLE’
`RESPONSE
`
`SET ID VALUE
`I
`READ OPERATIONAL VALUES ‘V68
`I
`GONFIGURE BASE-CARO/L/TO
`WITH NEW CODE
`I
`PLAY INSEIlTION TUNE
`SETUP INTERRUPT FOR
`h—-——> FALLING EDGE TRIGGER
`(CABLE REMOVAL)
`
`FIG. 4a
`
`v
`SETUP INTERRUPT FOR
`RISING EDGE TRIGGER
`(CABLE INSERHON)
`
`EXIT INTERRUPT
`
`‘
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 4
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Jul. 15, 1997
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`5,649,001
`
`76-5
`
`WAIT FOR
`CONNUNICATION
`INTERFACE DEVICE
`WAKE-UP
`
`l———~1
`
`PULSE CIRCUIT TO
`WAKE-UP
`CONNUNICATION
`INTERFACE DEVICE
`
`READ CABLE ID A/II
`I
`COMPARE T0
`PRIOR-TO-SLEEP
`ID VALUE
`
`/*
`"78
`
`IS
`ID‘ FF
`(no CABLE ATTACHED}
`
`SETUP INTERRUPT FOR
`msms ED
`es TRIGGER
`(CABLE INSERTION
`
`RESET BASE-CARD
`CODE TO DEFAULT
`
`I
`PLAY RENOVAL TUNE
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 5
`
`

`
`5,649,001
`
`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING
`A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE DEVICE
`TO MULTIPLE NETWORKS
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`speci?cally adapts the modem to a particular country’s
`telephone network In one such attempt, the basic modem
`circuitry resides on a board which is carried internal to the
`computer. The modem has a single connector to which a
`variety of adapters could be attached. When a new country
`is entered which has a different telephone network standard,
`the proper adaptor can be attached to the modem and the
`modem would be recon?gured to work with that speci?c
`adaptor. This eliminates the necessity of carrying multiple
`modems but also creates the problem of properly con?gur
`ing the modem to work with a particular adaptor.
`In order to make con?guration easier, one approach has
`been to place hardware inside the adaptor which contains an
`ID code. The modem could then poll the adaptor to deter
`mine its ID code. look up parameters stored in memory
`based on the 11) code, and recon?gure the internal software
`of the modem based on the parameters to work with that
`particular adaptor. While this approach has helped eliminate
`the need for a user to manually con?gure the modem to work
`with various adapters, again it created several problems. For
`example, a modem which must be con?gured to work with
`a plurality of adapters must contain complex software which
`will recon?gure itself to work with any adapter.
`Furthermore, the modern must contain the parameters asso
`ciated with all adapters to be used with the modem. Thus,
`such a modem is necessarily more expensive due to the
`increased software complexity and increased hardware
`needed to store the parameters needed to recon?gure the
`software.
`In an effort to reduce the complexity and size of the
`software, different modems could be con?gured with di?er
`ent adapter packages. For example, a user which frequents
`relatively few different countries could purchase a modem
`speci?cally designed to work with that combination of
`countries. This, however, requires manufactures to produce
`a wide variety of modems, each tailored to various combi
`nations of countries. It would, therefore, be an advancement
`in the art to have a modem which was capable of working
`with a variety of adapters and which reduced the complexity
`of any attendant software and reduced the hardware needed
`to store and execute such software.
`When a modem contains the parameters associated with
`all adapters to be used with the modem, updating the
`parameters becomes problematic. If the parameters associ
`ated with a particular adaptor are modi?ed, the stored
`parameters on each individual modern must be updated. If
`the parameters are on a ROM which is programmed at the
`time the modem is manufactured, often this entails the
`replacement of the entire modem. Alternatively, the part of
`the modem containing the parameters may be replaced.
`When new adapters are developed and released, a similar
`problem occurs. A means must be provided to add new
`information to the modem. Again, this may entail replace
`ment of the entire modem or replacement of a portion of the
`modem.
`The advent of networks over which data may be trans
`ferred has signi?cantly increased the usefulness and port
`ability of computers. Unfortunately, a user who desires to
`connect to a wide variety of networks is also presented with
`many problems. Each individual type of network often has
`its own physical communication medium. For example, the
`telephone network in the United States typically utilizes two
`single wire conductors. These conductors are typically tied
`to an RJll type plug. Thus, those desiring to access the
`telephone network must have a modern capable of accepting
`an RJll type plug. Other countries utilize different types of
`connectors and may also have a different number of con
`
`1. The Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to communication devices
`for transmitting data between computers or the like and
`more particularly to methods and apparatus for adapting a
`communication device to the standards of a variety of
`networks.
