초록 ▼

A data processing system includes a planar board having a central processing unit (CPU), a main memory unit, and input/output (I/O) sockets or slots, each adapted to receive a selected one of a plurality of different and/or similar option cards. each card contains (or is connected to) and controls a

A data processing system includes a planar board having a central processing unit (CPU), a main memory unit, and input/output (I/O) sockets or slots, each adapted to receive a selected one of a plurality of different and/or similar option cards. each card contains (or is connected to) and controls a respective peripheral device; and each card is pre-wired with an ID value corresponding to its card type. Software programmable option registers on each card store parameters such as designated default (or alternate) address information, priority levels, and other system resource parameters. A setup routine, during initial power-on, retrieves and stores the appropriate parameters in the I/O cards and also in slot positions in main memory, one position being assigned to each slot on the board. Each slot position is adapted to hold the parameters associated with the card inserted in its respective slot and the card ID value. That portion of main memory containing the slot positions is adapted to maintain the parameter and ID information by means of battery power when system power fails or is disconnected, i.e., a nonvolatile memory portion. Subsequent power-on routines are simplified by merely transferring parameters from the table to the card option registers if the status of all the slots has not changed since the last power-down, system reset, or channel reset.

대표청구항 ▼

In a computer system having attachment sockets into with peripheral control cards can be interchangeably inserted, and in which such cards have permanently stored thereon means for signalling an identity (ID) value indicating the respective card type, a method for automatically configuring such syst

In a computer system having attachment sockets into with peripheral control cards can be interchangeably inserted, and in which such cards have permanently stored thereon means for signalling an identity (ID) value indicating the respective card type, a method for automatically configuring such system comprising: storing information associated with said sockets in nonvolatile randomly accessible form, such information including an ID value representing the identity of the card attached to the respective socket when the system was last powered down and address information associated with an I/O address uniquely assigned to said attached card; at each powering up of the system, interrogating said sockets in succession and receiving back from each socket an ID signal representing either an empty condition or the identity of a card currently attached to the respective socket; comparing said ID signal with the associated ID value of the respective socket which is stored in said nonvolatile form; transferring the associated address information stored in nonvolatile form to a register on the card if the compared ID signal and stored ID value match, and if the compared signal and value do not match, developing new address information; storing such new information together with the ID signal in nonvolatile form in place of the address information and ID value previously stored; and transferring said new address information to the said register on said currently attached card.