Bus control module for improving legacy support
Systems, devices and methods are provided for expanding an interface to a computer. According to one aspect, a device is provided, including a backplane and at least one expansion card. The backplane includes at least one expansion slot and an upstream connector for connecting with the computer. The expansion card is adapted for coupling with the expansion slot. The expansion card includes at least one port to provide an interface with the computer. According to one aspect, an apparatus is provided, including a control module, a hub coupled to the control module and adapted for providing USB/USB+ outputs, and an external functions unit coupled to the hub and adapted for providing outputs.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 09/551,299, filed on Apr. 18, 2000, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems and methods for providing expansion capabilities outside of a personal computer.
(2) Background
Some prior art systems employ an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in which an alternating current to direct current (AC to DC) converter receives an AC signal, from for example, a wall socket, and converts the signal to DC which is used to charge a battery within the UPS. A DC signal is reconverted to AC and supplied back out to connected devices. In the event of a power outage, the UPS permits an orderly shut down of the system by supplying power previously stored in the battery. Typically, external devices expect to receive 220 or 110 volts AC from a standard electrical outlet. The battery power is converted from DC to the expected 110 or 220 volts AC. Such devices typically each have their own internal AC to DC converter. Using that converter, the power supplied is again converted to DC for use in the device.
The traditional personal computer (PC) or workstation market is based on expansion capability of the unit This has typically included such bussing structures as ISA, EISA and PCI, as well as PCMCIA cards, all of which fall under the broad category of legacy expansion methods. Price pressures and size reduction demands have necessitated providing for relatively small number of external connectivities. The recent trend has been to move the PC in the direction of a sealed box. This trend tends to increase the relative difficulty of power management of the overall system, as well as legacy support.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect, a device is provided, including a backplane and at least one expansion card. The backplane includes at least one expansion slot and an upstream USB connector for connecting with the computer. The expansion card is adapted for coupling with the expansion slot. The expansion card includes at least one port to provide an interface with the computer.
According to one aspect, an apparatus is provided, including a control module, a hub coupled to the control module and adapted for providing USB/USB+ outputs, and an external functions unit coupled to the hub and adapted for providing outputs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
It is also within the scope and contemplation of the invention for various legacy support modules 79, such as support for PCI or ISA to be fabricated to modularly attach to the housing 40. In such embodiments, housing 40 provides coupling points 75 for engagement by the snap-on modules 79. Mechanical and electrical connections 77 on the housing 40 retain each module firmly in place while providing power and communication between the module and the main unit. Power and communication may be provided through a USB link in one embodiment of the invention. The housing 40 may also provide connection ports for non-legacy I/O, such as USB or 1394 buses. In this manner, an extra port 81 may be modularly added to the unit.
In any case, the battery 16 supplies power to a DC/DC converter 24 which generates desired DC voltages, such as +5 volts, for use by USB and other circuitry. Moreover, by supplying devices with DC rather than AC additional conversion steps are avoided. Since current external devices expect AC, integration of the USB hub and functions with the control module and UPS permits those devices to be supplied DC directly reducing system costs.
It is also within the scope and contemplation of the invention to supply the PC 36 with DC power via the control and monitor module 26. Alternatively, the power supplied to the PC may be the traditional 220 or 110 volts AC. The USB and monitor module 26 monitors each subunit of UPS 50. Additionally, the control and monitor module 26 controls a plurality of switches 22 which provide external power. Thus, in low power modes, the control and monitor module can select to leave one, all, none, or any combination of the externally powered devices powered. Control and monitor module also controls and monitors the power supplied to internal functions 30 and external modems 54, as well as USB hub 32. By providing additional independently controllable switches 28, internal functions 30 may be powered or left unpowered depending on the desired power state of the system.
Firmware within the control and monitor module can provide legacy conversion from various legacy protocols to USB so that data received using such legacy protocols can be forwarded to the PC over the USB link for processing.
By moving the legacy support to an external module outside of the PC, cost and size of the PC is diminished. Additionally, by providing control of each subunit and each external connection through a central control and monitor module, control of the overall power consumption of the system is facilitated. Moreover, while legacy support can be moved outside the PC, the UPS and control unit also serves as an ideal connection point for non-legacy devices.
Each slot 76 and 78 has a slot identification signal that allows expansion card firmware to determine if the expansion card 72 is a Master 76 or a Slave 78 card. There is no need for any hardware modification to set up a Master or a Slave device. The Master card's upstream USB connection 84 comes from an external device while the Slave card's USB upstream connection comes from the Master card, both through the backplane 74. According to one embodiment, the Master slot 76 contains one upstream (from an external device) and one down (to the Slave slot) USB connection (from the Master slot). The Master slot also contains UPS status and control signals.
According to one embodiment, the expansion card 72 is a USB card that is capable of being plugged into one of the expansion slots 76 or 78 of the backplane 74. According to one embodiment, the expansion card 72 provides combinations of one or more of the following: legacy RS232 serial port(s) 102; legacy IEEE 1284 parallel port(s) 104; Internet connector(s) 106; modem connector(s) 108 for a regular modem or DSL modem; network connector(s) 110; or application specific connector(s) 112; and USB/USB+ expansion ports.
The expansion card 72 is powered from the backplane board 74. As such, it draws no power from the upstream USB port, and reports itself as a self-powered device to the operating system. The USB Upstream port 116 provides a data connection to the host computer. According to one embodiment, it draws no power from the USB cable. The USB Upstream port is not connected directly to the upstream port of the internal USB function. It is routed to the backplane board instead where it is routed back to the upstream port of the internal USB function in the Master slot and not connected anywhere in the Slave slot(s). This allows the same cards to be used in both the Master and the Slave slots. The USB/USB+ Downstream port(s) 114 provide a data connection or both a data and a power connection to an external USB device. RS232 serial port(s) 102 and IEEE 1284 parallel port(s) 104 provide legacy connectivity for the host computer.
An edge connector 122 connects the expansion card 72 to the backplane board 74. The backplane board 74 carries the power and power return lines for both Master and Slave slots. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the backplane board 74 carries the status and control lines of the UPS for the Master slots, the USB signals between the USB connector and the Master slot, the USB signals between the Master and Slave slots, and the slot identifier signal for the Master and Slave slots.
According to other embodiments, the expansion card 72 supplies a number of additional I/0 signals that are read using an “out-of-band” mechanism separate from the UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transnmitter) ports provided on the card. This mechanism is supplied by a number of “virtual” COM ports which enable application software to monitor and control the additional I/0 functions. In general, application software may treat a “virtual” COM port in the same way as a real COM port using standard API (Application Programming Interface) functions.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary slill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A device, comprising:
- a backplane with at least one expansion slot and with an upstream connector for connecting with a computer; and
- at least one expansion card for coupling with the expansion slot, the expansion card including at least one port to provide an interface with the computer.
2-51. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 7, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 29, 2005
Applicant:
Inventor: Andrew Frank (Woodland Hills, CA)
Application Number: 11/146,935