Power enabling mechanism, a power enabling method, and a controller for an input/output device
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsShigeru Yuzawa, Satoshi Karube
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An input/output device controller supplies power to a PC card in a secure manner. A PC card is a device that is loaded into a slot of a personal computer. The input/output device controller, which permits an information processing apparatus to communicate with an input/output device, operates in a manner so that when an abnormality is detected in the supply of operating power to the PC card, the detection result is reported to the personal computer. When an abnormality in the supply of operating power to the PC card is detected, the output of a driver for the PC card is halted so as to prevent the destruction of the internal circuitry of the PC card due to latch-up problems.
Claims15
A power enabling mechanism, which controls supply of operating power from an information processing apparatus to a detachable input/output device, said mechanism comprising:
- a first power line for supplying power at a first voltage level to said input/output device;
- a second power line for supplying power at a second voltage level to said input/output device;
- a first detector for detecting an over-current in said first power line;
- a second detector for detecting an over-current in said second power line;
- disjunctive circuit means for logically adding the outputs of both said first and second detectors;
- a first switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said first power line in response to an output of said disjunctive circuit means;
- and
- a second switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said second power line in response to an output of said disjunctive circuit means.
A power enabling mechanism, which controls supply of operating power from an information processing apparatus to a detachable input/output device, said mechanism comprising:
- a first power line for supplying power at a first voltage level;
- a second power line for supplying power at a second voltage level;
- a first detector for detecting an over-current in said first power line;
- a second detector for detecting an over-current in said second power line;
- disjunctive circuit means for logically adding the outputs of both said first and second detectors;
- a first switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said first power line in response to an output of said disjunctive circuit means;
- a second switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said second power line in response to an output of said disjunctive means;
- and
- means for supplying output from said disjunctive circuit to said information processing apparatus.
A power enabling mechanism, which controls supply of operating power from an information processing apparatus to a detachable input/output device, said mechanism comprising:
- a first power line for supplying power at a first voltage level;
- a second power line for supplying power at a second voltage level;
- a first fuse that blows when an over-current flows in said first power line;
- a second fuse that blows when an over-current flows in said second power line;
- a first detection means having an output that is set to the ON state by the blowing of said first fuse;
- a second detection means having an output that is set to the ON state by the blowing of said second fuse;
- and
- a report signal line that is employed to carry a notice to said information processing apparatus that at least one of said first and said second detection lines is set in the ON state.
An input/output device controller, which permits an information processing apparatus to communicate with a detachable input/output device, said controller comprising:
- an interface that is employed for data exchange with an input/output bus of said information processing apparatus;
- a register for temporarily holding part of a data group that is to be exchanged;
- a driver for transmitting a signal to said input/output device;
- a power enabler for connecting and disconnecting a power line that joins said input/output device to a power source for operating said device in accordance with data stored in said register;
- detection means for detecting an over-current in said power line;
- and
- means for turning off said driver in response to said detection result obtained from said detection means.
An input/output device controller, which permits an information processing apparatus to communicate with a detachable input/output device, said controller comprising:
- an interface that is employed for data exchange with an input/output bus of said information processing apparatus;
- a register for temporarily holding part of a data group that is to be exchanged;
- a driver for transmitting a signal to said input/output device;
- a power enabler for connecting and disconnecting a power line that joins said input/output device to a power source for operating said device in accordance with data stored in said register;
- detection means for detecting an over-current in said power line;
- means for storing in said register an indication of detection result;
- and
- means for turning off said driver in response to said detection result obtained from said detection means.
A power enabling mechanism, which controls a supply of operating power by an information processing apparatus to a detachable input/output device, said mechanism comprising:
- a first power line for supplying power at a first voltage level;
- a second power line for supplying power at a second voltage level;
- a first detector for detecting an over-current in said first power line;
- a second detector for detecting an over-current in said second power line;
- disjunctive circuit means for logically adding the outputs of both said first and second detectors;
- a first switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said first power line;
- first ON/OFF control means for turning on said first switch according to an instruction from said information processing apparatus and for turning off said first switch in response to said logical sum that is acquired by said disjunctive circuit means and for maintaining an OFF state until an instruction is received from said information processing apparatus;
- a second switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said second power line;
- and
- second ON/OFF control means for turning on said second switch according to an instruction from said information processing apparatus and for turning off said second switch in response to said logical sum that is acquired by said disjunctive circuit means and for maintaining an OFF state until an instruction is received from said information processing apparatus.
A power enabling mechanism, which controls supply of operating power from an information processing apparatus to a detachable input/output device, said mechanism comprising:
- a first power line for supplying power at a first voltage level;
- a second power line for supplying power at a second voltage level;
- a first detector for detecting an over-current in said first power line;
- a second detector for detecting an over-current in said second power line;
- disjunctive circuit means for logically adding the outputs of both said first and second detectors;
- a first switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said first power line;
- first ON/OFF control means for turning on said first switch according to an instruction from said information processing apparatus and for turning off said first switch in response to said logical sum that is acquired by said disjunctive circuit means and for maintaining an OFF state until an instruction is received from said information processing apparatus;
- a second switch that is employed for connection and disconnection of said second power line;
- second ON/OFF control means for turning on said second switch according to an instruction from said information processing apparatus and for turning off said second switch in response to said logical sum that is acquired by said disjunctive circuit means and for maintaining an OFF state until an instruction is received from said information processing apparatus;
- and
- means for supplying output from said disjunctive circuit to said information processing apparatus.
An input/output device controller, which permits an information processing apparatus to communicate with a detachable input/output device, said controller comprising:
- an interface that is employed for data exchange with an input/output bus of said information processing apparatus;
- a register for temporarily holding part of a data group that is to be exchanged;
- a driver for transmitting a signal to said input/output device;
- a power enabler for connecting and disconnecting a power line that joins said input/output device to a power source for operating said device in accordance with the contents stored in said register;
- detection means for detecting an over-current in said power line;
- holding means for holding a detection result until an instruction is received from said information processing apparatus;
- and
- means for turning off said driver in response to output from said holding means.
An input/output device controller, which permits an information processing apparatus to communicate with a detachable input/output device, said controller comprising:
- an interface that is employed for data exchange with an input/output bus of said information processing apparatus;
- a register for temporarily holding part of a data group that is to be exchanged;
- a driver for transmitting a signal to said input/output device;
- a power enabler for connecting and disconnecting a power line that connects said input/output device to a power source for operating said device in accordance with the contents stored in said register;
- detection means for detecting an over-current in said power line;
- holding means for holding a detection result until an instruction is received from said information processing apparatus;
- means for storing in said register an indication of said detection result;
- and
- means for turning off said driver in response to an output of said holding means.
A power-enabling mechanism, which controls supply of operating power from an information processing apparatus to a detachable input/output device, said mechanism comprising:
- a first power line for supplying power at a first voltage level from said information processing apparatus to said input/output device;
- a second power line for supplying power at a second voltage level from said information processing apparatus to said input/output device;
- a first detector within said information processing apparatus for detecting an over-current in said first power line;
- a second detector within said information processing apparatus for detecting an over-current in said second power line;
- disjunctive circuit means for logically adding the outputs of said first and second detectors;
- a first switch for disconnection of power, to said detachable input/output device, which power is supplied through said first power line, said disconnection being made in response to the output of said disjunctive circuit means;
- and
- a second switch for disconnection of power, to said detachable input/output device, which power is supplied through said second power line, said disconnection being made in response to the output of said disjunctive circuit means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.