`2. Background of the Invention
`In order to transfer data from one computer system to
`another computer system or other device, a communication
`interface device such as a modem is often used. A commu
`nication device is a device which converts digital data from
`the computer to an appropriate signaling format in order to
`be transmitted over a particular network such as a telephone
`network. A communication device is conventionally con?g
`ured in the form of a single electronic card which may be
`placed internal to a computer or in the form of a box which
`can be connected external to a computer.
`Because a communication device takes data from the
`computer and places it on to a network, a communication
`device is typically a dual port device, with one port being
`connected to the host computer and the other port being
`connected to the network over which data is to be trans
`ferred. Connections to the host computer are made in a
`variety of ways. For example, a communication device
`con?gured to reside external to a computer may communi
`cate to the host computer over an RS232 serial port. As
`another example, a communication device in the form of a
`PCMCIA card is carried internal to the computer and
`interfaces with the host computer over the PCMCIA inter
`face.
`With the advent of small portable and transportable
`computers, and the wide spread availability of small form
`factor communication devices, such as communication
`devices on PCMCIA cards, mobile computing is becoming
`wide spread. In today’s environment, it is not uncommon for
`an individual to have a powerful portable laptop computer
`that is taken wherever the individual travels. An individual
`traveling into several countries, or an individual connecting
`their computer to several different types of networks faces
`special challenges. Typically, each individual country or
`each individual network requires a different communication
`device and/or a different connection.
`With the widespread availability of powerful portable
`computers and easy travel routes, it is not uncommon for an
`individual to utilize their computers at a wide variety of
`different locations. Thus, an individual may begin the day in
`an office where the computer is to be connected to a local
`area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) and end
`the day in a completely different city where data is to be
`transferred over a telephone network to another computer.
`Alternatively, an individual may begin the day transferring
`data over the telephone network in one country and end the
`day transferring data over a telephone network of another
`country.
`In order to avoid having to carry several different com
`munication devices such as modems con?gured to access the
`telephone networks of several different countries, there has
`been an attempt to divide the modern into a part which can
`be used with any telephone network and a part which
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`Apple 1007 - Page 6
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`

`
`5,649,001
`
`3
`ductor wires. Thus, an individual desiring to access the
`telephone networks of other countries must have modems
`designed to interface with the standard connectors in the
`countries. In addition, each country may have different
`services available and diiferent protocols which must be
`followed when communicating over the telephone network
`located in that country.
`In addition to land line access to telephone networks, the
`telephone networks of many countries may also be accessed
`through a cellular phone system. Because of the wide variety
`of cellular telephones available, and because each type of
`cellular telephone often has its own proprietary interface,
`connecting to a cellular telephone often requires a modem
`con?gured speci?cally to attach to the desired type of
`cellular telephone. When the di?’erent types of cellular
`telephone networks in dilferent countries are factored in, an
`individual traveling to multiple countries and communicat
`ing data over the cellular network may face a tremendous
`challenge.
`In an effort to provide the capability to work with a
`plurality of cellular phone types, attempts have been made
`to develop a common or standardized interface language.
`This interface language would then be used by the modem
`to communicate with a device speci?c adapter. The device
`speci?c adapter would then convert the standard interface
`language into the speci?c commands needed to communi
`cate with the speci?c cellular phone type. In one such
`attempt, the device which interfaced with the cellular phone
`could determine which cellular phone type was connected to
`the device. While this allows a user to utilize a single adapter
`with a wide variety of cellular phone types, the adapter is
`necessarily complex and expensive.
`In order to overcome this limitation, it may be possible to
`create a di?’erent adapter for each cellular phone type. This
`would allow an individual to simply buy the type of adapter
`needed to interface with the desired cellular phone type.
`Unfortunately, such a device is still quite complex since it
`must convert the standard interface language utilized by the
`modem to the particular interface language utilized by the
`cellular phone. It would, therefore, represent an advance
`ment in the art to provide the capability to interface with a
`wide variety of cellular phone types ?'om a single modem
`through greatly simpli?ed adapters. It would also represent
`an advancement in the art to communicate with a wide
`variety of cellular phone types even though the amount of
`program storage was relatively low and even though the
`program complexity was relatively low.
`In addition to telephone networks, current computers may
`also be utilized with a wide variety of other data networks.
