(12) United States Patent
`Tasler
`
`(in) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,470,399 B1
`Oct. 22, 2002
`
`USOU6=l-703993]
`
`(54)
`
`FLISXIBLIE lNTI£RFACl1'. FOR
`COMMUNICATION BISTWISEN A HOST AND
`AN ANALOG I/0 DEVICE CONNECTED TO
`THE INTERFACE REGARDIESS THE TYPE
`OF THE ‘/0 “F-VICE
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Michael Tasler, Wfirzhurg (DE)
`
`.
`
`F3,
`JP
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`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`-
`13°32 :2‘; g
`0 655 759 A1
`11630161]? A
`08110883 A
`w094;1974.5
`
`12I, lms
`10119914
`4-fl99I3
`9; 1094
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`(73)
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`J‘\ss.igrtee: Lalmrtechnik Tasler GmhH,
`Wuerzburg (DE)
`
`( if ) N‘“i'~"’5
`
`(21) APPL NM
`(22)
`PCT Filed:
`_
`PCT No"
`§37l (c)(1),
`
`(86)
`
`S'1l7_l‘“~'l "J 51”)’ dificlflimfifa "13 151111 Uflhl-*3
`patenl is extended or adjusted tinder 35
`U-S-C 154(5) bit’ 0 '?la3’5-
`09f331!m2
`Mar. 3, 1998
`,.
`‘,
`PLHLPQBNIIST
`
`.lun. 14, 1999
`(2), (4) Date:
`(87) PCT P‘-‘ll N9--' W093/39710
`P(_"l‘ Pub. Date: Sep. 11, 1998
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(31))
`Mar. 4. 199?
`(DE)
`
`197 08 755
`
`56)
`
`(
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`GM]: 13114
`[''“5- CL? ----- --
`(51)
`710/15; 710/52; 710/53
`(52) U-5- CL
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`Field of Search
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`5,499,378 A 2:
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`411995 Mu.-ma
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`OTHER PUBUCATIONS
`Steve Martin, "PC'—based Data Acquisition in an Industrial
`Envii0iiri1ent,” pp. 1-3 (1990).
`Payne el al., “lligh Speed l-’(.‘4Iased Data Acquisition Sys-
`Lg]-n_-r,,” IEEE, pp. 214-(F2145 (I995).
`National Instruments (‘forporaLion, "’l,)ynamic Signal Acqui-
`5111011 and DSP Board tor the PC AT,
`IEEE 488 and VXIbus
`C t
`l,Dt A‘
`"t‘
`,
`dAn 1.",
`.3—l18—3—123,
`a a Lqumsl ‘on an
`a ysls pp
`between
`IBM Corporation,
`“(.'ornrniinicati0n Method
`I)evice.‘~'. through FDI) Irtlerface," IBM Technical Disclosure
`Bulletin, vol. 38 (N0. 05). p. 245 (May, 1995).
`
`0
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`LLP
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`* cited by examiner
`Primary Exrmi:'rier—Thomas Lee
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`ABSTRACT
`_
`_
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`An interface device (10) provides last data cornlniinicatiorl
`between a host device with inputfoutput interfaces and a data
`transmit/receive device, wherein the interface device (10)
`comprises a processor means (I3), :1 rnernory mearu; (14), a
`first connecting device (12) for interfacing the host device
`with the interface device, and a second connecting device
`(15) for interfacing the interface device (10) with the data
`transmit/receive device. The interface device (10) is config-
`ured hy the processor means (13) and the memory means
`(14) in such a way that, when receiving an inquiry from the
`host device via the firsi connecting device (12) astc the type
`.
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 22, 2002
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 22, 2002
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`
`US 6,470,399 B1
`
`1
`FLEXIBLE INTERFACE FOR
`COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A HOST AND
`AN ANALOG U0 DEVICE CONNECTED TO
`THE INTERFACE REGARDLESS THE TYPE
`OF THE [/0 DEVICE
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to the transfer of data and in
`particular to interface devices for communication between a
`computer or host device and a data transmit/receive device
`from which data is to be acquired or with which two-way
`corn munieation is to take place.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Existing data acquisition systems for computers are very
`Limited in their areas of application. Generally such systems
`can be classified into two groups.
