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:
Apr. 20, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 02, 1995
Richard R Zarchy, Crystal Lake, IL (US);
Snap-on Incorporated, Kenosha, WI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for electrically interfacing a first terminal device and a second terminal device to a shared serial port interface of a host by first connecting the first terminal device to a portion of the lines of the serial port interface, then connecting the second terminal device to at least some of the remaining lines of the serial port interface, and initializing the host for data communication with both the first and second terminal devices. In the disclosed embodiment, the second terminal device is a remote control apparatus interfaced to unused lines of a serial port interface of a host device. The host device is of the type adapted for simultaneous communication with both a terminal device and the remote control apparatus through a single-dedicated serial communications port interface.