`Examples of such networks include Ethernet (either in a
`l0bT or 10b2 type network), a PBX type network, an ISDN
`50
`type network, or other LAN and WAN type networks. Each
`of the variety of networks to which a computer may be
`attached, requires different hardware connections and dif
`ferent communication protocols. Currently, a user must have
`an individual networlq'ng card for each different type of
`network to which his computer will be attached. Thus, a user
`may need an Ethernet card, a PBX card, and an ISDN card
`if the computer is to be attached to these various types of
`networks. Along with increased cost and complexity, such a
`situation is highly inconvenient since the user must carry a
`wide variety of networking cards if his computer is to be
`carried from location to location and connected to these
`networks. It would therefore, represent an advancement in
`the art to have a single communication device which could
`be used to connect to different types of networks.
`In addition to connecting through networks and commu
`nicating data, computers may also be utilized to communi
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`cate sound or voice over such networks. Currently, a sepa
`rate voice or sound capable modem must be utilized to
`connect the computer to a network, such as a telephone
`network, over which sound or voice is to be communicated.
`If the voice interface connection is different than the data
`connection, then either a separate modem must be provided
`or a separate adapter must be provided. Again, when mul
`tiple functions are integrated into a modem, the software
`complexity increases and the amount of hardware needed to
`support the increased software also increases. Thus, multiple
`function modems are inherently more complex than single
`function modems. It would thus represent an advancement
`in the art to provide a multiple function modem which
`reduces the complexity of the software and reduces the
`amount of hardware needed to provide such multiple func
`tions.
`While the ability to connect to multiple telephone net
`works has previously been attempted through adapters, care
`must often be taken when plugging the adapters into the
`modem When an adapter is plugged into a modem, the
`modem must be con?gured to recognize the adapter. In order
`to facilitate this con?guration, adapters have been provided
`with lDs which will allow the software in the modem to
`recon?gure itself according to the speci?cations needed to
`Work with that particular adapter. This raises the question as
`to when the recon?guration routine should be called. In one
`such attempt to resolve this issue, the con?guration routine
`is invoked by the user after the adapter is changed. This
`approach places the burden of remembering to call the
`con?guration routine on the user. If the user forgets to call
`the con?guration routine, data loss or, perhaps, serious
`physical damage to the modem may occur.
`In order to prevent this occurrence, the modem can be
`placed into a polling mode where it periodically reads the 1])
`from the cable attached to the modem and if needed auto
`matically recon?gures the software. This method, however,
`requires that the modem be looking for a change in the
`adapter. If the modem is utilized in a portable laptop
`computer, allowing the modem to remain continuously
`active wastes precious battery power. In order to conserve
`battery power in portable applications, modems are often
`provided with a sleep mode. Thus, when not in use, modems
`are placed into a low power mode. Such a polling
`methodology, then, is often unrealistic for portable applica
`tions where battery power is limited. It would, therefore,
`represent an advancement in the art to provide a way of
`transparently re-con?guring an adaptable modem in portable
`applications.
`Because adapters can be attached and removed at will, in
`order to avoid data loss care must be taken to limit when the
`adapter is removed. For example, if the user removes the
`adapter when the modem is in sleep mode, the modem must
`not assume that the same adapter which was connected prior
`to sleep is still in place. If a new adapter with different
`electrical characteristics is inserted while the modem is in
`sleep mode, and the modem awakes assuming the prior
`adapter is still attached, a con?ict in the electrical connection
`could occur damaging the modem, the adapter, or the
`network. It would, therefore, represent an advancement in
`the art to have a method to determine when an adapter is
`disconnected from a recon?gurable modem which is
`designed for portable applications.
`SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE
`INVENTION
`It is an object of the present invention to provide a
`recon?gurable communication interface device capable of
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 7
`
`

`
`5
`being used in a variety of countries by exchanging commu
`nication adapter cables.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`recon?gurable communication interface device capable of
`working with a variety of networks by exchanging commu
`nication adapter cables.
`A still further object of the print the recon?gurable
`conduce the amount of hardware in the recon?gurable
`communication interface device needed to store the infor
`mation necessary to recon?gure the modem to a particular
`communication adapter cable.
`Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
`recon?gurable communication interface device which can
`be utilized with either a telephone network, cellular network.
`local area network, or WAN.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide
`protection from foreign cables.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`recon?gurable communication interface device which can
`detect when communication adapter cables have been
`changed.
