Hot plugging of an adapter card
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJohn J. Carey, Fred Parnell, Jeffrey Buchanan Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit senses an insertion of an adapter card into a connector coupled to a processor by an MCA bus and signals control logic, which forces all other adapter cards coupled to the MCA bus off of the bus with a preempt signal, driving the bus into an arbitration mode. This may be done while the system is powered. An analog switch divides the preempt signal into one that goes to the adapter cards and a second one that is sent to the processor so that it can perform memory refresh cycles.
Claims23
A system for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled by a bus to a data processing system while said data processing system is powered, said system comprising:
- means for detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- and
- means, coupled to said detecting means, for forcing all other adapter cards off said bus in response to detection of said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector, wherein said forcing means further comprises:
- means for driving said bus into an arbitration mode so as to seize control of said bus.
In a data processing system, a method for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled by a bus to said data processing system while said data processing system is powered, said method comprising the steps of:
- detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- forcing all other adapter cards off said bus in response to said detecting of said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector, wherein said forcing step further comprises a step of driving said bus into an arbitration mode so as to seize control of said bus, wherein said driving step further comprises the step of sending on said bus a preempt signs;
- and
- returning said bus to a normal operating mode subsequent to a complete seating of said adapter card into said adapter card connector.
A data processing system comprising a processor, a memory device, a storage device, an input device, and an output device coupled together via a system bus, said system including an MCA bus adaptable for coupling said processor to at least one adapter card, said system adaptable for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled to said MCA bus while said data processing system is powered, said system comprising:
- circuit means for detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- and
- control logic means, coupled to said circuit means, for forcing all other adapter cards off said MCA bus in response to detection of said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector, wherein said control logic means further comprises a means for driving said MCA bus into an arbitration mode so as to seize control of said MCA bus.
A system for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled by a bus to a data processing system, while said data processing system is powered, said data processing system comprising:
- means for detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- means, coupled to said detecting means, for forcing all other adapter cards off said bus in response to detection of said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- means for activating an adapter reset signal for said adapter card to maintain said adapter card in a known state;
- and
- means for releasing said adapter reset signal subsequent to a complete seating of said adapter card into said adapter card connector.
A system for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled by a bus to a data processing system while said data processing system is powered, said system comprising:
- means for detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector, wherein said means for detecting said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector further comprises:
- means for detecting current being supplied to said adapter card;
- and
- means, coupled to said detecting means, for forcing all other adapter cards off said bus in response to detection of said insertion of said adapter card and to said adapter card connector.
In a data processing system, a method for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled by a bus to said data processing system while said data processing system is powered, said method comprising the steps of:
- detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connectors;
- forcing all other adapter cards off said bus in response to said detecting of said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- returning said bus to a normal operating mode subsequent to a complete seating of said adapter cards into said adapter card connector;
- activating an adapter reset signal for said adapter card to maintain said adapter card in a known state;
- and
- releasing said adapter reset signal subsequent to a complete seating of said adapter card into said adapter card connector.
In a data processing system, a method for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled by a bus to said data processing system while said data processing system is powered, said method comprising the steps of:
- detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector, wherein said detecting step further comprises the step of:
- detecting current being supplied to said adapter card;
- inserting of said adapter card into said adapter card connector;
- and
- returning said bus to a normal operating mode subsequent to a complete seating of said adapter card into said adapter card connector.
A data processing system comprising a processor, a memory device, a storage device, an input device, and an output device coupled together via a system bus, said system including an MCA bus adaptable for coupling said processor to at least one adapter card, said system adaptable for permitting a hot plug insertion of an adapter card into an adapter card connector coupled to said MCA bus while said data processing system is powered, said system comprising:
- circuit means for detecting an insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector, wherein said circuit means includes electrical contacts on said connector that are elevated above other contacts on said connectors so that electrical contacts may contact with electrical contacts on said adapter card before said other contacts make contact with said adapter card, wherein said electrical contacts on said connector couple a voltage supply to said adapter card;
- and
- control logic means, coupled to said circuit means, for forcing all other adapter cards off said MCA bus in response to detection of said insertion of said adapter card into said adapter card connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.