Patent ID: 7502883

Claim:
A modularized serial data module for interfacing with a serial data communication interface to an external device operating in accordance with a first serial data protocol that transmits/receives data and also provides power to the modularized serial data module, comprising: a connector housing for providing a physical interface with the serial data communication interface; a processor housing disposed adjacent said connector housing and interfacing therewith; a single chip processor disposed within said processor housing and operable to be powered by the serial data communication interface through said connector housing and also operable to interface with the data portion of the serial data communication interface through said connector housing, said processor operating with a native digital protocol operating in a first time base; wherein said single chip processor is operable to provide processing of information based upon data received from the serial data communication interface with the first serial data protocol through said connector housing or processing information with the first serial data protocol for transmission to the serial data communication interface through said connector housing, said first serial data protocol different than said native digital protocol and operating on a second time base different from said first time base such that said transmission is asynchronous, wherein said processor receives the serial data generated with the second time base and converts the data to the native protocol with clock recovery; and said processor having integral therewith a time base referenced to a free running oscillator disposed within said processor housing that requires no external reactive components for the operation thereof, wherein said free running oscillator operates on said first time base which is completely generated on-chip with said single-chip processor, which said oscillator provides an operating clock signal to said processor for operation thereof.