The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 01, 1977
Filed:
May. 14, 1975
Jon L Cross, San Jose, CA (US);
Merle Edward Homan, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Guenther Keith Machol, Saratoga, CA (US);
Richard La Malm, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Larry Eugene Svelund, San Jose, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Apparatus under microprocessor control for use in communicating over a serial communication loop with a remote attached control unit. It is capable of establishing frame synchronization, interpreting commands, assembling data and transmitting bits on the loop. The apparatus also communicates with I/O devices over a demand/response interface. A microprocessor interface with the loop includes loop sync control which establishes bit synchronization and generates a restart pulse at bit receive time and bit send time. The execution of instructions by the microprocessor is stopped and the microprocessor enters a wait state when it has finished all previous work and is ready to receive a loop bit. When it is time to receive the loop bit the microprocessor is restarted in response to the restart pulse from the loop synchronization control. For output operations to a device, the microprocessor loads the device address and a device command or data into shift registers and initiates the transfer by setting a latch. When the transfer to the device is completed, this latch is reset in response to a signal from the device.