초록 ▼

A dockable computer system is capable of performing hot docking or warm docking. Hot docking refers to an ability to dock when the portable computer or docking station are running at full power. Warm docking refers to an ability to dock when the portable computer and docking station are running in a

A dockable computer system is capable of performing hot docking or warm docking. Hot docking refers to an ability to dock when the portable computer or docking station are running at full power. Warm docking refers to an ability to dock when the portable computer and docking station are running in a reduced power state. The dockable computer system employs a docking agent which is capable of quieting (rendering inactive) the buses of the portable computer and docking station in response to a notice signal. The notice signal is indicative of a change of states from the undocked state to the docked state or from the docked state to the undocked state. The notice signal can be provided from software, a user-actuated switch, or an infrared signal. The docking agent preferably quiets the system bus by idling the system bus or asserting bus ownership or bus mastership over the system bus. The docking agent is able to assert bus ownership or bus mastership over the system bus. Alternatively, the docking agent can perform a software idle subroutine or an interrupt subroutine which idles the system bus. Preferably, the system bus is idled by disabling clock signals to it. Preferably, the docking agent also removes bus ownership requests, interrupt requests, and DMA requests from the station bus and system bus.

대표청구항 ▼

In a dockable computer system comprised of a host computer station, including a station bus, and a mobile computer unit including a processor, and a unit bus, the unit bus including a data bus, wherein said system is capable of residing in at least two distinct states, a docked state in which said u

In a dockable computer system comprised of a host computer station, including a station bus, and a mobile computer unit including a processor, and a unit bus, the unit bus including a data bus, wherein said system is capable of residing in at least two distinct states, a docked state in which said unit is operatively associated with said station and an undocked state in which said unit is physically separate from said station, the improvement comprising an in-line docking agent coupled between said unit bus and said station bus when said system is in said docked state, said docking agent performing at least a buffering function, and voltage translation function on signals on said data bus, said docking agent quieting said unit bus by obtaining bus mastership of said unit bus and disabling a bus clock signal for said bus without suspending said processor in said computer unit when said system changes from said undocked state to said docked state or from said docked state to said undocked state, whereby said mobile computer unit remains powered ON when said system changes from said undocked state to said docked state or from said docked state to said undocked state.