Secured inter-processor and virtual device communications system

Abstract

The invention comprises an electronically secured inter-processor and virtual device communications system, with an input/output controller board, a multi-drop bus interface to multiple devices, and a parallel interface to an industry standard single board computer. The invention assigns a bus address and virtual identification number to each device and controls communications between the main central processing unit and the devices through a Plug-n-Play protocol.

1 . A method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices comprising the steps of:
 registering devices;   routing communications;   arbitrating communications; and   transferring data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 1 , wherein the method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol further comprises the steps of:
 polling devices for status; and   providing a communications security means.   
     
     
         3 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 1 , wherein the step of registering devices further comprises the steps of:
 determining the need for registering a device;   assigning a default communication protocol address to a device;   allocating bus time to register the device;   assigning a communication protocol address to a device;   obtaining information about a device;   assigning a virtual address to the device;   updating device parameters stored in a digital device table;   transmitting the registration information to the digital storage and central processing unit;   checking if the device is already registered;   acknowledging the validity of the device registration;   configuring the device;   the registered device to the polling list; and   deleting from the registered device to the polling list.   
     
     
         4 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 1 , wherein the step of routing communications further comprises the steps of:
 acknowledging a physical connection;   communicating with the main digital storage and central processing unit means;   assigning a data packet with a specific protocol address;   assigning a data packet with a unique virtual address;   finding communications protocol addresses;   finding virtual addresses;   finding device information;   wrapping a data packet with a communications protocol address;   wrapping a data packet with information on the apparatus initiating the communication;   wrapping a data packet with other information;   unwrapping communications protocol address and information from a data packet;   transferring data packets initiated by the main digital storage and central processing unit; and   transferring data packets initiated by the devices.   
     
     
         5 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 3 , wherein the step of updating device parameters stored in a digital device table further comprises the steps of:
 adding new device addresses and information;   deleting device addresses and information; and   modifying device addresses and information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 3 , wherein the step of updating device parameters stored in a digital device table further comprises the steps of adding, deleting, and modifying the following information for each connected device:
 a communications protocol address;   a device type;   a device make or model;   a device central processing unit serial number;   a last reported device status;   a device polling priority; and   a device virtual address.   
     
     
         7 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 4 , wherein the step of finding communications protocol addresses and finding device information further comprises the step of locating virtual addresses in a digital device table. 
     
     
         8 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 4 , wherein the step of finding virtual addresses and finding device information further comprises the step of locating communications protocol addresses in a digital device table. 
     
     
         9 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 4 , wherein the step of wrapping a data packet with a communications protocol address and the step of wrapping a data packet with other information further comprises the step of creating the data packet, and wherein the body of the wrapped data packet includes the entire unwrapped data packet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the step of unwrapping communications protocol address and information from a data packet further comprises the step of extracting the body of the wrapped data packet from the communications protocol wrapped data packet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the step of transferring of data packets initiated by the main digital storage and central processing unit further comprises the steps of:
 sending the unwrapped data packet to a Input/Output Controller Board;   retrieving the communications protocol address of the receiving device;   directing the unwrapped data packet to the input/output controller board for transmission to the addressed device;   determining the validity of the received wrapped data packet;   reading the unwrapped data packet;   acting upon the instructions in the unwrapped data packet; and   sending a confirmatory data packet to the sending device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the step of transferring of data packets initiated by devices further comprises the steps of:
 detecting an action of a device;   sending the wrapped data packet to a Input/Output Controller Board;   sending a confirmatory packet;   determining the validity of the received unwrapped data packet;   reading the unwrapped data packet; and   acting upon the instructions in the unwrapped data packet.   
     
     
         13 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of arbitrating communications further comprises the steps of:
 providing a clock pulse;   enabling devices to sample the data line to ensure the intended level;   enabling devices to assert data onto the data line at the intended level;   enabling devices to reset the protocol commitment; and   enabling devices to wait to assert data onto the data line until receipt of a signal.   
     
     
         14 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the step of polling devices for status further comprises the steps of:
 providing the clock;   ensuring that the clock is provided by only one source;   indicating a poll to all devices;   preparing to receive data from devices;   indicating receive status;   indicating a unique device address to be polled;   creating a data packet containing the poll query;   sending a data packet containing the poll query;   devices preparing to receive a polling data packet;   determining whether the poll is directed to a device;   determining that the device should respond to the poll;   creating a responding data packet with device information to the poll;   a means of transferring a responding data packet to the poll;   determining the type of response to the poll;   determining the validity of the response data packet;   updating device parameters stored in a digital device table; and   acknowledging the success of the poll.   
     
     
         15 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the step of providing a communications security means further comprises the steps of:
 comparing the size of the data packet received with the size of the data packet sent;   comparing an expected sequential identification number of the packet received with the sequential identification number of the data packet sent;   comparing the end of the data packet sent with a code identifying the location of the end of the data packet sent;   creating and comparing a unique identification number of the data packet sent with a code identifying the unique identification number of the data packet sent; and   sending a confirmatory data packet to the sending device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 15 , wherein the step of comparing the size of the data packet received with the size of the data packet sent further comprises the step of counting the size of the data packet received with a code identifying the size of the data packet sent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 15 , wherein the step of comparing an expected sequential identification number of the packet received with the sequential identification number of the data packet sent further comprises the step of comparing dual and matching sequential counters for the sending device and the receiving device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 15 , wherein the step of comparing the end of the data packet sent with a code identifying the location of the end of the data packet sent further comprises the steps of locating the end of the data packet sent and comparing the location with a code contained in the data packet identifying the location of the end of the data packet received. 
     
     
         19 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 15 , wherein the step of comparing a unique identification number of the data packet sent with a code in the data packet sent identifying the unique identification number of the data packet sent further comprises the step of performing a cyclic redundancy check algorithm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 15 , wherein the step of performing a cyclic redundancy check algorithm further comprises the step of performing a 16-bit reverse polynomial-based algorithm on each byte sent and on each byte received in a data packet. 
     
     
         21 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices of  claim 15 , wherein the step of sending a confirmatory data packet to the sending device further comprises the steps of
 Creating a confirmatory data packet;   sending the confirmatory unwrapped data packet to the Input/Output Controller Board;   wrapping the confirmatory data packet with framing characters to create a wrapped data packet;   sending the confirmatory data packet to the sender;   receiving the confirmatory data packet;   stripping the wrapped confirmatory data packet; and   reading the unwrapped confirmatory data packet.   
     
     
         22 . The method of creating a Plug-N-Play communications protocol for devices as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of transferring data further comprises the steps of:
 providing a communications protocol addressed wrapped data packet; and   providing a virtual device addressed unwrapped data packet.