Patent · US Expired

Interface switching apparatus and switching control method

US6308239A · kind A · utility

92Cited by
10References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 5, 1997
Grant dateOct 23, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 5, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2213/4004
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In order to share a device among a plurality of hosts, a switching section is adapted to select one of the hosts by switching and connect it to the device by a serial interface. The switching section can be controlled from the particular host through at least an interface cable. When the switching section switches the host to be connected with the device, power continues to be supplied to the device. Further, a connection recognition protocol to be transmitted from the device when beginning to supply power to the device is transmitted from the switching section. In this way, a quick switching operation free of protocol contradictions is made possible without causing any hardware resetting of the device.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.