Hot plug port adapter with separate PCI local bus and auxiliary bus

A detachable port interface system for coupling a host system to multiple PCI devices, comprising:

• multiple pluggable port adapters each pluggably coupled to the host system, each one of the port adapters including the following:
• a PCI local bus pluggably coupled between the associated PCI devices and the host system;
• and
• an auxiliary bus pluggably coupled in parallel with the PCI local bus between the port adapter and the host system, the auxiliary bus controlling circuitry in the port adapter independently of the PCI local bus.

A method for plugging multiple PCI devices into a host system through an associated generic port adapter having a PCI local bus and an auxiliary bus, the method comprising the following steps:

• connecting the PCI devices to the PCI local bus in the associated port adapter;
• plugging the PCI local bus and plugging the auxiliary bus in the associated port adapter into the host system;
• transmitting data between the PCI devices and the host system over the PCI local bus;
• and
• controlling power-up and power-down circuitry on the associated port adapter over the auxiliary bus independently from the PCI local bus without disturbing communications of other port adapters coupled to the host system on the PCI local bus.

A hot swap system for a PCI local bus, comprising:

• a host system;
• a port adapter including a PCI local bus and an auxiliary bus coupled between the host system and the port adapter, the auxiliary bus controlling power-up of the port adapter;
• and
• a connector having multiple interface pins coupled to the PCI local bus and auxiliary bus of the port adapter for plugging the port adapter into the host system;
• the connector including at least one power-up enable pin connected to the auxiliary bus which is shorter than the interface pins, the power-up enable pin initiating commands over the auxiliary bus for powering up and resetting the port adapter.

A method for hot swapping a port adapter with a powered host system on a PCI local bus, comprising:

• asserting a power-up enable signal indicating the port adapter is being electrically attached to the host system;
• initiating a port adapter power-up sequence according to the power-up enable signal;
• asserting a power OK signal from the port adapter to the host system when the port adapter has powered up to an operational condition;
• and
• asserting a signal valid signal when the PCI local bus is ready for transferring data.

A pluggable port adapter interface board for coupling a peripheral device to a host computer system, comprising:

• a local bus detachably coupled to both the host system and the peripheral hardware device providing a local bus interconnection for conducting data transfers between the host computer system and the peripheral device;
• configurable port adapter circuitry in the port adapter board coupled to the local bus;
• and
• configuration lines coupled in parallel with the PCI local bus directly between the host system and the port adapter circuitry, the configuration lines used by the host computer independently from the PCI local bus to configure the hardware in the port adapter circuitry into an agent on the local bus.