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US 6,487,610 B2Granted
Direct processor access via an external multi-purpose interface
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorRobert A. Schaefer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for direct access to a processor via an external multi-purpose interface. The present invention provides an interface that detects the presence of a diagnostic device, such as a diagnostic PCMCIA card, or other device, and provides a direct connection to the processor. The direct connection to the processor is not available to non-diagnostic devices.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- an external multi-purpose interface selectively coupled to a bus and to a processor;
- and
- a detection device coupled to cause the external multi-purpose interface to couple a diagnostic external device having a predetermined indicator directly with the processor and to couple non-diagnostic external devices lacking the predetermined indicator with the bus.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving diagnostic devices with a single multi-purpose interface;
- means for determining whether a device is a diagnostic device having a predetermined indicator;
- and
- means for coupling the device directly to a processor if the device is the diagnostic device.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- detecting a presence of a device in an external multi-purpose interface;
- determining whether the device is a diagnostic device having a predetermined indicator;
- and
- coupling the device directly to a processor if the device is the diagnostic device.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a bus;
- a processor coupled with the bus;
- a multi-purpose interface coupled with the bus and with the processor, the multi-purpose interface to selectively couple an external device with the bus or directly with the processor;
- and
- a detection device coupled to cause the multi-purpose interface to couple a diagnostic external device having a predetermined indicator directly with the processor and to couple non-diagnostic external devices lacking the predetermined indicator with the bus.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.