Universal serial bus keyboard system

• US 5,802,318 A
• Filed: 07/25/1995
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wooten, David R., Wolford, Jeff W., Wanner, Christopher C., Hess, Randall L., Murray, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/506,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 395/280, 395/828, 395/733, 395/866, 395/868, 395/500, 395/835, 395/838
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/105 where the programme performs an input/output emulation function
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A keyboard system according to the present invention includes a serial bus host controller coupled to a serial bus keyboard. The keyboard includes both keyboard scan logic and scan code conversion logic for passing to the host controller over the serial bus. The host controller includes circuitry for processing the data between the serial bus and a host bus. The host controller further includes 8042 emulation logic for providing a hardware compatible interface to the keyboard controller. The 8042 emulation logic also includes circuitry for communicating over the serial bus during times when the serial bus has not yet been initialized.

Claims

1. A serial bus host controller for coupling a serial bus keyboard to a computer system via a standardized serial bus which transfers data in a packetized protocol, the serial bus host controller for sending and receiving serial bus packets, the serial bus host controller comprising:

a keyboard controller emulator for generating and receiving data, status and commands pertaining to the serial bus keyboard, said keyboard controller emulator including;

a serial bus address register for storing the serial bus address of the serial bus keyboard;

a data buffer; and

a status register;

a detector for detecting when said data buffer and said status register are accessed; and

an interrupt generator for providing a system management interrupt to the computer system when said data buffer and said status register are accessed.

2. The serial bus host controller of claim 1, wherein said detector further detects if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard, and wherein said interrupt generator provides a system management interrupt to the computer system if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard.

3. The serial bus host controller of claim 2, wherein said interrupt causes the computer system to place the serial bus keyboard data into said data buffer and causes said status buffer to be updated if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard.

4. The serial bus host controller of claim 1, further including a switch for enabling and disabling said keyboard controller emulator.

5. The serial bus host controller of claim 1 wherein said serial bus keyboard includes a serial bus mouse.

6. A computer system for coupling to a serial bus keyboard via a standardized serial bus which transfers data in a packetized protocol, the computer system comprising:

a serial bus keyboard; and

a serial bus host controller coupled to said serial bus keyboard for sending and receiving serial bus packets, comprising;

a keyboard controller emulator for generating and receiving data, status and commands pertaining to the serial bus keyboard, said keyboard controller emulator including;

a serial bus address register for storing the serial bus address of the serial bus keyboard;

a data buffer; and

a status register;

a detector for detecting when said data buffer and said status register are accessed; and

an interrupt generator for providing a system management interrupt to the computer system when said data buffer and said status register are accessed.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said detector further detects if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard, and wherein said interrupt generator provides a system management interrupt to the computer system if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said interrupt causes the computer system to place the serial bus keyboard data into said data buffer and causes said status buffer to be updated if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard.

9. The computer system of claim 6, further including a switch for enabling and disabling said keyboard controller emulator.

10. The computer system of claim 6 wherein said serial bus keyboard includes a serial bus mouse.

11. A serial bus host controller for coupling a serial bus keyboard to a computer system via a standardized serial bus which transfers data in a packetized protocol, the serial bus host controller for sending and receiving serial bus packets, the serial bus host controller comprising:

a keyboard controller emulator for generating and receiving data, status and commands pertaining to the serial bus keyboard, including;

a serial bus address register for storing the serial bus address of the serial bus keyboard;

a data input buffer;

a data output buffer, said keyboard controller providing an interrupt when said data output buffer is changed; and

a status register; and

a detector for detecting when the data buffers and said status register are accessed;

packet parsing logic for determining if a packet is received from the serial bus keyboard;

data output buffer writing logic for writing into said data output buffer a data value extracted from a packet received from said serial bus keyboard; and

data input buffer reading logic for reading from said data input buffer a data value written therein by the computer system for said serial bus keyboard and developing a packet for transmission to said serial bus keyboard,

wherein when said data value is written into said data output buffer a keyboard controller interrupt is generated.

12. The serial bus host controller of claim 11 wherein said serial bus keyboard includes a serial bus mouse.

13. The serial bus host controller of claim 11 wherein said interrupt is a system management interrupt.

14. The serial bus host controller of claim 11, further including a switch for enabling and disabling said keyboard controller emulator.

15. A computer system for coupling to a serial bus keyboard via a standardized serial bus which transfers data in a packetized protocol, the computer system comprising:

a serial bus keyboard; and

a serial bus host controller coupled to said serial bus keyboard for sending and receiving serial bus packets,, comprising;

a keyboard controller emulator for generating and receiving data, status and commands pertaining to the serial bus keyboard, including;

a serial bus address register for storing the serial bus address of the serial bus keyboard;

a data input buffer;

a data output buffer, said keyboard controller providing an interrupt when said data output buffer is changed; and

a status register; and

a detector for detecting when the data buffers and said status register are accessed;

packet parsing logic for determining if a packet is received from the serial bus keyboard;

data output buffer writing logic for writing into said data output buffer a data value extracted from a packet received from said serial bus keyboard; and

data input buffer reading logic for reading from said data input buffer a data value written therein by the computer system for said serial bus keyboard and developing a packet for transmission to said serial bus keyboard,

wherein when said data value is written into said data output buffer a keyboard controller interrupt is generated.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein said serial bus keyboard includes a serial bus mouse.

