Computer docking system and method

• US 20070094435A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lakdawala, Rahul, Crosswy, William, Fry, Walter, Zhang, Tim, Wagner, Matthew, Lathrop, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US11/259,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A computer docking system comprises a computer device configured to be communicatively coupled to a dock, the computer device and the dock each comprising a processor. The system also comprises a switching fabric configured to enable the processor of the dock to access at least one resource of the computer device.

Claims

1. A computer docking system, comprising:

a computer device configured to be communicatively coupled to a dock, the computer device and the dock each comprising a processor; and

a switching fabric configured to enable the processor of the dock to access at least one resource of the computer device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device comprises an operating system configured to dynamically switch between the processor of the dock and the processor of the computer device for performing task processing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the dock is configured having a processing capability greater than the processor of the computer device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching fabric is configured to enable the processor of the dock to access a hard drive of the computer device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein switching fabric is configured to enable the processor of the dock to access a memory of the computer device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device is communicatively coupled to the dock by a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIE) serial input/output (I/O) bus.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device is communicatively coupled to the dock using a bus enabling the processor of the dock to operate at a different clock speed than the processor of the computer device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device is configured to switch to the processor of the dock for performing task processing when the computer device is docked.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device is configured to switch from the processor of the dock to the processor of the computer device for performing task processing in response to undocking of the computer device.

10. A computer docking system, comprising:

processing means disposed on a computer device;

processing means disposed on a dock, the computer device configured to be communicatively coupled to the dock; and

means for enabling the processing means of the dock to access at least one resource of the computer device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for dynamically switching between the processing means of the dock and the processing means of the computer device for performing task processing.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the enabling means comprises means for enabling the processing means of the dock to access a drive means of the computer device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the enabling means comprises means for enabling the processing means of the dock to operate at a different clock speed than the processing means of the computer device.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for switching to the processing means of the dock for performing task processing when the computer device is docked.

15. A computer docking method, comprising:

detecting a docked condition of a computer device with a dock, the computer device and the dock each having a processor; and

enabling the processor of the dock to access at least one resource of the computer device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising dynamically switching between the processor of the dock and the processor of the computer device for performing task processing.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling the processor of the dock to access a hard drive of the computer device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling the processor of the dock to access a memory of the computer device.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling the processor of the dock to operate at a different clock speed than the processor of the computer device.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising switching to the processor of the dock for performing task processing when the computer device is docked

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising switching from the processor of the dock to the processor of the computer device for performing task processing in response to undocking of the computer device.