Method and apparatus for controlling internal heat generating circuit
First Claim
1. A computer system comprising:
- a computer having first and second connectors, a bus, and connection control means for enabling/disabling connection between said second connector and said bus; and
an expansion unit capable of being attached/detached to/from said computer, wherein said expansion unit has a third connector connectable to said first connector and connected to said first connector when said computer is set at a mounting position of said expansion unit, a fourth connector connectable to said second connector and arranged to be free to move between a first position where said fourth connector is disconnected from said second connector and a second position where said fourth connector is connected to said second connector when said computer is set at the mounting position, at least one expansion connector connected to said fourth connector and capable of being mounted with an expansion device, a loading mechanism for moving said fourth connector between the first position and the second position, and expansion unit control means for outputting a connection request signal for connection between said second connector and said fourth connector to said computer through said third connector when said computer is set at the mounting position, moving said fourth connector from the first position to the second position by driving said loading mechanism in accordance with a permission signal sent from said first connector, and outputting a connection completion signal upon completion of movement of said fourth connector to said second position, said connection control means is set to disable connection between said second connector and said bus in advance, and said computer includes computer control means for outputting the permission signal to said expansion unit through said first connector in accordance with the connection request signal, and controlling said connection control means to enable connection between said second connector and said bus when said computer is in a power ON state upon reception of the connection request signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer system constituted by a portable computer and a deskstation used to expand the function of the portable computer, the portable computer has a communication connector used for communication with the deskstation, in addition to a connector for connecting a system bus in the portable computer to the deskstation. Similarly, the deskstation also has a communication connector. When the portable computer is set at a predetermined position of the deskstation, these connectors are connected to each other before the system bus is connected to an expansion device of the deskstation. By using the communication connectors to perform communication between the portable computer and the deskstation, disconnection between the system bus and an expansion connector or forced suspend processing of the portable computer is executed before the portable computer in a power ON state is mounted in the deskstation. In addition, a lock mechanism is provided to lock the portable computer with the deskstation. The lock mechanism is operated/released by registering/deleting a password. Even when a power supply unit having a plurality of power supply outlets is externally provided to the deskstation, processing for sequentially enabling the power supply outlets is executed. Temperature control in the portable computer is also executed.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A computer system comprising:
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a computer having first and second connectors, a bus, and connection control means for enabling/disabling connection between said second connector and said bus; and
an expansion unit capable of being attached/detached to/from said computer, wherein said expansion unit has a third connector connectable to said first connector and connected to said first connector when said computer is set at a mounting position of said expansion unit, a fourth connector connectable to said second connector and arranged to be free to move between a first position where said fourth connector is disconnected from said second connector and a second position where said fourth connector is connected to said second connector when said computer is set at the mounting position, at least one expansion connector connected to said fourth connector and capable of being mounted with an expansion device, a loading mechanism for moving said fourth connector between the first position and the second position, and expansion unit control means for outputting a connection request signal for connection between said second connector and said fourth connector to said computer through said third connector when said computer is set at the mounting position, moving said fourth connector from the first position to the second position by driving said loading mechanism in accordance with a permission signal sent from said first connector, and outputting a connection completion signal upon completion of movement of said fourth connector to said second position, said connection control means is set to disable connection between said second connector and said bus in advance, and said computer includes computer control means for outputting the permission signal to said expansion unit through said first connector in accordance with the connection request signal, and controlling said connection control means to enable connection between said second connector and said bus when said computer is in a power ON state upon reception of the connection request signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system comprising:
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a computer having a first connector, a bus, a second connector connected to said bus, and a nonvolatile memory; and
an expansion unit capable of being attached/detached to/from said computer, wherein said expansion unit has a third connector connectable to said first connector and connected to said first connector when said computer is set at a mounting position of said expansion unit, a fourth connector connectable to said second connector and arranged to be free to move between a first position where said fourth connector is disconnected from said second connector and a second position where said fourth connector is connected to said second connector when said computer is set at the mounting position, at least one expansion connector connected to said fourth connector and capable of being mounted with an expansion device, a loading mechanism for moving said fourth connector between the first position and the second position, and expansion unit control means for, when said computer is set at the mounting position, outputting a connection request signal for connection between said second connector and said fourth connector to said computer through said third connector and moving said fourth connector from the first position to the second position by driving said loading mechanism in accordance with a permission signal sent from said first connector, and said computer includes computer control means for, when said computer is in a power ON state, executing suspend processing in which information necessary for resuming processing which is being executed is stored in said nonvolatile memory to interrupt the processing and set a power OFF state in accordance with the connection request signal and thereafter outputting the permission signal to said expansion unit through said first connector. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer system comprising:
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a computer; and
an expansion unit capable of being attached/detached to/from said computer and constituted by an expansion unit main body and a power supply unit, wherein said power supply unit is connected to said expansion unit main body through a cable and supplies a first power to said expansion unit through said cable, and said expansion unit main body includes at least one expansion connector connectable to an expansion device for expanding a function of said computer, a mounting portion for mounting said computer, and a power supply circuit for supplying an operating power to said expansion device on the basis of the first power supplied from said power supply unit when said computer is mounted at said mounting portion. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer system comprising:
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a computer; and
an expansion unit capable of being attached/detached to/from said computer, wherein said expansion unit includes at least one expansion connector connectable to an expansion device for expanding a function of said computer, a mounting portion for mounting said computer, and a lock mechanism for fixing said computer at a predetermined position of said mounting portion when said computer is mounted at said mounting portion. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer system comprising:
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a computer having a first connector connected to a bus and at least one second connector connectable to an external device;
a relay unit connected to said computer and having a third connector connected to said bus which relays said first connector, and at least one fourth connector connectable to said external device which relays said second connector; and
at least one expansion unit connectable to said relay unit, wherein said expansion unit has a mounting portion capable of being mounted with an expansion device for expanding a function of said computer, an internal bus connected to said expansion device mounted at said mounting portion, a fifth connector connected to said internal bus, and a sixth connector connectable to either said third connector or said fifth connector of another expansion unit. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. An electronic equipment comprising:
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a processor incorporating a delay circuit element whose delay time changes depending on a temperature;
a detection circuit, connected to said delay circuit element, for detecting an internal temperature of said processor from a change in response delay of said delay circuit element; and
clock control means for controlling a clock signal supplied to said processor such that an operating speed of said processor is decreased when the internal temperature detected by said detection circuit exceeds a first temperature. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. An electronic equipment comprising:
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a processor for controlling said electronic equipment;
a detection circuit for detecting an internal temperature of said processor; and
clock control means for controlling a clock signal supplied to said processor such that an operating speed of said processor is decreased when the internal temperature detected by said detection circuit exceeds a first temperature. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A computer system comprising:
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a computer having a processor for controlling said entire computer;
an expansion unit used to expand a function of said computer and capable of being attached/detached to/from said computer; and
a sensor for detecting a temperature of said processor, wherein said expansion unit includes a fan for exchanging air in the periphery of said processor, a driving circuit for driving said fan, and control means for appropriately setting the temperature of said processor by controlling said driving circuit in accordance with the temperature detected by said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification