Automatic master/slave designation for computer peripherals
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
- first and second connectors; and
master/slave designation means, coupled to the first and the second connectors, for providing a control signal to designate a first peripheral device as master, wherein the master/slave designation means designates the first peripheral device as master when the first peripheral device is connected to the second connector and no peripheral device is connected to the first connector.
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Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus that automatically designates a peripheral device as either a master or slave in response to the peripheral device connections when power is turned on. The apparatus comprises first and second connectors coupled to a master/slave designation means which provides a control signal to designate a peripheral device as a master.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
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first and second connectors; and master/slave designation means, coupled to the first and the second connectors, for providing a control signal to designate a first peripheral device as master, wherein the master/slave designation means designates the first peripheral device as master when the first peripheral device is connected to the second connector and no peripheral device is connected to the first connector. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
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a first connector, for connecting a peripheral device, comprising a plurality of connector pins including a first master/slave control pin, the first master/slave control pin being maintained at a first voltage level; a second connector, for connecting a peripheral device, comprising a plurality of connector pins including a second master/slave control pin; detection means for detecting whether a peripheral device is connected to the first connector; and master/slave designation means for maintaining the second master/slave control pin at the second voltage level when a hard disk drive is connected to the first connector, and maintaining the second master/slave control pin at the first voltage level when no hard disk drive is connected to the first connector. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method for designating a peripheral device as master in a system having a first connector having a first master/slave control pin and a second connector having a second master/slave control pin, comprising the steps of:
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maintaining the first master/slave control pin at a first voltage level; detecting whether a peripheral device is connected to the first connector; and maintaining the second master/slave control pin at a second voltage level when a hard disk drive is connected to the first connector, and maintaining the second master/slave control pin at the first voltage level when no hard disk drive is connected to the first connector. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification