Card voltage switching and protection
US5613130A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 1994 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/4068
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system having a power control unit for selection of voltage levels for pluggable cards, such as PCMCIA cards. The computer system includes a primary unit for executing two or more versions of control software (card drivers within the operating system) including a current version of control software. A pluggable PCMCIA card operates with a card voltage and has pins for signalling with a CD signal that the card is plugged into the computer system. The computer includes a power supply for providing at least first and second supply voltages such as 5 V, 3.3 V and x.x V. Power switches select one of the supply voltages as the card voltage. A power control unit controls the power switching unit to select one of the supply voltages. The power control unit includes a voltage select unit operable in response to the current version of the control software for storing a voltage code for specifying the selected one of the supply voltages. The power control unit includes a power enable unit operable to be set in response to the control software for enabling the voltage select unit and operable to be reset in the absence of the CD signal. The power control unit includes a code generat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.