`In the first group host devices or computer systems are
`attached by means of an interface to a device whose data is
`to be acquired. The interfaces of this group are normally
`standard interfaces which, with specific driver software, can
`be used with a variety of host systems.An advantage of such
`interfaces is that they are largely independent of the host
`device. However, a disadvantage is that
`they generally
`require very sophisticated drivers which are prone to mal-
`function and which limit data transfer rates between the
`device connected to the interface and the host device and
`vice versa. Further,
`it is often very difficult to implement
`such interfaces for portable systems and they olIer few
`possibilities for adaptation with the result that such systems
`oifer little flexibility.
`The devices from which data is to be acquired cover the
`entire electrical engineering spectrum. In a typical case, it is
`assumed that a custorner who operates,
`for example, a
`diagnostic radiology system in a medical engineering envi-
`ronment reports a fault. A field service technician of the
`system manufacturer visits the customer and reads system
`log flles generated by the diagnostic radiology system by
`means a portable computer or laptop for example. lfthe fault
`cannot be localized or if the fault is intermittent. it will be
`necessary for the service technician to read not only an error
`log file but also data from current operation. It is apparent
`that in this case fast data transfer and rapid data analysis are
`necessary.
`Another case requiring the use of an interface could be,
`for example, when an electronic measuring device, e.g. a
`multimeter, is attached to a computer system to transfer the
`data measured by the multimeter to the computer. Particu-
`larly when long-term measurements or large volumes ofdata
`are involved is it necessary forthe interface to support a high
`data transfer rate.
`
`From these randomly chosen examples it can be seen that
`an interface may he put
`to totally different uses.
`It
`is
`therefore desirable that an interface be sufliciently llexible to
`permit attachment of very dilferent electrical or electronic
`systems to a host device by means of the interface. To
`prevent operator error,
`it
`is also desirable that a service
`technician is not required to operate dilferent interfaces in
`different ways for different applications but that, if possible,
`a universal method of operating the interface be provided for
`a large number of applications.
`To increase the data transfer rates across an interface, the
`route chosen in the second group ofdata acquisition systems
`for
`the interface devices was to specifically match the
`
`2
`interface very closely to individual host systems or computer
`systems. The advantage of this solution is that high data
`transfer rates are possible. However, a disadvantage is that
`the drivers for the interfaces of the second group are very
`closely matched to a single host system with the result that
`they generally cannot be used with other host systems or
`their use is very inetfecrive. Further, such types of interface
`have the disadvantage that they must be installed inside the
`computer casing to achieve maximum data lransfer rates as
`they access the internal host bus system. They are therefore
`generally not suitable for portable host systems in the font‘:
`of laptops whose minimum possible size leaves little internal
`space to plug in an interface card.
`
`I)I3.S(_‘R[l’l'|()N OI? PRIOR ART
`
`A solution to this problem is olfered by the interface
`devices of I0tech (business address: 2597] Cannon Road,
`Cleveland, Ohio 44146, USA) which are suitable for laptops
`such as the WaveBook/512 (registered trademark). The
`interface devices are connected by means of a plug-in card,
`approximately the size of a credit card, to the PCMCIr"\
`interface which is now a standard feature in laptops. The
`plug—in card converts the PCMCIA interface into an inter-
`face known in the art as IEEE 1284. The said plug—in card
`provides a special printer interface which is enhanced as
`regards the data transfer rate and delivers a data transfer rate
`of approximately 2 MBps as compared with a rate of approx.
`1 MBps for known printer interfaces. The known interface
`device generally consists of a driver component, a digital
`signal processor, a bulfer and a hardware module which
`tertrtinates in a connector to which the device whose data is
`to be acquired is attached. The driver component is attached
`directly to the enhanced printer interface thus permitting the
`known interface device to establish a connection between a
`computer and the device whose data is to be acquired.
`In order to work with the said interface, an interface-
`specific driver must be installed on the host device so that
`the host device can communicate with the digital signal
`processor of the interface card. As described above,
`the
`driver must be installed on the host device. If the driver is
`a driver developed specifically for the host device, a high
`data transfer rate is achieved but the driver cannot be easily
`installed on a different host system. However, if the driver is
`a general driver which is as flexible as possible and which
`can be used on many host devices, compromises. must be
`accepted with regard to the data transfer rate.
`Particularly in an application for multi-tasking systems in
`which several different tasks such as data acquisition, data
`display and editing are to be performed quasi-
`simultancously, each task is normally assigned a certain
`priority by the host system. A driver supporting a special
`task requests the central processing system of the host
`device for processor resources in order to perform its task.
