Circuit for replacing a peripheral device of a computer system and method therefor

Claim 2

A circuit for enabling replacement of a peripheral device connected to a main system in a computer system, said circuit comprising: a selecting section for replacing said peripheral device, the replacement to occur while electrical power is being provided to said main system; a display section for providing a display indicating whether or not disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is permissible; a sensing control section for controlling a display state of said display section in response to sensing a switched state of said selecting section, and transmitting corresponding signals to a central processing unit in response to sensing an operating state of said peripheral device; and a transmission section for selectively enabling and disabling transmission of interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system in dependence upon a control signal provided from said sensing control section, said control signal being generated in response to said switched state of said selecting section.

Claim 3

The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 4

The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selecting section comprises a first switch that exhibits a first switched state when the user selects to replace said peripheral device, and a second switched state when the user does not select to replace said peripheral device.

Claim 5

The circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 6

The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensing control section comprises: a microcomputer connected to said selecting section for controlling said display section and said transmission section in response to said switched state of said selecting section; and a power switch controlled by said microcomputer for selectively enabling and disabling transmission of electrical power to said peripheral device in response to said switched state of said selecting section.

Claim 7

The circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power switch disables the transmission of electrical power to said peripheral device when said selecting section exhibits a first switched state indicating that the user selects to replace said peripheral device, and enables the transmission of electrical power to said peripheral device when said selecting section exhibits a second switched state indicating that the user does not select to replace said peripheral device.

Claim 8

The circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 9

The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display section comprises a light emitting diode that exhibits a first display state to indicate that disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is permissible, and a second display state different from said first display state to indicate that disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is not permissible.

Claim 10

The circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said light emitting diode exhibits said first display state when said selecting section exhibits a first switched state indicating that the user selects to replace said peripheral device, and exhibits said second display state when said selecting section exhibits a second switched state indicating that the user does not select to replace said peripheral device.

Claim 11

The circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 12

The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmission section comprises a tri-state buffer that selectively enables and disables transmission of said interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system in dependence upon said switched state of said selection section.

Claim 13

The circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tri-state buffer disables the transmission of said interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system when said selecting section exhibits a first switched state indicating that the user selects to replace said peripheral device, and enables the transmission of said interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system when said selecting section exhibits a second switched state indicating that the user does not select to replace said peripheral device.

Claim 14

The circuit as claimed in claim 12, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 17

The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 18

A computer system, comprising: a main system; a peripheral device; a selecting section for replacing said peripheral device while electrical power is being provided to said main system, said selecting section exhibiting a first switched state when the user selects to replace said peripheral device, and exhibiting a second switched state when the user does not select to replace said peripheral device; a display section for exhibiting a first display state to indicate that disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is permissible when said selecting section exhibits said first switched state, and exhibiting a second display state different from said first display state to indicate that disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is not permissible when said selecting section exhibits said second switched state; a transmission section for disabling transmission of interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system when said selecting section exhibits said first switched state, and enabling transmission of said interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system when said selecting section exhibits said second switched state; and a sensing control section connected to said selecting section for detecting said first and second switched states, and for controlling said display section and said transmission section in response to the detection of said first and second switched states.

Claim 19

A computer system, comprising: a main system; a peripheral device; a selecting section for replacing said peripheral device while electrical power is being provided to said main system, said selecting section exhibiting a first switched state when the user selects to replace said peripheral device, and exhibiting a second switched state when the user does not select to replace said peripheral device; a display section for exhibiting a first display state to indicate that disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is permissible when said selecting section exhibits said first switched state, and exhibiting a second display state different from said first display state to indicate that disconnection of said peripheral device from said main system is not permissible when said selecting section exhibits said second switched state; a transmission section for disabling transmission of interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system when said selecting section exhibits said first switched state, and enabling transmission of said interface signals between said peripheral device and said main system when said selecting section exhibits said second switched state; and a sensing control section connected to said selecting section for detecting said first and second switched states, and for controlling said display section and said transmission section in response to the detection of said first and second switched states.

Claim 20

The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said peripheral device comprises one of a hard disc drive, an optical disc drive, and a floppy disc drive.

Claim 21

The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said sensing control section disables transmission of electrical power to said peripheral device when said selecting section exhibits said first switched state, and enables transmission of electrical power to said peripheral device when said selecting section exhibits said second switched state.