Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Peripheral configuration
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-30
2001-01-23
Lee, Thomas C. (Department: 2782)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Peripheral configuration
C710S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178469
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to communication between computers and their peripheral devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatus that automatically configure such communications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Relatively sophisticated portable computers are now readily available. These can include powerful processors capable of addressing a number of different peripherals on different types of busses. For example, floppy drives, hard drives, and modems have been developed for the family of buses and interface connectors developed for the so-called IBM-compatible personal computer line and its progeny. Standards in this family include the PCI, ISA, IDE, and PCMCIA standards.
Although these sophisticated machines can now support a large number of software applications and interact with several different peripheral devices, users do not always need all of these capabilities. To this end, docking stations, port replicators, and portable external peripheral devices have been developed. These devices have allowed users to reduce the amount of hardware they carry with them, but they do not always present a solution that provides the user with optimal flexibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one general aspect, the invention features a computer with a processor having a bus port operatively connected to a first bus and being operative to selectively access one of a plurality of peripheral devices operatively connected to the bus via at least one of a series of identifiers. The computer also includes a peripheral selector for detecting the presence of one or more of the peripheral devices operatively connected to the first and second peripheral ports, for assigning a first of the identifiers to the first peripheral port if one of the peripheral devices is operatively connected to a first peripheral port that is connected to the bus, and for assigning the same first identifier to a second peripheral port that is operatively connected to the bus if the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the first peripheral port is not detected and the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the second peripheral port is detected.
The first peripheral port can be operatively connected to the first bus via a second bus and a first bridge, whereby the first bridge is operatively connected between the first and second busses. The first bridge can operate in positive addressing mode. The computer can include a processor and user interface housing that includes the processor, the first bus, the second bus, the first bridge, the first peripheral port; and a first docking port, and a docking station that includes the second peripheral port and a second docking port constructed and adapted to interface with the first docking port, a second bus adapter operatively connected between the second docking port and a third bus, and wherein the second peripheral port is operatively connected to the third bus. The first bus can be a high speed mezzanine bus with the second bus being a peripheral bus having a lower data rate than the first bus. The first bus can be a PCI bus, with the second and third busses being ISA buses, and with the first and second bridges being PCI/ISA bridges. The first bridge can operate in positive addressing mode and the second bridge can operate in subtractive addressing mode. The peripheral selector can be operative to disable an address range for the first peripheral port to select the second peripheral port. The computer can be a portable computer including a portable housing, with the first peripheral port being built into a first portion of the housing, and with the second peripheral port being a docking port built into a second portion of the housing. The computer can include a bootstrapping module operative to invoke the peripheral selector upon booting the computer to access one of the peripheral devices as a default boot drive. The identifier can be a system drive letter. The identifier can be a hardware address. The first and second peripheral devices can be disk drives. The computer can include a hot swap module operative to invoke the peripheral selector upon detecting the installation or removal of one of the peripheral devices from one of the first and second peripheral ports. The hot swap module can be operative to generate a system-level interrupt. A first controller can be operatively connected to one of the peripheral devices, for operative connection to the first peripheral port. The first and second peripheral devices can be floppy disk drives. The computer can further include a second controller for operative connection between the one of the peripheral devices and the second peripheral port.
In another general aspect, the invention features a method of operating a computer that includes detecting the presence of one or more peripheral devices operatively connected to one or both of first and second peripheral ports, assigning a first of the identifiers to the first peripheral port if one of the peripheral devices is detected at the first peripheral port, and assigning the same first identifier to the second peripheral port if the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the first peripheral port is not detected in the step of detecting and the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the second peripheral port is detected.
The method can include accessing one of the peripheral devices at one of the peripheral ports using the identifier, with the step of accessing one of the peripheral devices including performing a bus conversion. The method can include detecting a swap event involving one of the peripheral ports and thereafter accessing the other of the peripheral ports using the identifier, with the step of accessing the other of the peripheral ports including performing a bus translation. The method can include detecting a swap event involving one of the peripheral ports and thereafter accessing the other of the peripheral ports using the identifier, with the step of accessing the other of the peripheral ports including performing a bus conversion. The steps of assigning can allow for access to the first peripheral port using a positive addressing mode and access to the second peripheral port using a subtractive addressing mode. The method can include disabling an address range for the first peripheral port to select the second peripheral port if the if the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the first peripheral port is not detected and the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the second peripheral port is detected.
In another general aspect, the invention features a memory for storing data for access by a processor within a computer, including code operative on the processor to detect the presence of one or more peripheral devices operatively connected to one or both of first and second peripheral ports, code operative on the processor to assign a first of the identifiers to the first peripheral port if one of the peripheral devices is detected at the first peripheral port, and code operative on the processor to assign the same first identifier to the second peripheral port if the presence of one of the peripheral devices is not detected at the first peripheral port and the presence of one of the peripheral devices is detected at the second peripheral port.
The code operative on the processor to assign can allow for access to the first peripheral port using a positive addressing mode and access to the second peripheral port using a subtractive addressing mode. The memory can include code operative to disable an address range for the first peripheral port to select the second peripheral port if the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the first peripheral port is not detected and the presence of one of the peripheral devices at the second peripheral port is detected.
Systems according to the invention are advantageous in that they permit users to easily choose whether to carry a peripheral device within a portable computer housing, or to install it in a docking station. This decision
Hennessy Rick
Kumar Sanjeev
LeClair David
Mallard John
Compaq Computer Corporation
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds P.C.
Lee Thomas C.
Wang Albert
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