`Depending on the particular priority assignment method and
`on the driver implementation, a particular share of processor
`resources is assigned to a special task in particular time slots.
`Conflicts arise if one or more drivers are implemented in
`such a way that they have the highest priority by default, i.e.
`they are incompatible, as happens in practice in many
`applications. It may occur that both drivers are set to highest
`priority which,
`in the worst case, can result in a system
`crash.
`
`EP 0685799 Al discloses an interface by means of which
`several peripheral devices can be attached to a bus. An
`interface is connected between the bus of a host device and
`various peripheral devices. The interface (I)l1'lpl'i5-it‘.5 a finite
`
`

`
`US 6,470,399 B1
`
`3
`state machine and several branches each of which is
`assigned to a peripheral device. Each branch comprises a
`data manager, cycle control, user logic and a buffer. This
`known interface device provides optimal matching between
`a host device and a specific peripheral device.
`l)ist:losure
`The specialist publication IBM Technical
`Bulletin, Vol. 38. No. 05, page 245; “Communication
`Method between Devices through FDD Interface” discloses
`an interface which connects a host device to a peripheral
`device via a
`floppy disk drive interface. The interface
`consists in particular of an address generator, an MITM
`encoder/decoder, a serial/parallel adapter and a format signal
`generator. The interface makes it possible to attach not only
`a floppy disk drive but also a further peripheral device to the
`l-7l)D host controller of a host device. The host device
`assumes that a floppy disk drive is always attached to its
`floppy disk drive controller and communication is initiated
`if the address is correct. However, this document contains no
`information as to how communication should be possible if
`the interface is connected to a multi-purpose interface
`instead of to a lloppy disk drive controller.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`invention to provide an
`is an object of the present
`It
`interface device for communication between a host device
`and a data transmit/receive device whose use is host device-
`independent and which delivers a high data transfer rate.
`In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
`this object is met by an interface device for communication
`between a host device, which comprises drivers for input!
`output devices customary in a host device and a multi-
`purpose interface, and a data transmitlrecaeive device com-
`prising: a processor; a memory; a first connecting device for
`interfacing the host device with the interface device via the
`mulIi—purpose interface of the host device; and a second
`connecting device for interfacing the interface device with
`the data transmit/receive device, wherein the interface
`device is configured by the processor and the memory in
`such a way that
`the interface device, when receiving an
`inquiry from the host device as to the type of a device
`attached to the multi-purpose interface of the host device,
`sends a signal, regardless of the type of the data transmits’
`receive device attached to the second connecting device of
`the interface device, to the host device which signals to the
`host device that it is an inputjoutput device customary in a
`host device, whereupon the host device communicates with
`the interface device by means of the driver for the input!
`output device customary in a host device.
`In accordance with a second aspect of the present
`invention,
`this object
`is met by an interface device for
`communication between a host device, which comprises a
`multi-purpose interface and a specific driver for this
`interface, and a data transmitfrcceive device comprising: a
`processor; a memory: a first connecting device for interfac-
`ing the host device with the interface device via the multi-
`purpose interface of the host device; and a second connect-
`ing device for interfacing the interface device with the data
`transmit/receive device, wherein the interface device is
`configured using the processor and the memory in such a
`way that the interface device, when receiving an inquiry
`from the host device as to the type of a device attached at the
`multi—purpose interface of the host device, sends a signal,
`regardless of the type of the data transmittreceive device
`attached to the second connecting device of the interface
`device, to the host device which Signals to the host device
`that it is an input,v’output device customary in a host device,
`
`4
`whereupon the host device communicates with the interface
`device by means of the specific driver for the mu lti—purpose
`interface.
`
`In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention,
`this object is met by a method of communication between a
`host device, which comprises drivers for input/output
`devices customary in a host device and a multi—purpose
`interface, and a data transmitireceive device via an interface
`device comprising the steps of interfacing of the host device
`with a first connecting device of the interface device via the
`mu lti—purpose interface of the host device; interfacing of the
`data transmit/receive device with a second connecting
`device of the interface device; inquiring by the host device
`at the interface device as to the type of device to which the
`multi—purpose interface of the host device is attached;
`regardless of the type of the data transmitfreccivc device
`attached to the second connecting device of the interface
`device, responding to the inquiry from the host device by the
`interface device in such a way that it is an input/output
`device customary in a host device, whereupon the host
`device communicates with the interface device by means of
`the usual driver for the input/out put device.
