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`US(]06470399B1
`
`(12} United States Patent
`US 6,470,399 B1
`(10) Patent N0.:
`Tasler
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Oct. 22, 2002
`
`(54) FLEXIBLE INTERFACE FOR
`COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A HOST AND
`AN ANALOG I10 DEVICE CONNECTED TO
`THE INTERFACE REGARDLESS TH E TYPE
`OF THE [1'0 DEVICE
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: MichaelTaslcr,Wiirzburg(Dli)
`
`(73) Assignee: Lalmrtechnik 'I'aslcr GmI)H,
`Wuerzhurg (DE)
`
`{* ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent
`is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 15401) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl.No.:
`
`091331.002
`
`(22) PCI' Filed:
`
`Mar.3,1998
`
`{an}
`
`PC1‘No.;
`
`PCTIEPS'SIOIIS‘!
`
`§371 (cltl).
`(21(4) Date:
`
`Jun. 14, 1999
`
`(87) PCT Pub. No; “(098139710
`
`I’C’I‘ Pub. Date: Sep. 11, 1998
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`Mar. 4. 199?
`
`mm.mmmmmmmmu
`
`197 08 T55
`
`(51) Int.Cl.’
`(52) U.S. CI.
`(58) Field of Search
`
`01115013114
`710116; 710.162; 710163
`710115, 16, 11,
`710112, 52. 63, 64; 703123. 24, 25
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PA'I‘EN'I' DOCUMEN'I‘S
`
`5,291,611 A
`5.201.124 A *
`5.430.855 A "
`5.444.644 A
`5,487,154 A
`5,499,318 A "
`5.5%.092 A
`5,510,114 A
`5548333 A *
`6,012,113 A 3
`
`31' 1994 Davis et al.
`311‘194 Plotkin et al.
`711995 Walsh ct a].
`8(1995 Divjak
`111995 Gunji
`3K19‘X) Mchiil ct al.
`4.91996 Mtlrala
`411996 lnncle
`8119915 Jones et al.
`UZUUE! Tuckner
`
`1113123
`7'031’23
`
`1‘03124
`
`7111.115
`110104
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`DE
`EP
`EP
`JP
`JP
`W0
`
`2119‘}?
`195 28 88‘) A1
`111991
`[I 43!) 458 A2
`1211995
`[I 1585 1‘99 AI
`[(111994
`tmmom A
`411996
`[18110883 A
`911994
`W(J94|'r l 9146
`OT! 'IER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Steve Martin, "PCT-based Data Acquisition in an Industrial
`Environment." pp. 1-3 ([990).
`Payne el al.. "High Speed PCT—based Data Acquisition Sys-
`tems,” IEEE, pp. 2140—2145 (1995).
`National Instruments Corporation, "Dynamic Signai Acqui-
`sition and DSP Board for the PC All" IEEE 488 and VXIbus
`Control, Data Acquuisition, and Analysis. pp. 3—118—3—1 23,
`(I994).
`between
`"Communication Method
`[HM Corporation,
`Devices through I-‘DD Interface." IBM Technical Disclosure
`Bulletin, v01. 38 (No. (15), p. 245 (May, [995).
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Exrtrrtiner—Themas Lee
`Assistant trimmer—'I‘huan Du
`
`(74) Attorney Agent, or Firm—Patton Boggs LLP
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`An interface device {10) provides fast data communication
`between a host device with inputt’output interfaces and a data
`transmittreceivc device, wherein the interface device (10)
`comprises a processor means ('13), a memoryr means (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
`transmitfreccive device. The interface device (10) is config—
`ured by the processor means (13) and the memory means
`(14) in such a way that, when receiving an inquiry from the
`host device via the first connecting device (12) as to the type
`of a device attached to the host device, regardless of the type
`of the data transmittreceive device,
`the interface device
`sends a signal to the host device via the first connecting
`device (12) which signals to the host device that
`it
`is
`communicating with an inputi'eutput device.
`
`15 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 22, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 0f2
`
`US 6,470,399 Bl
`
`
`
`10
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`15
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`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 22, 2002
`
`Shthon
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`US 6,4?0,399 Bl
`
`l
`FLEXIBLE INTERFACE FOR
`COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A HOST AND
`AN ANALOG HO DEVICE CONNECTED TO
`THE INTERFACE REGARDLESS THE TYPE
`OF TH E UO 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 transmiti’receive device
`from which data is to be acquired or with which two—way
`communication is to take place.
