Trusted LPC docking interface for docking notebook computers to a docking station

A portable computer system, comprising:

• a bus;
• a docking interface coupled to the bus, wherein the docking interface comprises:
• a bus switch operable to couple the bus to a peripheral interface in a docking station;
• and
• a bus monitor operable to monitor bus cycles occurring on the bus and further operable to identify specified bus cycles among the bus cycles occurring on the bus;
• and
• a docking connector coupled to the docking interface and configured for docking the portable computer system to the docking station;
• wherein the bus switch is operable to electrically couple at least a portion of the bus to the peripheral interface, responsive to said docking;
• and
• wherein the bus monitor is further operable to open the bus switch during each specified bus cycle of the specified bus cycles, thereby electrically decoupling at least the portion of the bus from the peripheral interface during the specified bus cycle while the portable computer system remains docked to the docking station.

A method for operating a portable computer, the method comprising:

• physically coupling and docking the portable computer to a docking station, wherein the portable computer comprises:
• a bus;
• and
• a docking interface coupled to the bus, wherein the docking interface comprises a bus switch- operable to couple the bus to a peripheral interface in a docking station;
• electrically coupling the bus to the peripheral interface, wherein said coupling comprises closing the bus switch;
• monitoring bus cycles occurring on the bus;
• identifying specified bus cycles among the bus cycles occurring on the bus;
• and
• electrically decoupling at least a portion of the bus from the peripheral interface during each specified bus cycle of the specified bus cycles, wherein said decoupling comprises opening the bus switch while the portable computer system remains docked to the docking station.

A docking interface chip configured for use in a portable computer, the portable computer configured for docking to a docking station, the docking interface chip comprising:

• a bus switch, wherein the bus switch is configured to, when closed, couple a bus in a portable computer system to a switched bus in a docking station;
• a switch control circuit coupled to the bus switch, wherein the switch control circuit is operable to close the switch responsive to a docking of the portable computer to the docking station;
• and
• a bus monitoring circuit coupled to the bus switch, wherein the bus monitoring circuit is operable to monitor bus cycles occurring on the bus and to identify specified bus cycles among the bus cycles occurring on the bus;
• wherein the bus monitoring circuit is operable to open the bus switch during each specified bus cycle of the specified bus cycles, thereby decoupling at least a portion of the bus from the switched bus during the specified bus cycle while the portable computer remains docked to the docking station.

A system comprising:

• a portable computer, wherein the portable computer comprises:
• a bus;
• a docking interface coupled to the bus, wherein the docking interface comprises:
• a bus switch;
• and
• a bus monitor;
• a docking connector electrically coupled to the docking interface;
• and
• a docking station, wherein the docking station comprises:
• a complementary connector, wherein the complementary connector is configured to be coupled to the docking connector;
• and
• a peripheral interface chip, wherein the peripheral interface chip is configured to be coupled to the bus through the complementary connector, the docking connector, and the bus switch;
• wherein the portable computer is configured to be docked to the docking station by coupling the docking connector to the complementary connector, wherein the bus switch is configured to close and electrically couple the bus to the peripheral interface responsive to coupling the portable computer to the docking station;
• and
• wherein the bus monitor is operable to monitor bus cycles occurring on the bus and to identify specified bus cycles among the bus cycles occurring on the bus, and is further operable to open the bus switch during each specified bus cycle of the specified bus cycles, thereby electrically decoupling at least a portion of the bus from the peripheral interface during the specified bus cycle while the portable computer system remains docked to the docking station;
• and
• wherein the bus monitor is further operable to close the bus switch in response to any one of:
• the specified bus cycle being interrupted;
• the specified bus cycle being aborted;
• and
• the specified bus cycle being completed.