Communication module

• US 20050193190A1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Technology Solutions Intellectual Property GmbH (Allgeier SE)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Riedisser, Jochen, Hoschele, Ernst, Kastl, Peter, Ahn, Georg
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A computer system comprising a CPU, a data bus, components and a communication module for the administration of the CPU or components. The communication module comprises a data interface coupled to the data bus of the computer system. The user interface comprises a display unit and a control panel. A control unit is coupled to the user interface and the data interface for transmitting data to and from the CPU or components using the data bus. A memory is provided for the storage of configuration parameters and status information, which is coupled to the control unit via a memory bus. The communication module is adapted for obtaining system information of the components without using the CPU of the computer system and performing a configuration of the components using the configuration parameters.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising a CPU, a data bus, components and a communication module for the administration of the CPU or components, wherein the communication module comprises:

a data interface coupled to the data bus of the computer system,

a user interface comprising a display unit and a control panel,

a control unit coupled to said user interface and said data interface for transmitting data to and from the CPU or components using the data bus, and

a memory for the storage of configuration parameters and status information, which is coupled to said control unit via a memory bus,

such that the communication module is adapted for obtaining system information of the components without using the CPU of the computer system and performing a configuration of the components using said configuration parameters.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is connected to at least one control line, via which a control signal to display an operating status of predefined components of the computer system on the display unit is provided automatically.

3. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is connected to at least one interrupt line, via which an interrupt signal is fed to the CPU or the components via said data interface.

4. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the data bus is a system management bus integrated into the computer system.

5. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the data interface is based on the inter-integrated circuit bus (I2C bus) system and is coupled to the system management data bus integrated into the computer system.

6. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said display unit has pre-configured graphic symbols, via which the operating status of the components of the computer system is displayed.

7. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said display unit is a ferroelectric liquid crystal display.

8. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is an LCD display.

9. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit has a background illumination.

10. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the control panel is integrated into the display unit.

11. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the CPU and the data bus are located on a common main circuit board and the communication module is located on a separate circuit board.