`The present invention is based on the finding that both Id
`high data transfer rate and host device-independent use can
`be achieved if a driver for an inputtoutput device customary
`in a host device, normally present in most commercially
`available host devices,
`is utilized. Drivers for input/output
`devices customary in a host device which are found in
`practically all host devices are, for example, drivers for hard
`disks, for graphics devices or for printer devices. As how-
`ever the hard disk interfaccs in common host devices which
`can be, for example, IBM PCS, IBM-compatible PCS, Com-
`modore F'Cs, Apple computers or even workstations, are the
`interfaces with the highest data transfer rate, the hard disk
`driver is utilized in the preferred embodiment of the inter-
`face device of the present
`invention. Drivers for other
`storage devices such as floppy disk drives, CD-RUM drives
`or tape drives could also be utilized in order to implement
`the interface device according to the present invention.
`As described in the following, the interface device accord-
`ing to the present invention is to be attached to a host device
`by means of a multi-purpose interface of the host device
`which can be implemented, for example, as an SCSI inter-
`face or as an enhanced printer interface. Multi—purpose
`interfaces comprise both an interface card and specific driver
`software for the interface card. The driver software can be
`designed so that it can replace the BIOS driver routines.
`Communication between the host device and the devices
`attached to the multi—purpose interface then essentially takes
`place by means of the specific driver software for the
`mttlti-purpose interface and rto longer primarily by means of
`BIUS routines ofthe host device. Recently however drivers
`for multi-purpose interfaces can also already be integrated in
`the BIOS system of the host device as, alongside classical
`input/output interfaces, multi—purposc interfaces are becom-
`ing increasingly common in host devices. It is of course also
`possible to use I-HUS routines in parallel with the specific
`driver software for the multipurpose interface, if this is
`desired.
`
`The interface device according to the present invention
`comprises a processor means, a memory means, a fll'St
`connecting device for interfacing the host device with the
`interface device, and a second connecting device for inter-
`facing the interface device with the data transmitfreceive
`device. The interface device is configured by the processor
`means and the memory means in such a way that
`the
`interface device, when receiving an inquiry from the host
`
`

`
`US 6,470,399 B1
`
`5
`device via the first connecting device as to the type of a
`device attached to the host device, sends a signal, regardless
`of the type of the data transmit/receive device, to the host
`device via the first connecting device which signals to the
`host device that it is communicating with an input/‘output
`device. The interface device according to the present inven-
`tion therefore simulates, both in terms of hardware and
`software,
`the way in which a conventional
`input/output
`device functions, preferably that of a hard disk drive. AS
`support for hard disks is implemented as standard in all
`commercially available host systems,
`the simulation of a
`hard disk, for example, can provide host device—independcnt
`use. The interface device according to the present invention
`therefore no longer communicates with the host device or
`computer by means of a specially designed driver but by
`means of a program which is present in the BIOS system
`(Basic Input/Output System) and is normally precisely
`matched to the specific computer system on which it
`is
`installed, or by means of a specific program for the multi-
`purpose interface. Consequently,
`the interface device
`according to the present invention combines the advantages
`of both groups. On the one hand, communication between
`the computer and the interface takes place by means of a
`host device-specific BIOS program or by means of a driver
`program which is matched to the multi-purpose interface
`and which could be regarded as a “device—speci.fic driver”.
`On the other hand, the BIOS program or a corresponding
`multi-purpose interface program which operates one of the
`common input/output interfaces in host systems is therefore
`present
`in all host systems so that
`the interface device
`according to the present
`invention is host device-
`independent.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`In the following, preferred embodiments of the present
`invention will be explained in more detail with reference to
`the drawings enclosed. in which:
`FIG. 1 shows a general block diagram of the interface
`device according to the present invention; and
`l"‘I(3. 2 shows detailed block diagram of an interface
`device according to a preferred embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
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`FIG. 1 shows a general block diagram of an interface
`device 10 according to the present invention. A first con-
`necting device l2 of the interface device 10 can be attached
`to a host device (not shown) via a host
`line 11. The first
`connecting device is attached both to a digital signal pro-
`cessor I3 and to a memory means I4. The digital signal
`processor 13 and the memory means 14 are also attached to
`a second connecting device 15 by means of bidirectional
`communication lines (shown for all lines by means of two
`directional arrows). The second connecting device can be
`attached by means of an output line 16 to a data transmit,’
`receive device which is to receive data from the host device
`or from which data is to be read, i.e. acquired, and trans-
`ferred to the host device. The data transmit/‘receive device
`itself can also communicate actively with the host device via
`the first and second connecting device, as described in rrtore
`detail in the following.
