Computer system having detachable expansion unit

• US 5,930,110 A
• Filed: 06/05/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ninomiya, Ryoji, Sakai, Makoto, Nishigaki, Nobutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US08/870,032
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683-686, 361/724-727, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations

Abstract

In a computer system constituted by a portable computer and a deskstation used to expand the function of the portable computer, the portable computer has a communication connector used for communication with the deskstation, in addition to a connector for connecting a system bus in the portable computer to the deskstation. Similarly, the deskstation also has a communication connector. When the portable computer is set at a predetermined position of the deskstation, these connectors are connected to each other before the system bus is connected to an expansion device of the deskstation. By using the communication connectors to perform communication between the portable computer and the deskstation, disconnection between the system bus and an expansion connector or forced suspend processing of the portable computer is executed before the portable computer in a power ON state is mounted in the deskstation. In addition, a lock mechanism is provided to lock the portable computer with the deskstation. The lock mechanism is operated/released by registering/deleting a password. Even when a power supply unit having a plurality of power supply outlets is externally provided to the deskstation, processing for sequentially enabling the power supply outlets is executed. Temperature control in the portable computer is also executed.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a portable computer having a first electrical pin group; and

an expansion unit removably engageable mechanically and electrically with the portable computer, and having a second electrical pin group, for extending functions of the portable computer,

wherein the expansion unit comprises;

controller for controlling the expansion unit; and

detecting means for detecting that the portable computer is mounted on a predetermined position of the expansion unit, and

the portable computer comprises;

control section for, in response to detection of the detecting means, performing processing according to an ON state of the portable computer during a first stage, and issuing a command for docking the portable computer with the expansion unit to the controller during a second stage.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a lock mechanism for fixing the portable computer at the predetermined position of the expansion unit.

3. The computer system according to claim 1, the control section further for, in response to detection of the detecting means, performing processing according to an OFF state of the portable computer during the first stage.

4. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the expansion unit further comprises an option card and the computer system further comprises means for preventing an erroneous operation of the portable computer and destruction of the option card of the expansion unit during said docking of the portable computer with the expansion unit during the second stage.

5. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a power supply unit, said controller further for outputting a signal to enable said power supply unit, when the controller determines that the portable computer is in the power ON state.

6. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein the expansion unit further comprises an option card said power supply unit of said expansion unit prevents an erroneous operation of the portable computer and destruction of the option card of the expansion unit during said docking of the portable computer with the expansion unit during the second stage, when said power supply unit is enabled.

7. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical pin group is connected with the second electrical pin group when the portable computer is mounted on the predetermined position.

8. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a lock mechanism which fixes the portable computer at the predetermined position of the expansion unit after the second stage.

9. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a power supply and the control section includes a processor and a power supply controller, the processor issues, in response to the detection, a dock power on command to the power supply during the first stage, when the portable computer is powered, and the power supply controller issues the command for docking the portable computer with the expansion unit in response to the dock power on command.

10. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein the controller of the expansion unit enables power supplying for the expansion unit in response to the command for docking the portable computer with the expansion unit when the portable computer is in a power ON state.

11. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the control section includes a power supply controller, and

the power supply controller issues the command for docking the portable computer to the expansion unit in response to the detection when the portable computer is not powered.

12. The computer system according to claim 2, wherein the portable computer has a lock groove, and the lock mechanism has a lock lever and fixes the portable computer at the predetermined position by engaging the lock lever in the lock groove.

13. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines whether or not a password is set in response to detection by the detecting means.

14. The computer system according to claim 13, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a lock mechanism for fixing the portable computer at the predetermined position of the expansion unit, and said lock mechanism fixes the portable computer at the predetermined position when the password is set.

15. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a loading mechanism for mating of the first and second pin groups.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the controller controls the loading mechanism of the expansion unit, in response to the command, such that the first pin group is mated with the second pin group.

17. A computer system comprising:

a portable computer having a first electrical pin group; and

an expansion unit removable engageable mechanically and electrically with the portable computer, and having a second electrical pin group, for extending functions of the portable computer,

wherein the expansion unit comprises;

controller for controlling the expansion unit;

a switch for inputting an eject request of the portable computer, and

the portable computer comprises;

control section for, in response to the eject request, performing processing according to an ON state of the portable computer during a first stage, and issuing a command for ejecting the portable computer from the expansion unit to the controller during a second stage.

18. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a lock mechanism for fixing the portable computer at the predetermined position of the expansion unit.

19. The computer system according to claim 18, wherein the controller controls the lock mechanism of the expansion unit in response to the command such that fixing of the portable computer is released.

20. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a power supply, and wherein the control section includes a processor and a power supply controller,

the processor, in response to the eject request, performs a configuration set processing and issues a dock power off command to the power supply when the portable computer is powered, and

the power supply controller issues the command in response to the dock power off command.

21. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the control section includes a power supply controller, and

the power supply controller issues the command in response to the eject request when the portable computer is not powered.

22. The computer system according to claim 17, the control section further for, in response to the eject request, performing processing according to an OFF state of the portable computer during the first stage.

23. The computer system according to claim 17, the controller of the expansion unit disables power supplying for the expansion unit after fixing of the portable computer is released.

24. The computer system according to claim 18, wherein the portable computer has a lock groove, and the lock mechanism of the expansion unit has a lock lever and fixes the portable computer at the predetermined position by engaging the lock lever in the lock groove.

25. The computer system according to claim 24, wherein the lock mechanism of the expansion unit releases fixing of the portable computer by releasing the engaged lock lever from the lock groove, according to controlling by the controller.

26. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the controller determines whether or not a password is set in response to the eject request and issues a password check request when the password is set,

the control section executes password check processing to request inputting a user password to a user in response to the password check request and output a permission signal when the input password coincides with the set password.

27. The computer system according to claim 26, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a lock mechanism for fixing the portable computer at the predetermined position of the expansion unit.

28. The computer system according to claim 27, wherein the control section controls the lock mechanism of the expansion unit such that fixing of the portable computer is released in response to the permission signal.

29. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the expansion unit further comprises a loading mechanism for mating of the first and second pin groups.

30. The computer system of claim 29, wherein the controller controls the loading mechanism of the expansion unit, in response to the command, such that the first pin group is mated with the second pin group.

31. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the expansion unit further comprises an option card and the computer system further comprises means for preventing an erroneous operation of the portable computer and destruction of the option card of the expansion unit during said ejecting of the portable computer from the expansion unit during the second stage.