Method and apparatus for BIOS control of electrical device address/identification assignments
US6609170B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 19, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/162
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and device are provided for managing a group of electrical devices, e.g., coder/decoders (codecs) in a computer system, including enabling and disabling a primary electrical device. An address ID module assigns a primary address to designate one of the devices as a primary device. The primary device performs certain functions that are only performed by a single device. Other devices are designated as secondary devices. A signal control circuit receives a BIOS-controlled signal as an input, and outputs a presence signal indicating whether the original primary electrical device is enabled or disabled. If the original primary device is disabled, the address ID module designates one of the secondary devices as the new primary device, and the other secondary devices remain secondary. The new primary device performs certain functions of the original primary device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.