Universal docking station

• US 5,941,965 A
• Filed: 07/12/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Electronics Accessory Specialists International Incorporated
• Inventors: Moroz, John A., Ternus, James, Altenberg, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/679,131
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 395/281, 395/552, 395/555, 364/708.1, 361/683-686
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A universal docking station for coupling a portable computer to a plurality of peripheral devices via a PCMCIA interface is provided, wherein at least one of the peripheral devices is a user input device. The docking station comprises a PCMCIA interface adapted to be coupled to the portable computer, peripheral control units adapted to be coupled to the plurality of peripheral devices, and a docking station control unit coupled to the PCMCIA interface and the peripheral control units, wherein the docking station control unit selectively transfers data between the PCMCIA interface and one of the peripheral control units, and wherein the docking station control unit extends the period of time data written by the computer remains stable on the PCMCIA interface. A computer system including the universal docking station is also provided. A method for interfacing a standard peripheral device to a computer via a PCMCIA bus is also provided.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a) a portable computer having a PCMCIA interface, said portable computer capable of generating output signals for designated peripheral devices;

b) a control unit having a PCMCIA interface for interfacing with said portable computer PCMCIA interface;

c) a plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said control unit, with at least one of said peripheral devices being a user input device capable of generating input signals. and at least one of said peripheral devices being a display device;

d) said control unit comprising

i) means for converting said output signals from said portable computer into a form compatible with said designated peripheral devices,

ii) means for routing said converted signal to said designated peripheral device,

iii) means for converting said input signal into a form compatible with said portable computer,

iv) means for prioritizing access to said PCMCIA interface by said input signals; and

e) wherein said means for converting said output signal into a form compatible with said designated peripheral devices comprises extending a period of time the output signal remains stable.

2. A docking station for interfacing a plurality of peripherals to a portable computer having a PCMCIA interface, wherein the portable computer generates output signals for designated peripherals, and the peripheral devices generate input signals for the portable computer, the docking station comprising:

a) a PCMCIA interface configured to communicate input and output signals with the PCMCIA interface of the portable computer;

b) means for converting output signals generated by the portable computer into a form compatible with the designated peripherals;

c) means for routing said converted signals to said designated peripherals;

d) means for converting input signals generated by the peripheral devices into a form compatible with the designated peripherals;

e) means for prioritizing access by the input signals to said PCMCIA interface; and

f) wherein said means for converting output signals generated by the portable computer into a form compatible with the designated peripherals comprises extending the period of time the output signals remain stable.

3. A method for interfacing a standard peripheral device to a computer via a PCMCIA bus, the method comprising the steps of:

a) driving data to be written to the peripheral device on the PCMCIA bus;

b) extending the time the data is available to the peripheral-device on the PCMCIA bus for a period sufficient to satisfy the timing requirements of the peripheral device; and

c) writing the data to the peripheral device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the extending step is accomplished by activating the write signal a period before a standard write signal.

5. A universal docking station for connecting a portable computer to a plurality of peripheral devices, wherein at least one of the peripheral devices is a user input device, at least one of the user input devices is capable of receiving a write command, and the portable computer is capable of writing data, the docking station comprising:

a) a PCMCIA interface adapted to be coupled to the portable computer;

b) peripheral control units adapted to be coupled to the plurality of peripheral devices;

c) a docking station control unit coupled to the PCMCIA interface and the peripheral control units;

d) wherein the docking station control unit selectively transfers data between the PCMCIA interface and one of the peripheral control units; and

e) wherein the docking station control unit extends the period of time data written by the computer remains stable on the PCMCIA interface.