Patent ID: 6128311
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a data communication system including a first module having a processor with a parallel interface capable of direct interface to a co-processor also having a parallel interface, an apparatus for incorporating said co-processor into a second module serially interconnected to said first module, comprising:(a) controller means operatively and electrically parallelly connected to said processor to convert a parallel command/data word for dispatch to said co-processor into a serial command/data word having a serial format and to transform serial information received from said co-processor into a parallel format for receipt by said processor,said controller means comprising a serial bus interface means operably and electrically connected to said serial bus including:(i) at least one shift register parallelly addressable by said processor to both write information for conversion to said serial format for dispatch to said co-processor and to read information in said parallel format as received from said co-processor;(ii) a state machine operably and electrically coupled to said at least one shift register to control each of said at least one shift register as directed by a configuration word from said processor, said serial clock signals, said frame sync signal of said serial bus, and control an interrupt to said processor signifying completion of shifting within said at least one shift register; and(iii) configuration and status registers operably and electrically coupled to said state machine to receive said configuration word from said processor to control and monitor said state machine;(b) a serial bus operatively and electrically connected to said controller means comprising:i. a serial data in signal to transfer data into said first module from said second module;ii. a serial data out signal to transfer data into said second module from said first module; andiii. a serial clock and frame sync signals both to transfer control signals into said second module from said first module; and(c) interface controller means operatively and electrically connected to said serial bus and capable of interfacing with said co-processor to convert parallel information for dispatch to said processor into a serial format and to transform serial information received from said processor into a parallel format for receipt by said co-processor.