INTERFACE INCLUDING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTELY LOADING PROGRAM CODE INTO THE INTERFACE

摘要

An interface apparatus (32, 30) that allows an electronic device (16) to communicate with one or more other electronic devices (14, 18, 22, 24) over a transmission medium (10) interconnecting the devices. The interface apparatus (32, 30) includes a first non-volatile memory (90), a second non-volatile memory (92) that is erasable and programmable, and a processor (90). The processor (90) uses program code (120, 122) stored in the first non-volatile memory (90) and the second non-volatile memory (92). The first non-volatile memory (90) contains communications program code (120) that allows the device (16) to communicate with other devices (14, 18, 22, 24), and the second non-volatile memory (92) is for storing additional program code (122) for controlling the functionality of the device (16). Another device (24) remotely loads new program code into the second non-volatile memory (92) by sending the new program code to the device (16) over the transmission medium (10). The processor (90) programs the new program code into the second non-volatile memory (92), and then performs an initialization sequence to begin executing the new program code along with the communication program code (120) in the first non-volatile memory (90).