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`US 20050160199Al
`
`(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication
`Tasler
`
`(10) Pub. No.: US 2005/0160199 Al
`Jul. 21, 2005
`(43) Pub. Date:
`
`(54) FLEXIBLE INTERFACE
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: Michael Tasler, Wurzburg (DE)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`GLENN PATENT GROUP
`3475 EDISON WAY, SUITE L
`MENLO PARK, CA 94025 (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`11/078,778
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Mar. 11, 2005
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 10/219,105, filed on
`Aug. 15, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,895,449.
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Mar. 4, 1997
`Mar. 3, 1998
`
`(DE) ........................................ 19708755.8
`(WO) ............................ PCT/EP98/01187
`
`Int. Cl.7 ....................................................... G06F 3/00
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ................................................................ 710/16
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An interface device (10) provides fast data communication
`between a host device with input/output interfaces and a data
`transmit/receive device, wherein the interface device (10)
`comprises a processor means (13), a memory 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
`transmit/receive device. The interface device (10) is config(cid:173)
`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 transmit/receive 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 input/output device.
`
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`ZTE (USA) 1006, Page 1
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Jul. 21, 2005 Sheet 1 of 2
`
`US 2005/0160199 Al
`
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`ZTE (USA) 1006, Page 2
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`
`ZTE (USA) 1006, Page 3
`
`

`
`US 2005/0160199 Al
`
`Jul. 21, 2005
`
`1
`
`FLEXIBLE INTERFACE
`[0001] 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 communication is to take place.
`
`[0002] Existing data acquisition systems for computers are
`very limited in their areas of application. Generally such
`systems can be classified into two groups.
`
`[0003]
`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(cid:173)
`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 offer few
`possibilities for adaptation with the result that such systems
`offer little flexibility.
`
`[0004] 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 engi(cid:173)
`neering environment reports a fault. A field service techni(cid:173)
`cian 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.
`If the 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.
`
`[0005] 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(cid:173)
`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.
`
`[0006] From these randomly chosen examples it can be
`seen that an interface may be put to totally different uses. It
`is therefore desirable that an interface be sufficiently 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.
`
`[0007] To increase the data transfer rates across an inter(cid:173)
`face, the route chosen in the second group of data acquisition
`systems for the interface devices was to specifically match
`the 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 disadvan(cid:173)
`tage 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 be installed
`inside the computer casing to achieve maximum data trans(cid:173)
`fer 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.
`
`[0008] A solution to this problem is offered by the inter(cid:173)
`face devices of IOtech (business address: 25971 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 PCM CIA
`interface which is now a standard feature in laptops. The
`plug-in card converts the PCM CIA interface into an inter(cid:173)
`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 buffer 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.
`
`[0009]
`In order to work with the said interface, an inter(cid:173)
`face-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.
`
`[0010] Particularly in an application for multi-tasking sys(cid:173)
`tems in which several different tasks such as data acquisi(cid:173)
`tion, data display and editing are to be performed quasi(cid:173)
`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.
`
`[0011] 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 comprises a
`finite 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
`
`ZTE (USA) 1006, Page 4
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`

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`US 2005/0160199 Al
`
`Jul. 21, 2005
`
`2
`
`known interface device provides optimal matching between
`a host device and a specific peripheral device.
`[0012] The specialist publication IBM Technical Disclo(cid:173)
`sure 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
`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
`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. 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 floppy disk drive controller.
`[0013]
`It is the object of the present invention to provide
`an 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.
`[0014] This object is achieved by an interface device
`according to claim 1 or 12 and by a method according to
`claim 15.
`[0015] 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 input/output device
`customary in a host device, normally present in most com(cid:173)
`mercially 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
`however the hard disk interfaces in common host devices
`which can be, for example, IBM PCs, IBM-compatible PCs,
`Commodore 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
`interface 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.
`[0016] As described in the following, the interface device
`according 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
`interface 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
`multi-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
`input/output interfaces, multi-purpose interfaces are becom(cid:173)
`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.
`
`[0017] 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
`interfacing the interface device with the data transmit/
`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
`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(cid:173)
`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-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 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(cid:173)
`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-specific 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-indepen(cid:173)
`dent.
`
`[0018]
`In the following, preferred embodiments of the
`present invention will be explained in more detail with
`reference to the drawings enclosed, in which:
`
`[0019] FIG. 1 shows a general block diagram of the
`interface device according to the present invention; and
`
`[0020] FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of an
`interface device according to a preferred embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`[0021] FIG. 1 shows a general block diagram of an
`interface device 10 according to the present invention. A first
`connecting 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
`processor 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 bi-directional
`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(cid:173)
`ferred to the host device. The data transmit/receive device
`
`ZTE (USA) 1006, Page 5
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`

