Device for indicating that an optional component is mounted on a board
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorPierre Sauvage
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention concerns a device for indicating the presence of optional components (01-04) that can be inserted on a microprocessor board, each component having a first pin (10) associated to a first contact (11) of the board connected to a first voltage corresponding to a predetermined logic state (0), the device comprising analyzing means (3) of each of the logic states present on specific lines respectively associated to the optional components. Each optional component has a specific pin (12) connected inside the component to said first pin (10) and associated to a second contact (14) of the board connected to the corresponding specific line.
Claims13
In combination, a microprocessor board having a plurality of connector means for receiving respective optional electronic components, one of said optional electronic component having (a) a plurality of electrical contact pins including a first pin and a second pin, and (b) means electrically interconnecting said first and second pins;
- each said connector means of the microprocessor board having a plurality of contacts including a first and a second contact for respectively making electrical contact with said first and second pins of one of said optional component upon the latter being inserted into said connector means;
- said microprocessor board further having:
- a first voltage supply line,
- a second voltage supply line connected to the said first contact of each said connector means,
- respective biased logic-level means associated with each connector means, each said biased logic-level means having a logic-level reference point and being connected to said first supply line to establish a first voltage logic level at said reference point in the absence of said optional electronic component in the corresponding said connector means, said biased logic-level means being further connected to said second contact of the corresponding said connector means and being responsive to said second contact being connected to said second voltage supply line, through said second and first pins of said optional electronic component inserted in the connector means, to cause a second voltage logic level to be established at said reference point replacing the said first logic level, and
- analyzing means connected to said reference point of each said connector means for determining the logic level thereat thereby to determine whether said optional component has been inserted in the corresponding said connector means.
In combination, a microprocessor board having a plurality of connector means for receiving respective optional electronic components, one of said component having (a) a plurality of electrical contact pins including a first pin and a second pin, and (b) means for electrically interconnecting said first and second pins;
- each said connector means of the microprocessor board having a plurality of contacts including a first and a second contact for respectively making electrical contact with said first and second pins of said at least one optional component upon the latter being inserted into said connector means;
- said microprocessor board further having:
- a first voltage supply line for establishing a first voltage logic level,
- a second voltage supply line connected to said first contact of each of said connector means to establish a voltage thereon corresponding to a second voltage logic level,
- biasing means connecting said first supply line to said second contact of each of said connector means to apply thereto a voltage corresponding to said first voltage logic level, said biasing means being such that upon insertion of one of said optional components in one of said connector means, the voltage established at said first contact of the connector means is applied to said second contact overriding the voltage applied thereto by said biasing means whereby said second voltage logic level is established at said second contact, and
- analyzing means connected to the said second contact of each of said connector means for determining the logic level thereat thereby to determine whether one of said optional components has been inserted in the corresponding one of said connector means.
A microprocessor board having the capability of detecting whether an optional component is mounted on the board, the optional component including first and second terminals having an ohmic connection to them by circuitry on the optional component, the microprocessor board comprising and having mounted thereon
- first and second contacts for respectively establishing connections to the first and second terminals of the optional component while the optional component is mounted on the board,
- circuitry connected to the first and second contacts for respectively deriving first and second binary levels in response to the first and second contacts (a) being connected together via the first and second terminals and the ohmic connection by the circuitry on the optional component and (b) not being connected together via the first and second terminals and the ohmic connection by the circuitry on the optional component, and
- means for detecting the value of the binary level.
In combination, a microprocessor board having the capability of detecting whether an optional component is mounted on the board, an optional component including first and second terminals having an ohmic connection to them by circuitry on the optional component, the microprocessor board comprising and having mounted thereon
- (a) first and second contacts for respectively establishing connections to the first and second terminals of the optional component while the optional component is mounted on the board,
- (b) circuitry connected to the first and second contacts for respectively deriving first and second binary levels in response to the first and second contacts (a) being connected together via the first and second terminals and the ohmic connection by the circuitry on the optional component (b) not being connected together via the first and second terminals and the ohmic connection by the circuitry on the optional component, and
- (c) means for detecting the value of the binary level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.