`
`10
`
`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 diflicult to implement
`such interfaces for portable systems and they offer few
`possibilities for adaptation with the result that such systems
`olfer 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 customer who operates,
`for example, a
`diagnostic radiology system in a medical engineering envi-
`ronmcnt reports a fault. A field service technician of the
`system manufacturer visits the customer and reads system
`log files 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 dcvice, cg. 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 of data
`are involved is it necessary for the interface to support a high
`data transfer rate.
`
`From these randomly chosen examples it can be seen that
`an interface may be put
`to totally dilfcrent uses.
`It
`is
`therefore desirable that an interface be suflicientty flexible to
`permit attachment of very different 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 different 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 of data acquisition systems
`for the interface devices was to specifically match the
`
`3t]
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`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 ineffective. Further, such types of interface
`have the disadvantage that they must he installed inside the
`computer casing to achieve maximum data transfer rates as
`they access the internal host bus system. They are therefore
`generally not suitable for portable host systems in the form
`of laptops whose minimum possible size leaves little internal
`space to plug in an interface card.
`
`DESCRIP'I'ION OF PRIOR ART
`
`A solution to this problem is offered by the interface
`devices of IOtech (business address: 25971 Cannon Road,
`Cleveland, Ohio 44146, USA) which are suitable for laptops
`such as the WaveBooki’Sl2 (registered trademark). The
`interface devices are connected by means of a plug-in card.
`approximately the size of a credit card, to the I’CMCIA
`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 hufier and a hardware module which
`terminates 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-
`specilic 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 diJIerent host system. I'Iowever, 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—
`simultaneously, 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.
`
`65
`
`l:llJ (1685799 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 comprises a finite
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`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.
`The specialist publication IBM Technical Disclosure
`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 MFM
`encodco’decoder, a serialfparallel 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
`FDD 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. Ilowever, 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 floppy disk drive controller.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE lNVEN'I'ION
`
`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-
`indcpendent 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 inputr'
`output devices customary in a host device and a multi-
`purpose interface, and a data transmitfreceive device com-
`prising: a processor; a memory; a first connecting device for
`interfacing the host device with the interface device via the
`multi-purpose interface of the host device; and a second
`connecting device for interfacing the interface device with
`the data transmittreceive 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-purposc interface of the host device,
`sends a signal, regardless of the type of the data transmit;f
`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 inputfoutput device customary in a
`host device. whereupon the host device communicates with
`the interface device by means of the driver for the inpubt
`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 transmittreceive 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
`Lransmitfreceive 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 transmit/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 inputfoutput device customary in a host device,
`
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`whereupon the host device communicates with the interface
`device by means of the specific driver for the mu [ti-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 inputfoulput
`devices customary in a host device and a multinpurposrz
`interface, and a data transmilt‘receive 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
`mulli—purpose interface of the host device; interfacing of the
`data transmitfreccive 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
`mulli-purpose interface of the host device is attached;
`regardless of the type of the data transmitfreceive 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 inputfoutput
`device customary in a host device, whereupon the host
`device communicates with the interface device by means of
`the usual driver for the inputt'output device.
`The present invention is based on the finding that both a
`high data transfer rate and host device—independent use can
`be achieved if a driver for an inputi'output device customary
`in a host device, normally present
`in most commercially
`available host devices, is utilized. Drivers for inputloutput
`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 interfaces in common host devices which
`can be, for example, IBM PCs, IBM-compatible PCs, Com-
`modore PCs, 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—ROM 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. Mu [ti—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
`mulli-purpose interface and no longer primarily by means of
`BIOS routines of the 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
`inputfoutput interfaces, multipurpose interfaces are becom—
`ing increasingly common in host devices. It is of course also
`possible to use BIOS routines in parallel with the specific
`driver software for the multi-purpose interface, if this is
`desired.
`
`The interface device according to the present invention
`comprises a processor means, a memory means, a first
`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 transmiti’receive
`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
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`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 transmittreceive device, to the host
`device via the first connecting device which signals to the
`host device that it is communicating with an inpulfoutput
`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
`inpulfoutput
`device functions, preferably that of a hard disk drive. As
`support for hard disks is implemented as standard in all
`commerciallyr available host systems, the simulation of a
`hard disk, for example, can provide host device-independent
`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 lnputr‘Output System) and is normally preciser
`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. ()n the one hand, communication between
`the computer and the interface takes plans: 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-specific driver".