`Communication between the host system or host device
`and the interface device is based on known standard access
`commands as supported by all known operating systems
`(eg. DOS, Wlindows, Unix). Preferably, the interface device
`
`6
`according to the present invention simulates a hard disk with
`a root directory whose entries are “vinual“ files which can
`be created for the most varied functions. When the host
`device system with which the interface device according to
`the present
`invention is connected is booted and a data
`transmit/receive device is also attached to the interface
`device 10, usual BIOS routines or multi—purpose interface
`programs issue an instmction, known by those skilled in the
`art as the INQUIRY instruction, to the input/output inter-
`faces in the host device. The digital signal processor 13
`receives this inquiry instruction via the first connecting
`device and generates a signal which is sent to the host device
`(not shown) again via the first connecting device 12 and the
`host line 11. This signal indicates to the host device that, for
`example, a hard disk drive is attached at the interface to
`which the INQUIRY instruction was sent. Optionally, the
`host device can send an instruction, known by those skilled
`in the art as “Test Unit Ready", to the interface device to
`request more precise details regarding the queried device.
`Regardless of which data transmit/receive device at the
`output line 16 is attached to the second connecting device,
`the digital signal processor 13 informs the host device that
`it is communicating with a hard disk drive. If the host device
`receives the response that a drive is present, it then sends a
`request to the interface device 10 to read the boot sequence
`which, on actual hard disks, normally resides on the first
`sectors of the disk. The digital signal processor 13, whose
`operating system in stored in the memory means 14,
`responds to this instruction by sending to the host device a
`virtual boot sequence which, in the case of actual drives,
`includes the drive type, the starting position and the length
`of the file allocation table (FAT), the number of sectors, ctc.,
`known to those skilled in the art. Once the host device has
`received this data, it assumes that the interface device 10
`according to a preferred embodiment of the present inven-
`tion is a hard disk drive. In reply to an instruction from the
`host device to display the directory of the "virtual" hard disk
`drive simulated by the interface device 10 with respect to the
`host device, the digital signal processor can respond to the
`host device in exactly the same way as a conventional hard
`disk would, namely by reading on request the file allocation
`table or FAT on a sector specified in the boot sequence,
`normally the first writable sector, and transferring it to the
`host device, and subsequently by transferring the directory
`structure of the virtual hard disk. Further, it is possible that
`the FAT is not read until immediately prior to reading or
`storing the data of the "virtual" hard disk and not already at
`initialization.
`
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
`digital signal processor 13, which need not necessarily be
`implemented as a digital signal processor but may be any
`other kind of microprocessor, comprises a first and a second
`command interpreter. The first cornmand interpreter carries
`out the steps described above whilst the second command
`interpreter carries out the readfwrite assignment to specific
`functions. If the user now wishes to read data from the data
`transmitireceive device via the line 16, the host device sends
`a comntand, for example “read file Ky",
`to the interface
`device. As described above, the interface device appears to
`the host device as a hard disk. The mcond command
`interpreter of the digital signal processor now interprets the
`read command ()f the host processor as a data transfer
`command, by decoding whether “xy" denotes, for example,
`a '‘real—time input” file, a “configuration” file or an execut-
`able file, whereby the same begins to transfer data from the
`data transmitfreceive device via the second connecting
`device to the first connecting device and via the line 11 to the
`host device.
`
`

`
`US 6,470,399 B1
`
`7
`Preferably, the volume of data to be acquired by a data
`transmit/receive device is specified l.t'1 a configuration file
`described in the following by the user specifying in the said
`con figuration file that a measurement is to last, for example,
`five minutes. To the host device the “real-time input” file
`then appears as a file whose length corresponds to the
`anticipated volume of data in those five minutes. Those
`skilled in the art know that communication between a
`processor and a hard disk consists of the processor trans-
`ferring to the hard disk the numbers of the blocks or clusters
`or sectors whose contents it wishes to read. By reference to
`the FAT the processor knows which information is contained
`in which block. In this case, communication between the
`host device and the interface device according to the present
`invention therefore consists of the very fast transfer of block
`numbers and preferably of block number ranges because a
`virtual “rea]-time input” file will not be fragmented. If the
`host device now wants to read the “real-time input" file, it
`transfers a range of block numbers to the interface device,
`whereupon data commences to be received via the second
`connecting device and data commences to be sent to the host
`device via the first connecting device.
