Abstract: A device controller for coupling various peripheral devices to a host computer while compensating for distances of up to 10 kilometers. The basic interface medium is fiber optics. The chosen protocol may be functionally equivalent to an existing electrical interface standard or may comply with an interface standard designed specifically for fiber optic input/output communication. The time delays associated with distances of from 500 feet to 10 kilometers are automatically provided by manually switching to the maximum distance mode. An embedded RISC provides the basic logic for the device controller. Further efficiencies are provided by permitting Futurebus+ and disk storage subsystem data exchanges without involvement by the host computer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring input/output information between a host computer and a peripheral device via fiber optic medium using the existing standard protocol designed to employ parallel electrical transmissions. In this manner, all of the advantages of fiber optic transmission, including EMI protection, lower power dissipation, small serial fiber optic cables, etc., are achieved without the need to modify any other system hardware or software elements. In the preferred mode, the Block Multiplexer Channel standard interface is modified for fiber optic transmission of both bus and tag information.