Hot-plug interface for detecting adapter card insertion and removal

An apparatus comprising:

• a communication bus;
• a card slot coupled to the communication bus;
• a power switch coupled to the card slot for switchably coupling a power source to the card slot;
• and
• an electrically-conductive fastener for fastening a card to the card slot, the electrically-conductive fastener including a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a continuous conductive pathway between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the first electrical contact for coupling to a first monitoring terminal and the second electrical contact for coupling to a second monitoring terminal,
• the electrically-conductive fastener being operative as an electrical switch forming a closed circuit between the first monitoring terminal and the second monitoring terminal when the electrically-conductive fastener is in a fastened position holding the card that is engaged in the card slot, locking the card into engagement in the card slot, and forming an open circuit otherwise.

An apparatus comprising:

• a communication bus;
• a card slot coupled to the communication bus;
• a power switch coupled to the card slot for switchably coupling a power source to the card slot;
• and
• an electrically-conductive fastener for fastening a card to the card slot, the electrically-conductive fastener including a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a continuous conductive pathway between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the first electrical contact for coupling to a first monitoring terminal and the second electrical contact for coupling to a second monitoring terminal, the electrically-conductive fastener being operative as an electrical switch forming a closed circuit between the first monitoring terminal and the second monitoring terminal when the electrically-conductive fastener is in a fastened position holding the card to the card slot and forming an open circuit otherwise;
• and
• a controller coupled to the first monitoring terminal and coupled to the second monitoring terminal, the controller for monitoring the electrical switch to determine whether the switch forms a closed circuit or an open circuit.

An apparatus comprising:

• a communication bus;
• a card slot coupled to the communication bus;
• a power switch coupled to the card slot for switchably coupling a power source to the card slot;
• and
• an electrically-conductive fastener for fastening a card to the card slot, the electrically-conductive fastener including a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a continuous conductive pathway between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the first electrical contact for coupling to a first monitoring terminal and the second electrical contact for coupling to a second monitoring terminal, the electrically conductive fastener being operative as an electrical switch forming a closed circuit between the first monitoring terminal and the second monitoring terminal when the electrically-conductive fastener is in a fastened position holding the card to the card slot and forming an open circuit otherwise;
• and
• a hot-plug controller coupled to the first monitoring terminal and coupled to the second monitoring terminal, the controller for monitoring the electrical switch to determine whether the switch forms a closed circuit or an open circuit,
• the hot-plug controller coupled to the power switch and controlling application of power from the power source to the card slot.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a communication bus coupled to the processor;
• a card slot coupled to the communication bus;
• a power switch coupled to the card slot for switchably coupling a power source to the card slot;
• a controller coupled to the power switch and controlling application of power from the power source to the card slot;
• and
• an electrically-conductive fastener for fastening a card to the card slot, the electrically-conductive fastener including a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a continuous conductive pathway between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the first electrical contact for coupling to a first monitoring terminal of the controller and the second electrical contact for coupling to a second monitoring terminal of the controller,
• the electrically-conductive fastener being operative as an electrical switch forming a closed circuit between the first monitoring terminal and the second monitoring terminal when the electrically-conductive fastener is in a fastened position holding the card that is engaged in the card slot, locking the card into engagement in the card slot, and forming an open circuit otherwise.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a communication bus coupled to the processor;
• a card slot coupled to the communication bus;
• a power switch coupled to the card slot for switchably coupling a power source to the card slot;
• a controller coupled to the power switch and controlling application of power from the power source to the card slot;
• an electrically-conductive fastener for fastening a card to the card slot, the electrically-conductive fastener including a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a continuous conductive pathway between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the first electrical contact for coupling to a first monitoring terminal of the controller and the second electrical contact for coupling to a second monitoring terminal of the controller, the electrically-conductive fastener being operative as an electrical switch forming a closed circuit between the first monitoring terminal and the second monitoring terminal when the electrically-conductive fastener is in a fastened position holding the card to the card slot and forming an open circuit otherwise;
• and
• a program code operable in conjunction with the processor and the controller implementing a hot-plug functionality.

A method of operating a computer system comprising:

• detecting unfastening of the electrically-conductive fastener of an unfastened card in a corresponding unfastened card slot;
• responsive to unfastening of the electrically-conductive fastener, guiescing the unfastened card and the unfastened card slot;
• and
• issuing a hot-plug primitive to a hot-plug system driver to terminate power to the unfastened card slot;
• responsive to the hot-plug primitive, asserting a reset signal to the unfastened card slot, terminating power to the unfastened card slot;
• and
• controlling a slot-state indicator indicative that power to the unfastened card slot is terminated.

A method of operating a computer system comprising:

• fastening a card that is engaged in a card slot with a retainer;
• detecting fastening of the electrically-conductive fastener of the fastened card in a corresponding fastened card slot;
• and
• responsive to fastening of the electrically-conductive fastener, issuing a hot-plug primitive to a hot-plug system driver to apply power to the fastened card slot;
• and
• applying power to the fastened card slot.

A method of operating a computer system comprising:

• detecting fastening of the electrically-conductive fastener of a newly fastened card in a corresponding fastened card slot;
• and
• responsive to fastening of the electrically-conductive fastener, issuing a hot-plug primitive to a hot-plug system driver to apply power to the fastened card slot;
• applying power to the fastened card slot;
• responsive to the hot-plug primitive, applying power to the card slot;
• deasserting a reset signal to the fastened card slot;
• controlling a slot-state indicator indicative that power to the fastened card slot is applied;
• and
• notifying a user that power to the fastened card slot is applied.