UNIVERSAL INTERFACE SYSTEM USING THE CONTROLLER TO ADAPT TO ANY CONNECTING PERIPHERAL DEVICE

摘要

A universal interface system includes a number of identical bidirectional input and output port leads, with groups of leads being identified under program control to drive each connecting peripheral device according to the devices' procedural interface requirements. Peripheral devices are serviced at the appropriate time to accept or send data information either serially by activating one port or in parallel by activating the number of port leads required to sample all data bits at one time. Each port is addressed separately and activated for transmitting or receiving data information signals from and to a common data bus. The ports are serviced according to a priority scheme for interrupting the basic controller. Any and all interrupts can be program masked by the controller.