17. The computer system of claim 15 wherein said interrupt is a system management interrupt.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further including a switch for enabling and disabling said keyboard controller emulator.

19. A method of communicating with a serial bus keyboard over a standardized serial bus in a computer system having a serial bus host controller, said host controller including a keyboard controller emulator, the keyboard controller emulator including a queue and scheduler for communicating directly with the serial bus, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) powering on the computer system;

(b) enabling a keyboard controller queue and scheduler;

(c) said keyboard controller queue and scheduler polling the serial bus for a serial bus keyboard;

(d) determining an -address of said serial bus keyboard;

(e) storing said serial bus keyboard address in a register;

(f) said keyboard controller emulator processing packets, if any, with the serial bus keyboard until the host controller is initialized;

(g) loading a host controller device driver; and

(h) disabling said keyboard controller queue and scheduler after said host controller device driver is loaded.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said keyboard controller emulator includes a data input buffer, the method further comprising the steps of:

(i) said keyboard controller queue and scheduler generating a packet for said serial bus keyboard if data is received into said data input buffer before said device driver is loaded; and

(j) said keyboard controller queue and scheduler transmitting said packet for said serial bus keyboard utilizing the stored address if data is received into said data input buffer before said device driver is loaded.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said keyboard controller emulator includes a data output buffer, the method further comprising the steps of:

(k) placing keyboard data into said data output buffer if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard before said device driver is loaded; and

(l) generating an interrupt to said computer system if data is placed into said data output buffer.

22. A method of communicating with a serial bus keyboard over a standardized serial bus in a computer system having a serial bus host controller and a basic input/output system (BIOS) for controlling device initialization, said host controller including a keyboard controller emulator, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) powering on the computer system;

(b) disabling the keyboard controller emulator;

(c) the BIOS polling the serial bus for a serial bus keyboard;

(d) the BIOS determining an address of said serial bus keyboard;

(e) the BIOS storing said serial bus keyboard address in a register;

(f) the BIOS enabling the keyboard controller emulator;

(g) the BIOS handling any communications between the computer system and the serial bus keyboard until a host controller device driver is loaded;

(h) loading a host controller device driver; and

(i) disabling the keyboard controller emulator.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said keyboard controller emulator includes a data input buffer, the method further comprising the step of:

(j) the BIOS generating a packet for said serial bus keyboard if data is received into said data input buffer before said device driver is loaded.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said keyboard controller emulator includes a data output buffer, the method further comprising the steps of:

(k) the BIOS placing keyboard data into said data output buffer if a packet is received from said serial bus keyboard before said device driver is loaded; and

(l) generating an interrupt to said computer system if data is placed into said data output buffer.

25. A method of communicating with a serial bus keyboard over a standardized serial bus in a computer system having a serial bus host controller, said host controller including a keyboard controller emulator, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) powering on the computer system;

(b) polling the serial bus for a serial bus keyboard;

(c) determining an address of said serial bus keyboard;

(d) storing said serial bus keyboard address in a register;

(e) loading a host controller keyboard device driver;

(f) generating a system management interrupt (SMI) if keyboard data is received by the host controller; and

(g) processing the keyboard data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:

(h) receiving a serial bus packet; and

(i) determining if said serial bus packet contains keyboard data.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein step (g) is performed in system management mode.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the keyboard emulator includes a data output buffer and a status register, and wherein step (g) further comprises the steps of:

(j) writing the keyboard data into the keyboard output buffer if keyboard data is received by the host controller;

(k) setting the status register to reflect the data written to the keyboard output buffer; and

(l) providing a keyboard controller interrupt.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the computer system further includes an SMI status register, the method further comprising the steps of:

(m) reading the SMI status register before step (j); and

(n) determining a source of the system management interrupt from said SMI status register.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said keyboard controller interrupt is simulated with an INT instruction.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the computer system further includes an SMI status register and wherein the keyboard emulator includes a data input buffer, the method further comprising the steps of:

(o) generating a system management interrupt (SMI) if data is written to the keyboard input buffer;

(p) reading the SMI status register;

(q) determining a source of a system management interrupt from said SMI status register;

(r) reading the keyboard input buffer if the source is the keyboard emulator; and

(s) forwarding the keyboard input buffer data to the host controller for transmission to the serial bus keyboard if the source is the keyboard emulator.

32. A method of communicating with a serial bus keyboard over a standardized serial bus in a computer system having a serial bus host controller, the host controller including a keyboard controller emulator, the keyboard controller emulator having a data output buffer and a status register, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) initializing the host controller;

(b) generating a host controller interrupt if a packet is received by the host controller;

(c) determining a source of the packet;

(d) writing packet data into the data output buffer if the packet source is the serial bus keyboard;

(e) updating the status register if data is written into the data output buffer; and

(f) generating a keyboard controller interrupt.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said keyboard controller interrupt is simulated with an INT instruction.