`In addition to the digital signal processor instruction
`memory, which comprises the operating system of the digital
`signal processor and can be implemented as an EPROM or
`EEPROM, the memory means 14 can have an additional
`buffer for purposes of Synchronizing data transfer from the
`data transmitfreceive device to the interface device 10 and
`data transfer from the interface device 1010 the host device.
`
`Preferably, the buffer is implemented as a fast random
`access memory or RAM buifer.
`Further, from the host device the user can also create a
`configuration file, whose entries automatically set and con-
`trol various functions of the interface device 10, on the
`interface device 10 which appears to the host device as a
`hard disk. These settings can be, for example, gain, multi-
`plex or sampling rate settings. By creating and editing a
`configuration lile, normally a text lilc which is simple to
`understand with little prior knowledge, users of the interface
`device 10 are able to perform essentially identical operator
`actions for almost any data transmitfreceive devices which
`can be attached to the second connecting device via the line
`16, thus eliminating a source of error arising from users
`having to know many dilferent command codes for different
`applications. In the case of the interface device 10 according
`to the present invention it is necessary for users to note the
`conventions of the configuration file once only in order to be
`able to use the interface device 10 as an interface between
`a host device and almost any data transmit/receive device.
`As a result of the option of storing any files in agreed
`formats in the memory means 14 of the interface device 10,
`taking into account the maximum capacity of the memory
`means, any enhancements or even completely new functions
`of the interface device ll] can be quickly implemented. Even
`files executable by the host device, such as batch files or
`executable liles (llfif or EXE tiles), and also help liles can
`be implemented in the interface device,
`thus achieving
`independence of the interface device 10 from any additional
`software (with the exception of the BIOS routines) of the
`host device. On the one hand, this avoids licensing andfor
`registration problems and, on the other hand, installation Of
`certain routines which can be frequently used, for example
`an FFT routine to examine acquired timc—domain data in the
`frequency domain, is rendered unnecessary as the EXE files
`are already installed on the interface device 10 and appear in
`the virtual root directory, by means of which the host device
`can access all programs stored on the interface device 10.
`
`8
`invention in
`In a preferred embodiment of the present
`which the interface device 10 simulates a hard disk to the
`host device, the interface device is automatically detected
`and readied for operation when the host system is powered
`up or booted. This corresponds to the plug-and-play standard
`which is currently finding increasingly widespread use. The
`user is no longer responsible for installing the interface
`device 10 on the host device by means of specific drivers
`which must also be loaded; instead the interface device 10
`is automatically readied for operation when the host system
`is booted.
`
`For persons skilled hi the art it is however obvious that the
`interface device 10 is not necessarily signed on when the
`computer system is powered up but that a special BIOS
`routine or a driver for a multi-purpose interface can also he
`started on the host device during current operation of the
`computer system in order to sign on or mount the interface
`device 10 as an additional hard disk. This embodiment is
`suitable for larger workstation systems which are essentially
`never powered down as they perform, e.g. mail functions or
`monitor processes which run continuously, for example, in
`multi—tasking environments.
`In the interface device according to the present invention
`an enormous advantage is to be gained, as apparent in the
`embodiment described in the following, in separating the
`actual hardware required to attach the interface device 10 to
`the data transmitfreceive device from the communication
`unit, which is implemented by the digital signal processor
`13, the memory means 14 and the first connecting device 12,
`as this allows a plurality of dissimilar device types to be
`operated in parallel in identical manner. Accordingly, many
`interface devices 10 can be connected to a host device which
`then sees many dilierent “virtual” hard disks. In addition,
`any modification of the specific hardware symbolimd by the
`second connecting device 15 can be implemented essentially
`without changing the operation of the interface device
`according to the present invention. Further, an experienced
`user can intervene at any time on any level of the existing
`second connecting device by making use of the above
`mentioned option of creating a configuration file or adding
`or storing new program sections for the second connecting
`device.
`An important advantage of