`A still further object of the present invention is to provide
`a recon?gurable communication interface device which
`automatically con?gures itself to operate with any valid
`communication adapter cable.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`communication adapter cable which includes the speci?c
`hardware needed to interface to the desired network.
`A still further object of the present invention is to provide
`a communication adapter cable which contains an identi?
`cation code that can be read by a recon?gurable communi
`cation interface device in order to determine which con?gu
`ration parameters should be used to con?gure the interface
`device software.
`A still further object of the present invention is to provide
`a communication adapter cable capable of storing more
`information than just a cable identi?cation parameter.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`recon?gurable communication interface device which is
`capable of correctly detecting and re-con?guring its soft
`ware and hardware interface when a communication adapter
`cable is removed or inserted while the communication
`interface device is in sleep mode.
`Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
`recon?gurable communication interface device which is
`easily updated to accommodate new products.
`A still further object of the present invention is to provide
`a recon?gurable communications interface device which is
`easily updated if parameters for a particular communication
`adapter cable are modi?ed or changed.
`Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
`set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
`obvious from the description, or may be learned by the
`practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the
`invention may be realized and obtained by means of the
`instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the
`amended claims. To achieve the foregoing objects, and in
`accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly
`described herein an recon?gurable communication interface
`device and associated communication adapter cable is pro
`vided.
`The recon?gurable communication interface device has a
`computer interface in order to communicate with the host
`computer and a universal connector in order to attach to a
`wide variety of communication adapter cables. The com
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`5,649,001
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`6
`munication interface device is con?gured with the standard
`features generally known to those skilled in the art. In the
`preferred embodiment such a communication interface
`device is designed to ?t within a small form factor such as
`a PCMCIA card. Such a small form factor communication
`interface device would also be expected to have energy
`conservation features such as a sleep mode in order to
`conserve energy in a portable computer.
`A variety of communication adapter cables are provided
`to adapt the communication interface device to the charac
`teristics of a particular network by attachment to the uni
`versal connector. The communication adapter cable thus has
`one end capable of attaching to the universal connector on
`the communication interface device and another end which
`is capable of attaching to the desired network. In one
`preferred embodiment the communication adapter cable also
`contains an identi?cation code which can be read by the
`communication interface device. ‘The communication inter
`face device is designed to verify that the identi?cation code
`represents a valid communication adaptor cable.
`Once the communication interface device has determined
`that the communication adapter cable is valid, the commu
`nication interface device then loads a set of operating values
`from a location outside of the communication interface
`device. The set of operating values can include speci?c
`network parameters such as ?lter coe?icients for tone
`detection, relay control timing parameters, option ?ags,
`protocol parameters, and the like, as well as speci?c execut
`able code such as device drivers, software input/output
`routines, and the like. In one embodiment the operating
`values are carded inside the communication adapter cable
`and loaded to the communication interface device from the
`communication adapter cable. In another embodiment, the
`values are loaded from another external source such as a
`diskette or other storage device outside the communication
`interface device.
`Once the operating parameters have been obtained by the
`communication interface device, the operating parameters
`are utilized to recon?gure the communication interface
`device software and hardware interface in order to provide
`appropriate functionality to the communication adapter
`cable. The universal connector contains a variety of control
`lines through which the network interfacing is accom
`plished. The control lines allow the communication interface
`device to access network speci?c hardware committed to, or
`located on, the communication adapter cable. An example of
`such network speci?c hardware would be the DAA circuitry
`needed to interface to the telephone network of a particular
`country.
`The preferred embodiment of the recon?gurable commu
`nication interface device also contains hardware to detect
`when a communication adapter cable is connected to, or
`removed from, the universal connector. The hardware is
`designed to generate an interrupt when the communication
`adapter cable is attached to. or detached ?om the commu
`nication interface device. The hardware, ?rmware, and soft
`ware in the communication interface device are con?gured
`so as to work properly no matter when the cable is plugged
`in or removed from the communication interface device.
`Thus, communication interface devices incorporating a
`sleep or low power mode work properly when a communi
`cation adapter cable is attached to or detached from the
`communication interface device.
`In order to allow the communication adapter cable to be
`attached or removed when the recon?gurable communica
`tion interface device is powered, means to protect the
`
`Apple 1007 - Page 8
`
`

`
`7
`communication interface device, the cormnunication adapter
`cable, and the network are provided. In the preferred
`embodiment this means comprises placing the conductors
`connected to the universal connector in a high impedance
`state whenever there is no communications adapter cable
`attached to the universal connecter. Further, when a com
`munication adapter cable is attached, the communication
`interface device will not access the network speci?c hard
`ware through the control lines until the communication
`interface device has been recon?gured to work with that
`speci?c communication adapter cable.
