# US 7,610,428 B2 · System for providing a communication interface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,428 B2 - Document ID: US7610428B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/324,732 - Filed: 2005-12-30 - Published: 2007-07-26 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-30 - Assignees: Augmentix Corporation - Inventors: Matthew Darrell Barron, Jr.; Todd Delton Grabbe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610428B2 ## CPC - G06F 13/385: {for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system, providing a communication interface, is provided. The system includes an embedded device and a host. The embedded device includes an Ethernet controller that is connected to a communication bus on the host. The host includes device drivers of the Ethernet controller. Therefore, no special host-side software is required to establish the communication between the embedded device and the host. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a. an embedded device, the embedded device comprising: i. a microprocessor, the microprocessor comprising a first Ethernet controller; ii. a first Physical layer (PHY), wherein the first PHY is coupled to the first Ethernet controller through a physical transmission medium; iii. a second Ethernet controller, the second Ethernet controller comprising a second PHY, wherein the second PHY is coupled to the first PHY through a physical transmission medium on the embedded device, wherein the first Ethernet controller, the first PHY the second PHY and the second Ethernet controller form a network on the embedded device; iv. an electrical isolation medium; and v. an interface operable to be physically coupled to a communication bus; and vi. Power supply module, the power supply module providing a power supply to the embedded device. b. a host, the host comprising the communication bus, wherein the interface of the embedded device is physically coupled to the communication bus, the host and the embedded device are electrically isolated from one another by the electrical isolation medium, the communication bus is coupled to the second Ethernet controller and the host is configured to communicate with the embedded device through the second Ethernet controller using only device drivers included with an operating system running on the host. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the communication bus comprises one or more of a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI extended (PCI-X) bus, and a PCI Express bus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises: a. a memory, the memory being coupled with the microprocessor; and b. one or more Input/Output (I/O) devices, the one or more I/O devices being couple with the microprocessor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises an Ethernet connector, the Ethernet connector providing a physical connection between the embedded device and an Ethernet network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the embedded device is accessible from a remote host on the Ethernet network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor further comprises one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are used for communicating with applications running on the host. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises an instrumentation processor, the instrumentation processor collecting information about the host, the instrumentation processor transmitting the information to the microprocessor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the instrumentation processor comprises a micro-controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises a storage medium, the storage medium being capable of storing data. ### Claim 10 An embedded device for communicating with a host, the embedded device comprising: a. a microprocessor, the microprocessor comprising a first Ethernet controller; b. an electrical isolation medium c. a first Physical layer (PHY), wherein the first PHY is coupled to the first Ethernet controller through a physical transmission medium; and d. a second Ethernet controller, the second Ethernet controller comprising a second PHY, where the second PHY is coupled to the first PHY through a physical transmission medium on the embedded device, wherein the first Ethernet controller, the first PHY the second PHY and the second Ethernet controller form a network on the embedded device and the second Ethernet controller is coupled to a communication bus comprised in the host through an interface physically coupled to the communication bus, wherein the host and the embedded device are electrically isolated from one another by the electrical isolation medium and the host is configured to communicate with the embedded device through the second Ethernet controller using only device drivers included with an operating system running on the host e. Power supply module, the power supply module providing a power supply to the embedded device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The embedded device of claim 10 further comprising: a. a memory, the memory being coupled with the microprocessor; and b. one or more Input/Output (I/O) devices, the one or more I/O devices being coupled with the microprocessor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The embedded device of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor further comprises one or more applications, where the one or more applications are used for communicating with applications running on the host. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The embedded device of claim 10 further comprising an Ethernet connector, the Ethernet connector providing a physical connection between the embedded device and an Ethernet network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The embedded device of claim 13 is accessible from a remote host on the Ethernet network. ### Claim 15 A system comprising: an embedded device, the embedded device comprising: a microprocessor, the microprocessor comprising a first Ethernet controller; an electrical isolation medium; an interface operable to be physically coupled to a communication bus; a first Physical layer (PHY), wherein the first PHY is coupled to the first Ethernet controller through a physical transmission medium; and a second Ethernet controller, the second Ethernet controller comprising a second PHY, wherein the second PHY is coupled to the first PHY through a physical transmission medium on the embedded device such that the first Ethernet controller, the first PHY the second PHY and the second Ethernet controller form a network on the embedded device; and an instrumentation processor, the instrumentation processor collecting information about the host, the instrumentation processor transmitting the information to the microprocessor; and a