Method and system for hot docking a portable computer to a docking station via the primary PCI bus
US5933609A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F1/1632
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A portable computer and corresponding docking station, where the portable computer may be inserted into or removed from the docking station without concern relating to the state of either the portable computer or of the docking station. The hot docking sequence is performed by establishing a direct connection to the primary PCI bus without the risk of any possible system damage, file damage, or data loss. This can be accomplished even while the portable computer system is powered on and is actively running. The present invention prevents glitches from occurring in pre-existing pins and adds four new pins to implement this novel hot docking sequence. Furthermore, hot undocking can be readily performed as well by basically reversing the docking sequence.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.