`These and other objects and features of the present
`invention will become more fully apparent from the follow
`ing description and appended claims, or may be learned by
`the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`In order that the manner in which the above-recited and
`other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained,
`a more particular description of the invention brie?y
`described above will be rendered by reference to a speci?c
`embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended
`drawings. Understanding that these drawing depict only a
`typical embodiment of the invention and are not therefore to
`be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will
`be described and explained with additional speci?city and
`detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in
`which:
`FIG. 1 is a top level block diagram depicting the com
`munication interface device and the communication adapter
`cable;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the communication interface
`device;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the communication adapter
`cable;
`FIG. 4a is a ?ow chart depicting the actions of the
`communication interface device upon insertion or removal
`of the communication adapter cable; and
`FIG. 4b is a continuation of the ?ow chart depicting the
`action of the communication interface device when a com
`munication adapter cable is inserted or removed.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`The instant invention is directed to a recon?gurable
`communication interface device and an associated commu
`nication adapter cable. The purpose of the invention is to
`allow a computer or other device to be connected to a wide
`variety of communication networks or devices simply by
`replacing the communication adapter cable. As used within
`this application, “communication interface device” refers to
`a device which connects a computer or other peripheral to a
`communication network. In the context of wire line or
`cellular networks, the communication interface device is
`often a modem. In the context of other types of networks, the
`communication interface device is typically a digitally
`switched networking card which resides in the computer or
`other peripheral.
`Referring to FIG. 1, an overall block diagram of the
`communication interface system is depicted. The commu
`nication interface system comprises communication inter
`face device 20 and communication adapter cable 22. Com
`munication interface device 20 has computer interface 24.
`Computer interface 24 is the means by which communica
`tion interface device 20 communicates with the computer or
`other peripheral to which the interface device is attached.
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`Communication interface device 20 can be con?gured in
`a wide variety of form factors. For example, in one embodi
`ment communication interface device 20 comprises a com
`munication card carried internal to a computer or other
`peripheral. In another embodiment, communication inter
`face device 20 comprises a small form factor communica
`tion card which can be carried internal to a portable laptop,
`notebook, or other portable computer. One such form factor
`which may be utilized in low power portable applications is
`the PCMCIA card form factor. In still another embodiment,
`communication interface device 20 comprises a separate
`communication card which is attached external to the com
`puter or other peripheral.
`Communication interface device 20 also includes a uni
`versal connector means. The universal connector means is
`the means by which communication adapter cables are
`attached to communication interface device 20. By way of
`example, and not limitation, in FIG. 1 the universal connec
`tor means is depicted as universal connector 26. In one
`preferred embodiment, universal connector 26 comprises a
`multi-conductor connector. Any multi-conductor connector
`which has su?icient conductors to carry the signals needed
`to interface with the communication adapter cable may be
`utilized for universal connector 26. In one preferred
`embodiment, universal connector 26 comprises a 15 con
`ductor connector. Communication interface device 20 also
`comprises loading means to load operating values from a
`location outside communication interface device 20. As used
`herein “loading” refers both to uploading and downloading.
`In one preferred embodiment, operating values are down
`loaded from the host computer over computer interface 24.
`In another preferred embodiment, operating values are
`uploaded from communication adapter cable 22. As used
`within the scope of this invention “operating values” refers
`to all information needed to con?gure communication inter
`face device 20 to work with communication adapter cable
`22. Operating values includes, but is not limited to operating
`parameters, such as ?lter coe?icients, timing parameters,
`pointers to access or prevent access to features or routines,
`particular cellular phone command sets, and the like, as well
`as executable instructions such as subroutines, speci?c
`device drivers, and the like.
`Communication adapter cable 22 connects communica
`tion interface device 20 to communication network 28. It
`will be understood that communication network 28 can be
`any type of communication network. For example, tele
`phone networks, cellular networks, Ethernet networks, PBX
`networks, ISDN networks, optical networks, or LAN and
`WAN type networks may be utilized with this device. In
`addition, communication network 28 may also be a cellular
`phone type network. In such an instance, communication
`adapter cable 22 would be connected to a cellular phone
`which would then provide access into the cellular commu
`nication network. Final