Handheld computer system and method to detect and identify a peripheral device

A hand held computer peripheral device identification system comprising:

• a processor for performing an interrupt routine that identifies a peripheral device from more than two types of peripheral devices;
• an interrupt signal pin for receiving said interrupt signal from said peripheral device, said interrupt pin coupled to said processor;
• and
• a legacy peripheral device identification pin for receiving a legacy peripheral device identification signal, said peripheral device identification pin coupled to said processor.

A method of managing a communications port in a handheld computer communicatively coupled to a peripheral device via said communications port, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an interrupt signal from said peripheral device via an interrupt signal pin included in communication port of said hand held computer;
• monitoring said communications port for a predetermined period of time to determine if additional pluses are received on an interrupt signal pin of said communications port;
• and
• identifying said peripheral device based upon the number of additional pulses received via said interrupt pin of said communications port of said hand held computer.

A hand held computer peripheral device identification method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an initial interrupt pulse from a peripheral device via an interrupt signal pin included in a communication port of a hand held computer;
• determining if additional pulses are received on said interrupt signal pin of said communications port within a predetermined time window;
• incrementing a pulse count variable and setting an identification (ID) flag;
• using the count of pulses to identify said peripheral device;
• and
• jumping to an appropriate interrupt service routine.