Computer system with enhanced docking support
US6145029A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/4027
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system including a programmable bridge logic device to disable various peripheral device functions is disclosed. The bridge logic device preferably includes an address decoder and one or more peripheral bus controllers. The address decoder preferably includes a configuration disable unit comprising one or more programmable status bits. Each status bit is associated with a particular peripheral device function, such as a IDE or USB functions. When a status bit is set, configuration cycles to the function corresponding to that bit are disabled. In one aspect of the invention, the computer system comprises a laptop computer that can be docked to an expansion base. The laptop and the expansion base may duplicate one or more functions. When docked, the status bit in the bridge device associated with a function also provided in the expansion base is set disabling the duplicate function in the laptop in favor of the function in the expansion base. In this manner, only the peripheral device function in the expansion base is enabled, avoiding confusion to the computer system. When the bridge device receives a configuration cycle targeting a peripheral device function, the address…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.