`On the other hand, the BIOS program or a corresponding
`multi-purposc interface program which operates one of the
`common inputt'output interfaces in host systems is therefore
`prcscnt
`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
`FIG. 2 shows detailed block diagram of an interface
`device according to a preferred embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. I shows a general block diagram of an interface
`device 10 according to the present invention. A first ccnv
`necting device 12 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 13 and to a memory means 14. 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 secoan 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 transmiti’receive device
`itself can also communicate actively with the host device via
`the first and second connecting device, as described in more
`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
`(e. g. DOS, Windows, Unix). Preferably, the interface device
`
`10
`
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`according to the present invention simulates a hard disk with
`a root directory whose entries are “virtual” liles 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
`transmitr'receive device is also attached to the interface
`device 19, usual BIOS routines or multi—purposc interface
`programs issue an instruction, known by those skilled in the
`art as the INQUIRY instruction, to the inputfoutput 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 ll. 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 transmittreceive 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 (EAT). the number of sectors. etc.
`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 “virtuaI” 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 lirst writable sector, and transferring it
`to the
`host device, and subsequently by transferring the directory
`structure of the virtual hard disk. l-‘urthcr, 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 lirst command interpreter carries
`out the steps described above whilst the second command
`interpreter carries out the readtwritc assignment to specific
`functions. If the user now wishes to read data from the data
`transmittrcceive device via the line 16, the host device sends
`a command, for example “read file try", to the interface
`device. As described above, the interface device appears to
`the host device as a hard disk. The second command
`
`interpreter of the digital signal processor now interprets the
`read command of 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 filc, whereby the same begins to transfer data from the
`data transmitrrcceive device via the second connecting
`device to the first connecting device and via the line 11 to the
`host device.
`
`10/13/2016, EAST Version: 3.0.0.6
`
`10/13/2016,
`
`EAST Version:
`
`3.0.0.6
`
`

`

`US 6,410,399 Bl
`
`10
`
`7
`Preferably, the volume Of data to be acquired by a data
`transmitlreceivc device is specified in a configuration file
`described in the following by the user specifying in the said
`configuration file that a measurement is to last, for example,
`five minutes. To the host device the “real-time input" file
`then appears as a
`tile 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 “real-time input" tile 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
`devioe 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
`bulIer for purposes of synchronizing data transfer from the
`data transmittreceive device to the interface device [I] and
`data transfer from the interface device It] to the host device.
`
`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 on rresponds 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 in 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 be
`started on the host device during current operation of the
`computer system in order to sign on or mount the interface
`device ll] 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
`mulli—tasking environments.
`In the interface device according to the present invention
`an enormous advantage is to he 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 transmittreceive 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 dilferent “virtual” hard disks. in addition,
`any modification of the specific hardware symbolized 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 the interface device 10 of the
`present invention is that it also permits extremely high data
`transfer rates by using, for data interchange, the host device-
`own BIOS routines which are optimized for each host device
`by the host device manufacturer or BIOS system
`manufacturer, or by using driver programs which are nor—
`mally optimized and included by the manufacturers of
`multi—purpose interfaces. Furthermore, due to the simulation
`of a virtual mass storage device. the data is managed and
`made available in such a way that
`it can be transferred
`directly to other storage media, e.g. to an actual hard disk of
`the host device without. as it were, intervention of the host
`device processor. The only limitation to long-term data
`transfer at high speed is therefore imposed exclusively by
`the speed and the size of the mass storage device of the host
`device. This is the ease as the digital signal processor 13
`already fomtats the data read by the data transmitt'receive
`device via the second connecting device 15 into block sizes
`suitable for a hard disk of the host device, whereby the data
`transfer speed is limited only by the mechanical latency of
`the hard disk system of the host device. At
`this point,
`it
`should be noted that normally data flow from a host device
`must be formatted in blocks to permit writing to a hard disk
`and subsequent reading from a hard disk, as known by those
`skilled in the art.
`
`Preferably, the bufi‘er is implemented as a fast random
`access memory or RAM buffer.
`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 s