Translation device between a client-server network and a master-slave general purpose instrument bus (gpib) requiring no driver software, and methods therefor
OwnerDaniel Chang, Greg Cardellinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A translation device between client-server computer networks and the General Purpose Instrumentation Bus (GPIB). Methods for Write, Read, and Command transactions to conduct data transfer between client-server computer networks and GPIB. Separate data channels and a single control channel are utilized. No specialized driver software is required.
Claims12
A conversion device between a client-server network and the General Purpose Instrumentation Bus (GPIB), comprising:
- a. one or more interfaces to the network
- b. one or more interfaces to the GPIB
- c. software to perform transactions initiated by a computer connected to the network such that data is written from that computer to devices connected to the GPIB, utilizing a multiplicity of network data channels wherein each channel is uniquely mapped to a device connected to the GPIB
- d. software to perform transactions initiated by a computer connected to the network such that data is written from that computer to devices connected to the GPIB, utilizing a network control channel to initiate and control the transactions, and a multiplicity of network data channels wherein each channel is uniquely mapped to a device connected to the GPIB
- e. software to perform transactions initiated by a computer connected to the network such that data is read from devices connected to the GPIB and transferred to the computer, utilizing a network control channel to initiate and control the transactions, and a multiplicity of network data channels wherein each channel is uniquely mapped to a device connected to the GPIB.
A method of utilizing a client-server network to transfer data residing on devices connected to a General Purpose Instrumentation Bus (GPIB) to a computer connected to the network, the method comprising:
- a. defining a control channel on the network
- b. defining a multiplicity of data channels on the network, each data channel uniquely mapped to a device connected to the GPIB
- c. communicating on the control channel the desire to initiate a data transfer, as well as parameters defining the transfer, the parameters specifying at least the address of the device connected to the GPIB to which communication is desired
- d. reading the data residing on the device connected to the GPIB and transferring that data to the computer using the data channel corresponding to that device.
A method of utilizing a client-server network to transfer data residing on a computer connected to the network to devices connected to a General Purpose Instrumentation Bus (GPIB), the method comprising:
- a. defining a control channel on the network
- b. defining a multiplicity of data channels on the network, each data channel uniquely mapped to a device connected to the GPIB
- c. in one mode of employment, writing to a data channel corresponding to a device connected to the GPIB to which communication is desired, this write-transaction to the data channel being sufficient to define the corresponding write transaction to the GPIB, then performing said corresponding write transaction to the GPIB
- d. in another mode of employment, communicating on the control channel the desire to initiate a data transfer, as well as parameters defining the transfer, the parameters specifying at least the address of the device connected to the GPIB to which communication is desired and the number of bytes to be transmitted, then reading from the data channel said number of bytes, then writing said number of bytes to the device across the GPIB.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.