host, the host comprising the communication bus, wherein the interface of the embedded device is physically coupled to the communication bus, the host is electrically isolated from the embedded device by the electrical isolation medium the communication bus is couple to the second Ethernet controller and the host is configured to communicate with the embedded device through the second Ethernet controller using only device drivers included with an operating system running on the host Power supply module, the power supply module providing a power supply to the embedded device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the communication bus comprises one or more of a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI extended (PCI-X) bus, and a PCI Express bus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the embedded device further comprises: a. a memory, the memory being coupled with the microprocessor; and b. one or more Input/Output (I/O) devices, the one or more I/O devices being couple with the microprocessor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the embedded device further comprises an Ethernet connector, the Ethernet connector providing a physical connection between the embedded device and an Ethernet network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the embedded device is accessible from a remote host on the Ethernet network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor further comprises one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are used for communicating with applications running on the host. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instrumentation processor comprises a micro-controller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the embedded device further comprises a storage medium, the storage medium being capable of storing data. ### Claim 23 An embedded device for communicating with a host, the embedded device comprising: a microprocessor, the microprocessor comprising a first Ethernet controller; an electrical isolation medium; an interface operable to be physically coupled to a communication bus; a first Physical layer (PHY), wherein the first PHY is coupled to the first Ethernet controller through a physical transmission medium; an instrumentation processor, the instrumentation processor collecting information about the host, the instrumentation processor transmitting the information to the microprocessor; and a second Ethernet controller, the second Ethernet controller comprising a second PHY, where the second PHY is coupled to the first PHY through a physical transmission medium on the embedded device such that the first Ethernet controller, the first PHY the second PHY and the second Ethernet controller form a network on the embedded device, the second Ethernet controller operable to be coupled to a communication bus comprised in the host through an interface physically coupled to the communication bus, wherein the host and the embedded device are electrically isolated from one another by the electrical isolation medium and the host is configured to communicate with the embedded device through the second Ethernet controller using only device drivers included with an operating system running on the host Power supply module, the power supply module providing a power supply to the embedded device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The embedded device of claim 23 further comprising: c. a memory, the memory being coupled with the microprocessor; and d. one or more Input/Output (I/O) devices, the one or more I/O devices being coupled with the microprocessor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The embedded device of claim 23 wherein the microprocessor further comprises one or more applications, where the one or more applications are used for communicating with applications running on the host. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The embedded device of claim 23 further comprising an Ethernet connector, the Ethernet connector providing a physical connection between the embedded device and an Ethernet network. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The embedded device of claim 26 is accessible from a remote host on the Ethernet network. ### Claim 28 A method of communicating between an application and a host, comprising: sending a communication from a microprocessor on an embedded device to an application on a host through a communication bus of the host, wherein the embedded device is physically coupled to the communication bus using an interface and the embedded device comprises a first Ethernet controller, a first Physical layer (PHY), coupled to the first Ethernet controller through a physical transmission medium, a second Ethernet controller, the second Ethernet controller comprising a second PHY, wherein the second PHY is coupled to the first PHY through a physical transmission medium on the embedded device such that the first Ethernet controller, the first PHY the second PHY and the second Ethernet controller form a network on the embedded device and the embedded device is physically coupled to the communication bus using an interface, the host and the embedded device are electrically isolated from one another by the electrical isolation medium and the communication bus is couple to the second Ethernet controller and the host is configured to communicate with the embedded device through the second Ethernet controller using only device drivers included with an operating system running on the host; Embedded device further comprising power supply module, the power supply module providing a power supply to the embedded device; and receiving the communication at the application on the host. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communication bus comprises one or more of a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI extended (PCI-X) bus, and a PCI Express bus. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises: e. a memory, the memory being coupled with the microprocessor; and f. one or more Input/Output (I/O) devices, the one or more I/O devices being couple with the microprocessor. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises an Ethernet connector, the Ethernet connector providing a physical connection between the embedded device and an Ethernet network. ### Claim 32 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the embedded device is accessible from a remote host on the Ethernet network. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the embedded device further comprises an instrumentation processor, the instrumentation processor collecting information about the host, the instrumentation processor transmitting the information to the microprocessor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the instrumentation processor comprises a micro-controller.