Local bus - I/O Bus Computer Architecture
First Claim
1. Computer apparatus, for use with accessory cards of selectably a first or second type, said accessory cards each having connection pads, comprising:
- a circuit board;
an I/O bus having I/O bus signal lines including I/O bus data lines, at least part of each of said I/O bus signal lines being supported by said circuit board;
a local bus having local bus signal lines including local bus data lines, at least part of each of said local bus signal lines being supported by said circuit board;
a source of local bus cycles coupled to said local bus;
interface circuitry connected to said local bus and said I/O bus which transmits data between said local bus data lines and said I/O bus data lines in response to only selected ones of said local bus cycles; and
an edge card socket having a slot for accepting a single accessory card, said socket being supported by said circuit board and having first and second distinct pluralities of contacts, at least one of said first plurality of contacts being coupled to a corresponding first one of said I/O bus signal lines on said circuit board and at least one of said second plurality of contacts being coupled to a corresponding second one of said local bus signal lines on said circuit board, said first and second pluralities of contacts in said edge card socket being arranged such that connection pads on accessory cards of said first type electrically contact contacts in said first plurality of contacts, including said contact coupled to the first I/O bus signal line, when accepted by said edge card socket, no connection pads on accessory cards of said first type electrically contacting contacts in said second plurality of contacts, including said contact coupled to the second local bus signal line, when accepted by said edge card socket, and such that connection pads on accessory cards of said second type electrically contact contacts in said second plurality of contacts, including said contact coupled to the second local bus signal line, when accepted by said edge card socket.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer system, one or more ISA connector sockets is replaced by a connector structure which carries both ISA signals and local bus signals. The connector structure is arranged such that a standard ISA accessory card may be inserted, in which case only ISA signals are coupled to or from the card. "Local bus" accessory cards may also be designed for insertion into such a connector, and these cards may connect to one or more signal lines of the local bus either additionally or instead of connections made to the ISA bus. By physical or other means, ISA accessory cards are prevented from unintentional contact with connector contacts which are coupled to local bus signal lines. The connector structure may advantageously comprise an EISA-type connector socket.
94 Citations
32 Claims
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1. Computer apparatus, for use with accessory cards of selectably a first or second type, said accessory cards each having connection pads, comprising:
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a circuit board; an I/O bus having I/O bus signal lines including I/O bus data lines, at least part of each of said I/O bus signal lines being supported by said circuit board; a local bus having local bus signal lines including local bus data lines, at least part of each of said local bus signal lines being supported by said circuit board; a source of local bus cycles coupled to said local bus; interface circuitry connected to said local bus and said I/O bus which transmits data between said local bus data lines and said I/O bus data lines in response to only selected ones of said local bus cycles; and an edge card socket having a slot for accepting a single accessory card, said socket being supported by said circuit board and having first and second distinct pluralities of contacts, at least one of said first plurality of contacts being coupled to a corresponding first one of said I/O bus signal lines on said circuit board and at least one of said second plurality of contacts being coupled to a corresponding second one of said local bus signal lines on said circuit board, said first and second pluralities of contacts in said edge card socket being arranged such that connection pads on accessory cards of said first type electrically contact contacts in said first plurality of contacts, including said contact coupled to the first I/O bus signal line, when accepted by said edge card socket, no connection pads on accessory cards of said first type electrically contacting contacts in said second plurality of contacts, including said contact coupled to the second local bus signal line, when accepted by said edge card socket, and such that connection pads on accessory cards of said second type electrically contact contacts in said second plurality of contacts, including said contact coupled to the second local bus signal line, when accepted by said edge card socket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Computer apparatus, comprising:
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an ISA bus having at least the following industry standard signals;
SD(15;
0), SA(19;
0), LA(23;
17), NOWS#, SMWTC#, SMRDC#, IOW#, IOR#, REFRESH#, BCLK, TC, BALE, OSC, IOCS#, MASTER#, IOCHCK#, CHRDY, AEN#, SBHE#, MRDC#, and MWTC#;a local bus having local bus signal lines including a plurality of data, address and control lines; a source of cycles on said local bus; interface circuitry connected to said local bus and said ISA bus which transmits data between said local bus data lines and said ISA bus SD(15;
0) lines in response to only selected ones of said local bus cycles; andan edge card connector socket having a slot with two opposing interior walls, an upper pair of rows of contacts opposing each other from said opposing walls, and a lower pair of rows of contacts opposing each other from said opposing walls, all of said listed ISA bus signal lines being connected to respective contacts in said upper rows of contacts, and all of said contacts in said lower rows of contacts being connected to respective ones of said local bus signal lines. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification