Low cost diagnostic/configuration interface
First Claim
1. In a computing system, a device for allowing a technician direct access to a CPU, the device comprising:
- an I/O bus;
a memory bus connected to the CPU;
an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; and
,an infrared interface connected directly to the memory bus, the infrared interface serving to make information stored in the CPU accessible through transmission of data in an infrared transmission beam, without utilizing the I/O bus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computing system has a wireless interface, for example an infrared interface. The infrared interface is used to directly transmit configuration information to and/or receive configuration from a configuration storage device without going through the standard I/O interfaces of the computing system. This is done by connecting the infrared interface directly to the configuration storage device. Alternately, the infrared interface is used to allow direct connection to a memory bus without using an I/O bus. This allows the computing system to send out diagnostic information without using the I/O bus. The infrared interface can be full duplex allowing requests for diagnostic information to be made by a handheld computing system such as a handheld computer or a calculator. The infrared interface may also be used to download data and programming code to a handheld computing system and for receiving data from the handheld computing system.
37 Citations
23 Claims
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1. In a computing system, a device for allowing a technician direct access to a CPU, the device comprising:
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an I/O bus; a memory bus connected to the CPU; an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; and
,an infrared interface connected directly to the memory bus, the infrared interface serving to make information stored in the CPU accessible through transmission of data in an infrared transmission beam, without utilizing the I/O bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computing system comprising:
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an I/O bus; a memory bus; an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; a main memory, connected to the memory bus, for storing computing system data; configuration storage means, connected to the memory bus and separate from the main memory, for storing configuration information which pertains to configuration of the computing system; and
,a wireless interface physically connected to a cabinet which contains the computing system and electrically coupled to the configuration storage means, the wireless interface being for providing communication between the configuration storage means and a separate handheld computing system without utilizing the I/O bus. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computing system comprising:
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a CPU which generates diagnostic information; an I/O bus; a memory bus connected to the CPU; an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; and
,an infrared interface, physically connected to a cabinet of the computing system and electrically connected to the memory bus, the infrared interface being devoted exclusively to transmission of the diagnostic information between the memory bus and a device external to the computing system, the I/O bus not being used in the transmission of the diagnostic information.
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11. A computing system comprising:
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a CPU; an I/O bus; a memory bus connected to the CPU; an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; and
,an infrared interface, physically connected to a cabinet of the computing system and electrically coupled to the memory bus, the infrared interface being devoted exclusively to transmission of diagnostic and configuration information between the memory bus and a device external to the computing system, the I/O bus not being used in the transmission of diagnostic information.
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12. A computing system comprising:
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an I/O bus; a memory bus; an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; a main memory, connected to the memory bus, for storing computing system data; configuration storage means, connected to the memory bus and separate from the main memory, for storing configuration information which pertains to configuration of the computing system; and
,an infrared interface physically connected to a cabinet of the computing system and electrically coupled to the configuration storage means, the infrared interface being devoted exclusively to transmission of configuration information between the configuration storage means and a device external to the computing system, without utilizing the I/O bus. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method by configuration information is obtained from a computing system which utilizes an I/O bus, a memory bus and an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus, the I/O controller providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus, the configuration information pertaining to configuration of the computing system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, by the computing system, configuration information in a configuration storage device which is separate from a computing system main memory; (b) obtaining the configuration information from the configuration storage device by a wireless interface, without utilizing the I/O bus; and
,(c) transmitting, without utilizing the I/O bus, the configuration information by the wireless interface to a handheld computing system. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method by which a computing system is configured, the computing system utilizing an I/O bus, a memory bus and an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus, the I/O controller providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, by the computing system, configuration information which pertains to configuration of the computing system in a configuration storage device which is separate from a main memory of the computing system; and
,(b) transmitting new configuration information by a handheld computing system, through a wireless interface to a configuration storage device within the computing system without placing the new configuration information in the main memory and without utilizing the I/O bus. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A computing system which allows a technician to access configuration information which pertains to configuration of the computing system, the computing system comprising:
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an I/O bus; a memory bus; an I/O controller connected between the I/O bus and the memory bus for providing for data transfer between the memory bus and the I/O bus; a main memory, connected to the memory bus, for storing computing system data; configuration storage means, connected to the memory bus and separate from the main memory, for storing configuration information; and
,an infrared interface connected to the configuration storage means, the infrared interface serving to make configuration information in the configuration storage means accessible through transmission of data in an infrared transmission beam, without utilizing the I/O bus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification