Method and apparatus for developing and debugging portable computers via a peripheral interface slot
AssigneeCompaq Computer Corporation
InventorRick Hennessy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable computer includes a housing having an outside surface. A processor is contained within the housing and has a bus port and a debug port. A debug connector is mounted at the outside surface of the computer housing and is operatively connected to the debug port. The computer housing can include at least one peripheral interface slot defined by a portion of the outside surface of the computer, and the debug connector can be located in the peripheral interface slot.
Claims12
A portable computer, comprising:
- a housing comprising hingedly attached ponions that encase circuitry within the portable computer;
- a display device positioned in one portion of the housing;
- an input device positioned in another portion of the housing;
- at least one processor contained within the housing, said processor comprising a bus port and a debug port,
- a debug connector mounted at the outside surface of the computer housing and operatively connected to the debug port;
- a peripheral connector also rnounted at the outside surface of the computer housing and operatively connected to the bus port;
- wherein the computer is configured to execute a software program that involves user interaction via the keyboard and display screen and wherein the computer is firther configured to accept a debug adapter that simultaneously connects to the debug connector and the peripheral connector.
A method of debuging a filly assembled notebook computer comprising:
- connecting a debug adapter to a debug connector and a peripheral connector located in a peripheral interface slot on the computer;
- running a software program on the computer that involves user interaction with input and output devices on the notebook computer;
- and
- simultaneously enabling debug operations and enabling peripheral device communications with an internal bus through the debug adapter.
A debug adapter for use in debugging an assembled portable computer comprising:
- a first connector for coupling to a computer processor debug port;
- a second connector for coupling to an internal data bus;
- a third connector for coupling to external test equipment;
- a fourth connector for coupling to external peripheral devices;
- wherein debug data is transmitted between the first and third connectors and bus data is traitted between the second and fourth connectors and wherein the debug adapter permits simultaneous use of a single slot in portable computer for debugging and peripheral device communications.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.