Abstract: A system ling client computers, particularly client notebook computers, to communicate with a computer local area network (LAN) using infrared or other transparent links. The system includes a pseudo nic driver, transparent communication hardware, and a transparent link in a network interface unit. The pseudo nic driver hides the technical details of the transparent communications by presenting itself as a traditional nic driver to the client networking software. The network interface unit bi-directionally communicates via the transparent link with an, for example, an infrared enabled client computer and performs the necessary bridging between the low level infrared signals and traditional LAN system such as Ethernet.

Abstract: A high-speed long-line data interface is provided which employs two pre-configured parallel connectors coupled by four lines. One connector is a convert/transmit connector and the other is an unconvert/receive connector. Each connector includes a processor which buffers incoming data. The four lines include an RS-422 pair of differential transmission lines, an RS-232 status line and a ground line. Incoming parallel data is converted to serial format, then transmitted over the differential transmission lines to the unconvert/receive connector. The serial data then is unconverted back to parallel format and output to the peripheral device. Status information is sent from the peripheral to the host computer over the status line as a multi-byte pulse encoded signal. Power for the convert/transmit connector is derived parasitically from the unconvert/receive connector via the status line. Storage capacitors store charge from the status line for driving the connector during a status transmission.