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EP0429780A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Computer system capable of connecting expansion unit

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1990-09-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-09-06
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Abstract

Abstract In a computer system, when an expansion unit is connected to a computer main body (1) by an interface card (3), power supply control and I/O port selection are performed at the start of the computer system. In the power supply control, when an expansion power supply of the expansion unit is turned on, a first voltage is supplied to a main power supply (20) of the computer main body (1). When the main power supply (20) is turned on, main voltages are supplied to computer main body elements from the main power supply (20) in response to the main voltage, and a second voltage is supplied to the expansion power supply through the interface (3). In response to the second voltage, expansion voltages is supplied to expansion unit elements, and an interface voltage is supplied to the interface (3). After the power supply control is completed, the I/O port selection is performed. The port addresses of the I/O ports in the computer main body (1) are compared with the port addresses of the I/O ports in the expansion unit. If both port addresses coincide with each other, the I/O ports in the computer main body (1) are disabled, and the I/O ports in the expansion unit are enabled.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shigeru C/O Intellectual Property Div. Sekine
  • 👤 Kazunori C/O Intellectual Property Div. Yamaki
  • 👤 Nobutaka C/O Intellectual Property Div Nishigaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 13:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/26; G06F1/30; G06F1/305; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1632

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 174 words
A computer system characterized by comprising: a computer main body (1) having a plurality of main elements; an expansion unit (2) having a plurality of expansion elements; interface means (3) for connecting the expansion unit (2) to the computer main body (1); main power supply means (20) for supplying first element voltages to the main elements when the main power supply means (20) is turned on and when a first power supply voltage is received by the main power supply means (20), and supplying a second power supply voltage when the first element voltages are supplied to the main elements; and expansion power supply means (52) for supplying the first power supply voltage to the main power supply means (20) when the expansion power supply means (52) is turned on, supplying second element voltages to the expansion elements when the second power supply voltage is received by the expansion power supply means (52), and supplying an interface voltage to the interface means (3) when the second element voltages are supplied to the expansion elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 73 words
The system according to claim 1, characterized in that data transmission from the expansion unit (2) to the computer main body (1) is enabled by the interface means (3) when the second power supply voltage is received by the interface means (3), and data transmission from the computer main body (1) to the expansion unit is enabled by the interface means (3) when the interface voltage is received by the interface means (3).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 71 words
The system according to claim 1, characterized in that data transmission from the expansion unit (2) to the computer main body (1) is disabled by the interface means (3) until the first element voltages are supplied to the main elements, and data transmission from the computer main body to the expansion unit (2) is disabled by the interface means (3) until the second element voltages are supplied to the expansion elements.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 155 words
A method for controlling power supplies of a computer main body and an expansion unit when the expansion unit is connected to the computer main body by an interface, the method comprising the steps of: connecting the expansion unit to the computer main body; supplying a first power supply voltage to a main power supply of the computer main body when an expansion power supply of the expansion unit is turned on; supplying first element voltages to elements of the computer main body when the main power supply is turned on and when the first power supply voltage is received; supplying a second power supply voltage to the expansion power supply through the interface when the first element voltages are supplied; supplying a second element voltages to elements of the expansion unit when the second power supply voltage is received; and supplying an interface voltage to the interface when the second element voltage are supplied.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 62 words
The method according to claim 4, characterized in that data transmission from the expansion unit to the computer main body is enabled by the interface when the second power supply voltage is received by the interface, and data transmission from the computer main body to the expansion unit is enabled by the interface when the interface voltage is received by the interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 70 words
The method according to claim 4, characterized in that data transmission from the expansion unit to the computer main body is disabled by the interface until the first element voltages are supplied to the elements of the computer main body, and data transmission from the computer main body to the expansion unit is disabled by the interface until the secondelement voltages are supplied to the elements of the expansion unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 88 words
A computer system characterized by comprising: a computer main body (1) having a plurality of main input/output ports; an expansion unit (2) having a plurality of expansion input/output ports; determining means (11, 12) for determining whether or not main port addresses of the main input/output ports coincide with expansion port addresses of the expansion input/outpout ports when the expansion unit (2) is connected to the computer main body (1); and port control means (615, 626, 636) for disabling the main input/output ports in accordance with a determination result.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system according to claim 7, characterized in that the main input/output ports are disabled and the expansion input/output ports are enabled when the main port addresses coincide with the expansion port addresses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 75 words
A computer system characterized by comprising: a computer main body (1) having a plurality of main input/output ports; an expansion unit (2) having a plurality of expansion input/output ports; register means (54) for storing identification data for identifying expansion input/output ports; and port control means (615, 626, 636) for enabling/ disabling the main input/output ports in accordance with the stored identification data when the expansion unit (2) is connected to the computer main body (1).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the expansion input/output ports are enabled when the main input/output ports are disabled.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 89 words
A method for controlling input/output ports of a computer main body and an expansion unit when the expansion unit is connected to the computer main body, characterized by comprising the steps of: determining whether or not main port addresses of main input/output ports of the computer main body coincide with expansion port addresses of expansion input/outpout ports of the expansion unit when the expansion unit is connected to the computer main body; and port control means for disabling the main input/ output ports in accordance with a determination result.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the main input/output ports are disabled and the expansion input/output ports are enabled when the main port addresses coincide with the expansion port addresses.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 71 words
A method for controlling input/output ports of a computer main body and an expansion unit when the expansion unit is connected to the computer main body, characterized by comprising the steps of: storing identification data for identifying input/ output ports of the expansion unit; and enabling/disabling input/output ports of the computer main body in accordance with the stored identification data when the expansion unit is connected to the computer main body.

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