Method and apparatus for increasing the data rate over a parallel port

A method for communicating data between a host device and a peripheral device over a parallel port comprising:

• a) toggling a signal on a first control signal line from one of a high value to a low value and the low value to the high value by said host device;
• b) placing data on at least one data signal line of the parallel port by the peripheral device;
• c) reading said data from said parallel port by the host device;
• d) toggling the signal on the first control signal line from the other of said high value to the low value and the low value to the high value;
• e) reading said data from said parallel port by the host device.

A method for communicating data between a host device and a peripheral device over a parallel port comprising:

• setting a signal on a second control signal line by said peripheral device to indicate that the peripheral device has data to transfer to said host device;
• transmitting a command to said parallel port;
• setting a signal on a third control signal line after said transmitting step;
• reading said command from said parallel port by said peripheral device;
• toggling a signal on a first control signal line by said host device;
• placing data on at least one data signal line of the parallel port by the peripheral device;
• reading said data from said parallel port by the host device;
• setting said at least one data signal line to a tri-state condition;
• and
• setting a signal on a fourth control signal line to indicate to said peripheral device that said at least one data signal line is in a tri-state condition.

A method for communicating data between a host device and a peripheral device over a parallel port comprising:

• a) toggling a signal on a first control signal line by said host device;
• b) placing data on at least one control signal line of the parallel port by the peripheral device;
• c) toggling a signal on a second control signal line from one of a high value to a low value and the low value to the high value by said peripheral device;
• d) reading data from said parallel port by the host device;
• e) toggling the signal on the second control signal line from the other of said high value to the low value and the low value to the high value;
• and
• f) reading data from said parallel port by the host device.

A system for communicating data over a parallel port comprising:

• a host device;
• and
• a parallel port coupled to said host device and adapted to be coupled to a peripheral device, said parallel port including at least one data signal line and a first control signal line;
• said host device is adapted to place data on said data signal line of the parallel port and to toggle a signal on said first control signal line of the parallel port from each of a high value to a low value and from the low value to the high value indicating that said data is ready to be read by said peripheral device.

A system for communicating data over a parallel port comprising:

• a host device;
• and
• a parallel port coupled to said host device and adapted to be coupled to a peripheral device, said parallel port including first and second control signal lines;
• said host device is adapted to toggle a signal on said first control signal line from each of a high value to a low value and from the low value to the high value and is adapted to read data from the parallel port after data is placed on at least one control signal line and a signal is toggled on the second control signal line by the peripheral device.