Unconfigured device that automatically configures itself as the primary device if no other unconfigured device is present
US6145019A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/4072
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of automatically configuring a computer peripheral device as a primary device or as a secondary device. There are four possible cases: (1) no other device present, (2) legacy primary device present, (3) legacy secondary device present and (4) second unconfigured device present. Each unconfigured device determines whether there are any legacy devices already installed and whether there is another unconfigured device installed without requiring any changes to the host operating system software. Unconfigured devices assert a signal after reset with a first timing that is dependent on an electronically readable identification on the device. For case (4), the first device to detect the signal becomes the secondary device. In case of a tie, unconfigured devices continue to assert the signal with a second timing that is dependent on the electronically readable identification on the device. A device that detects the signal being present at the end of the second timing configures itself as a secondary device. A device that does not detect the signal being present at the end of the second timing configures itself as a primary device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.