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:
Oct. 06, 1987
Filed:
Jan. 13, 1984
Dev R Rattan, Chicago, IL (US);
Robert R Parker, Wheeling, IL (US);
Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
An intelligent interface arrangement is provided for controlling operation of peripheral devices including a video device and a random access slide projector from a computer. The computer via the interface arrangement also controls the audio and video inputs to the system monitor for the selection of either audio channel from the video device, no audio, or mixed audio. The video control includes selection of video from the video device or computer. The computer addresses the interface arrangement with a predetermined unique address code. The address also includes the category of video device to be controlled. Each command sequence from the computer to the interface arrangement includes a start of command byte, one or more command bytes and an end of command byte. Each communication command sequence also includes a video-audio device command byte for selection of desired audio and video modes. The video-audio device command byte in a preferred arrangement also includes a bit of information for designating the type of video device within a category. The interface arrangement senses the status of the connected video device and slide projector including video device and slide projector connection status, the type of video device connected, power-on status, and operational mode status. The interface arrangement responds to status request by the computer to supply the status of each peripheral and the internal status of the interface components. The interface arrangement also communicates various error and status messages including acknowledgement of received command sequences and for error in agreement between the requested and connected perpheral device.