Operating system independent support for mixed voltage devices

Details Operating system independent support for mixed voltage devices Operating system independent support for mixed voltage devices

1995-06-23

1997-05-27

Harvey, Jack B.

Electronic digital logic circuitry

Multifunctional or programmable

Array

326 80, 395282, G06F 1300

Patent

active

056341326

ABSTRACT:
Method and apparatus for providing operating system independent support for mixed voltage devices, particularly PC card controllers. In one aspect of the invention, a system management mode ("SMM") of the processor of a PC is used to detect the proper voltage of a PC card inserted in a PC card slot and then to set the voltage level of the PC card controller appropriately. In one embodiment, SMM is entered responsive to detection that the operating system is setting up the registers of the PC card controller by writes to a particular I/O address. In another embodiment, SMM is entered responsive to detection of insertion of a PC card into a PC card slot. In any event, because SMM is operating system independent, the mixed voltage capability of the PC card controller will be supported regardless of whether the operating system installed on the PC supports such functionality.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5440244 (1995-08-01), Richter et al.
patent: 5594360 (1997-01-01), Wojciechowski

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