Hot removable and insertion of attachments on fully initialized computer systems

A computer having one or more slots for holding one or more expansion adapters, comprising:

• means for detecting insertion of a said adapter into a said slot,
• means for mechanically locking a said inserted adapter into said slot in response to a detection signal from said means for detecting insertion, means for supplying power to said adapter in response to a detection signal from said means for detecting insertion,
• means for connecting said inserted adapter and said slot for interchanging information signals in response to a detection signal from said means for detecting insertion,
• means for exchanging predetermined information signals with said inserted adapter in response to a detection signal from said means for detecting insertion,
• means for modifying configuration information of said computer to prepare said computer and adapter for cooperating as a system,
• means for requesting removal of a said inserted adapter from a said slot,
• means responsive to said request for removal for exchanging predetermined information with the respective said inserted adapter, said information being useful to modify said system configuration information to conform said system to the removal of said respective adapter,
• means for shutting down signal communication between said respective adapter and said slot in response to said request,
• means for disconnecting power from said respective adapter in response to said request, and
• means for releasing mechanical locking of said respective adapter to said slot in response to said request so as to free said adapter for removal from said slot.

An expansion adapter for insertion into an expansion slot of a computer system, said adapter comprising:

• means for performing a function to be expanded,
• storage means for storing attribute information characteristic of the respective adapter that is necessary for enabling said computer to reconfigure automatically in conformance to said respective adapter when said respective adapter is inserted into said expansion slot, and
• a connector with plural conductors for making electrical contact with said computer system via said expansion slot;
• said connector conductors including:
• an insertion indicating conductor for enabling said computer to detect insertion of said respective adapter into said expansion slot,
• a power supply conductor for supplying power from said computer to said expansion adapter via said expansion slot, and
• signal transfer conductors for conveying signals between said respective adapter and said computer via said expansion slot;
• said conductors being designed to contact corresponding conductors of said computer system in said expansion slot, and also being of different lengths such that, during insertion of said adapter into said expansion slot, said insertion indicating conductors make contact with corresponding conductors in said expansion slot before either said power supply conductor or said signal transfer conductors contact their respective corresponding conductors;
• and said power supply conductor makes contact with a corresponding conductor before any of said signal conductors make contact with their corresponding conductors.

An apparatus for system reconfiguration of a computer that has one or more slots for holding one or more expansion adapters, comprising:

• means for detecting insertion of said expansion adapter into said slot,
• means for mechanically locking said expansion adapter in said slot in response to a detection signal from said detecting means,
• means for supplying power to said adapter in response to a detection signal from said detecting means,
• means for connecting said expansion adapter and said slot on a signal level in response to a detection signal from said detecting means,
• means for exchanging predetermined information with said expansion adapter in response to a detection signal from said detecting means, and for modifying system configuration information of said computer based on said attribute information stored on said expansion adapter,
• means for requesting removal of said expansion adapter from said slot,
• means responsive to each said removal request for exchanging predetermined information with said expansion adapter to modify system configuration information of said computer,
• means for blocking signal communication paths between said expansion adapter and said computer, via said slot, in response to said request,
• means for shutting down power supply to said expansion adapter in response to said request, and
• means for releasing mechanical locking of said expansion adapter relative to said slot in response to said request.

A method for system reconfiguration of a computer that has one or more slots for holding one or more expansion adapters, comprising steps of:

• detecting insertion of said expansion adapter into said slot,
• mechanically locking said inserted adapter in said slot in response to detecting said insertion,
• supplying power to said expansion adapter in response to detecting said insertion,
• connecting said expansion adapter and said slot for interchange of information signals in response to detecting said insertion,
• exchanging predetermined information between said inserted adapter and said computer, via said slot, in response to detecting said insertion, and
• modifying system configuration information of said computer based on attribute information stored in said expansion adapter and transferred to said computer in said exchanging step,
• requesting removal of an inserted said adapter from a said slot,
• exchanging predetermined information with said adapter in response to said request,
• modifying system configuration information of said computer in response to said exchanged information,
• blocking signal communication between said expansion adapter and said computer via said slot, in response to said request,
• shutting down power supply to said expansion adapter in response to said request, and
• releasing mechanical locking of said expansion adapter relative to said slot in response to said request.

A program driven arrangement for controlling dynamic reconfiguration of a computer system having one or more expansion slots for holding one or more expansion adapters, said arrangement comprising:

• means integral to said computer system, and operable at any time, while said system is powered up and in use, for invoking and interpreting a configuration controlling program in response to actions occurring during insertion and removal of expansion adapters at any said expansion slot;
• and
• configuration means invocable and interpretable by said integral means;
• said configuration means containing said configuration controlling program;
• said configuration controlling program, when interpreted by said integral means, directing said computer system to perform a predetermined sequence of reconfiguring functions relative to the system formed by the computer system and expansion adapters of various types attached to said expansion slots, said configuration means including means for directing an exchange of predetermined information between said computer and an adapter in response to insertion of the adapter into a said expansion slot, or in response to a signal from a user of the respective computer system indicating intent to remove an adapter from a said expansion slot, said predetermined information including attribute information, defining attributes of the adapter being inserted or removed, which is needed by said integral means to locate and/or modify configuration information stored in said computer system in association with the respective said expansion slot into which a said adapter is being inserted or containing a said adapter intended to be removed.