METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING AND DIRECTING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DEVICES OPERATING UNDER AN IEEE 1394 SERIAL BUS NETWORK PROTOCOL AND DEVICES OPERATING UNDER ANOTHER PROTOCOL

摘要

A protocol converter appropriately converts communications directed from a device operating under a first protocol to a device operating a second protocol. The converter is coupled to the two devices and converts communications between the devices into the appropriate format for the receiving device. The converter preferably includes a programmable microprocessor which manipulates communications into the proper format for the receiving device and then transmits the manipulated communications to the receiving device. Preferably, the converter is coupled between two bus structures of different protocols, where one of the bus structures is an IEEE 1394-1995 bus structure. Alternatively, the converter and the devices are all coupled to the same bus structure. A protocol conversion program is preferably stored within a read only memory (ROM) and used by the microprocessor to perform the appropriate conversions. Alternatively, the programmable microprocessor is programmed for the appropriate conversions by a device coupled to the converter. To communicate with a device using a second protocol, a device using a first protocol sends the communication intended for the device using the second protocol to the protocol converter. After receiving a communication sent from a device using the first protocol, the protocol converter manipulates the communication into the appropriate format for the device using the second protocol. The manipulated communication is then transmitted to the device using the second protocol.