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`US 2005/0160199 Al
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`Jul. 21, 2005
`
`3
`
`itself can also communicate actively with the host device via
`the first and second connecting device, as described in more
`detail in the following.
`
`[0022] 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 inter(cid:173)
`face device according to the present invention simulates a
`hard disk with a root directory whose entries are "virtual"
`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(cid:173)
`purpose interface programs issue an instruction, known by
`those skilled in the art as the INQUIRY instruction, to the
`input/output interfaces 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.
`
`[0023] 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, 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(cid:173)
`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.
`
`[0024]
`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 command interpreter carries
`out the steps described above whilst the second command
`interpreter carries out the read/write assignment to specific
`
`functions. If the user now wishes to read data from the data
`transmit/receive device via the line 16, the host device sends
`a command, for example "read file xy", 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(cid:173)
`able file, whereby the same begins to transfer data from the
`data transmit/receive device via the second connecting
`device to the first connecting device and via the line 11 to the
`host device.
`[0025] Preferably, the volume of data to be acquired by a
`data transmit/receive 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 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(cid:173)
`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" 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.
`[0026]
`In addition to the digital signal processor instruc(cid:173)
`tion 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 transmit/receive device to the interface device
`10 and data transfer from the interface device 10 to the host
`device.
`[0027] Preferably, the buffer is implemented as a fast
`random access memory or RAM buffer.
`[0028] Further, from the host device the user can also
`create a configuration file, whose entries automatically set
`and control 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,
`multiplex or sampling rate settings. By creating and editing
`a configuration file, normally a text file 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 transmit/receive 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 different 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.
`
`ZTE (USA) 1006, Page 6
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`

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`US 2005/0160199 Al
`
`Jul. 21, 2005
`
`4
`
`[0029] 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 10 can be quickly imple(cid:173)
`mented. Even files executable by the host device, such as
`batch files or executable files (BAT or EXE files), and also
`help files 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 rou(cid:173)
`tines) of the host device. On the one hand, this avoids
`licensing and/or registration problems and, on the other
`hand, installation of certain routines which can be frequently
`used, for example an FFT routine to examine acquired
`time-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.
`[0030]
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention
`in 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.
`[0031] 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 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.
`[0032]
`In the interface device according to the present
`invention an enormous advantage is to be gained, as appar(cid:173)
`ent in the embodiment described in the following, in sepa(cid:173)
`rating the actual hardware required to attach the interface
`device 10 to the data transmit/receive 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 different "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.
`[0033] 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(cid:173)
`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 case as the digital signal processor 13
`already formats the data read by the data transmit/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.
`
`[0034] The said data transfer rate can be increased further
`by setting up a direct memory access (DMA) or RAM drive
`in the host system. As those skilled in the art know, the
`setting up of a RAM drive requires processor resources of
`the host device, with the result that the advantage of writing
`the data to a hard disk drive of the host device essentially
`without the need for processor resources is lost.
`[0035] As described above, a data buffer can be imple(cid:173)
`mented in the memory means 14 to permit independence in
`terms of time of the data transmit/receive device attached to
`the second connecting device from the host device attached
`to the first connecting device. This guarantees error-free
`operation of the interface device 10 even for time-critical
`applications in multi-tasking host systems.
`[0036] FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of an
`interface device 10 according to the present invention.
`
`[0037] A digital signal processor (DSP) 1300 is, in a
`manner of speaking, the heart of the interface device 10. The
`DSP can be any DSP but preferably has a 20-MB on-chip
`random access memory (RAM). Certain instruction sets, for
`example, can be stored in the RAM already integrated in the
`DSP. An 80-MHz clock generator is attached to the DSP
`1300 in order to synchronize the DSP. The DSP implements
`a fast Fourier transformation (FFT) in real time and also
`optional data compression of the data to be transferred from
`the data transmit/receive device to the host device in order
`to achieve greater efficiency and to permit interoperation
`with host devices which have a smaller. memory.
`
`[0038]
`In the preferred embodiment of the interface device
`10 shown in FIG. 2, the first connecting device 12 of FIG.
`1 contains the following components: an SCSI interface
`1220 an