# US 6,295,570 B1 · Using multiple serial bus devices with a driver program

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- Number: US 6,295,570 B1
- Document ID: US6295570B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/216,526
- Filed: 1998-12-18
- Granted: 2001-09-25
- Earliest claimed: 1998-12-18
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Bruce P. Clemens; Mannan A. Mohammed; Sasi Kumar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6295570B1

## CPC

- G06F 11/221: {to test buses, lines or interfaces, e.g. stuck-at or open line faults}
- G06F 13/102: {where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52)}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A method for using a driver program to communicate with multiple serial bus devices includes selecting one of the serial bus devices and automatically coupling the selected serial bus device to a computer. The other serial bus devices are isolated from the computer, and the driver program is executed to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for using a driver program to communicate with multiple serial bus devices, comprising:
selecting one of the serial bus devices;
in response to the selection of said one of the serial bus devices, automatically coupling the selected serial bus device to a computer;
isolating the other serial bus devices from the computer; and
executing the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising: testing the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the act of isolating comprises: decoupling the other serial bus devices from the computer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the act of isolating comprises: transmitting a heartbeat signal to the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the act of coupling comprises: taking a suspended serial bus device out of a suspended mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
deselecting the selected serial bus device; and
automatically decoupling the deselected serial bus device from the computer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting comprises:
coupling a serial bus to the computer, the serial bus being coupled to the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the act of isolating comprises:
decoupling serial buses from the computer, the serial buses being associated with the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 9

An article comprising a computer readable storage medium including instructions to cause a computer to:
select a serial bus device from a group of serial bus devices, the serial bus devices capable of communicating with the computer when the computer executes a driver program;
in response to the selection of the serial bus device, automatically couple the selected serial bus device to the computer;
isolate the other serial bus devices from the computer; and execute the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The article of claim 9, including instructions to cause the computer to test the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The article of claim 9, including instructions to cause the computer to decouple the other serial bus devices from the computer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The article of claim 9, including instructions to cause the computer to transmit a heartbeat signal to the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The article of claim 9, including instructions to cause the computer to take a suspended device out of a suspended mode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The article of claim 9, including instructions to cause the computer to deselect the selected serial bus device and automatically decouple the deselected serial bus device from the computer.

### Claim 15

A computer system comprising:
a processor;
a serial bus interface; and
a memory storing:
a driver program to communicate with multiple serial bus devices and a serial bus device program to cause the processor to:
interact with the serial bus interface to select one of the serial bus devices,
interact with the serial bus interface to automatically couple the selected serial bus device to the computer in response to the selection of the serial bus device,
interact with the serial bus interface to isolate the other serial bus devices from the computer, and
execute the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer system of claim 15, wherein the serial bus device program further causes the processor to test the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer system of claim 15, wherein the serial bus interface circuit comprises:
a multiplexer to selectively couple one of the serial bus devices to the processor.

### Claim 18

A method for use with multiple serial bus devices, comprising:
selecting one of the serial bus devices, each of the serial bus devices being associated with a driver program shared in common; and
in response to the selection of said one of the serial bus devices, automatically coupling the selected serial bus device to a computer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
executing the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein each of the serial bus devices comprises a digital camera.

### Claim 21

A method for using a driver program to communicate with multiple serial bus devices, comprising:
selecting one of the serial bus devices;
automatically coupling the selected serial bus device to a computer;
isolating the other serial bus devices from the computer;
executing the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device; and
beginning the execution of the driver program after said other serial bus devices are isolated from the computer.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
testing the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the act of isolating comprises:
decoupling the other serial bus devices from the computer.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the act of isolating comprises:
suspending the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21 wherein the act of isolating comprises:
transmitting a heartbeat signal to the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the act of coupling comprises:
taking a suspended serial bus device out of a suspended mode.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
deselecting the selected serial bus device; and
automatically decoupling the deselected serial bus device from the computer.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the act of selecting comprises:
coupling a serial bus to the computer, the serial bus being coupled to the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the act of isolating comprises: decoupling serial buses from the computer, the serial buses being associated with the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 30

A method for using a driver program to communicate with multiple serial bus devices, comprising:
selecting one of the serial bus devices;
automatically coupling the selected serial bus device to a computer;
suspending the other serial bus devices; and
executing the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, further comprising:
testing the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein the act of isolating comprises:
decoupling the other serial bus devices from the computer.

### Claim 33 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein the act of isolating comprises:
transmitting a heartbeat signal to the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 34 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein the act of coupling comprises:
taking a suspended serial bus device out of a suspended mode.

### Claim 35 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, further comprising:
deselecting the selected serial bus device; and
automatically decoupling the deselected serial bus device from the computer.

### Claim 36 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein the act of selecting comprises:
coupling a serial bus to the computer, the serial bus being coupled to the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 37 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein the act of isolating comprises:
decoupling serial buses from the computer, the serial buses being associated with the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 38

An article comprising a computer readable storage medium including instructions to cause a computer to:
select a serial bus device from a group of serial bus devices, the serial bus devices capable of communicating with the computer when the computer executes a driver program;
automatically couple the selected serial bus device to the computer;
suspend the other serial bus devices; and
execute the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The article of claim 38, including instructions to cause the computer to test the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The article of claim 38, including instructions to cause the computer to decouple the other serial bus devices from the computer.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The article of claim 38, including instructions to cause the computer to transmit a heartbeat signal to the other serial bus devices.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The article of claim 38, including instructions to cause the computer to take a suspended device out of a suspended mode.

### Claim 43 (depends on 38)

The article of claim 38, including instructions to cause the computer to deselect the selected serial bus device and automatically decouple the deselected serial bus device from the computer.

### Claim 44

A computer system comprising:
a processor;
a serial bus interface; and
a memory storing:
a driver program to communicate with multiple serial bus devices and a serial bus device program to cause the processor to:
interact with the serial bus interface to select one of the serial bus devices,
interact with the serial bus interface to automatically couple the selected serial bus device to the computer,
interact with the serial bus interface to suspend the other serial bus devices, and
execute the driver program to communicate with the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The computer system of claim 44, wherein the serial bus device program further causes the processor to test the selected serial bus device.

### Claim 46 (depends on 44)

The computer system of claim 44, wherein the serial bus interface circuit comprises:
a multiplexer to selectively couple one of the serial bus devices to the processor.