PC processing card for decoding operations

• US 6,047,342 A
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Depew, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US09/052,837
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 710/2-17, 710/62-72, 710/101-103, 710/129-132, 348/445, 386/106, 380/4, 398/800.45, 398/800.46, 345/169, 379/110.01
• US Class Current: 710/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for providing additional functionality to a computer system. In one embodiment a PCMCIA (PC) processing card is coupled to a computer system. The PC processing card performs a function that a central processing unit (CPU) of the computer system would otherwise need to perform. The PC processing card provides the additional functionality without requiring specialized hardware that is not already existent in contemporary computer systems. A PC processing card can perform one or more of a variety of functions. By way of example, the PC processing card may perform signal processing, graphics acceleration, audio processing, encryption, decryption or any other suitable processing function. The PC processing card could also be another central processing unit that provides the computer system with parallel processing capabilities.

Claims

1. A PCMCIA (PC) processing card adding functionality to a computer system, wherein the PC card interacts with a central processing unit of the computer system to perform a function that is otherwise performed by the central processing unit, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is decoding of digital versatile disk data.

3. The PC processing card of claim 1 further comprising:

a data controller coupled to the PC card interface, the data controller facilitating communication between the computer system and the processing component of the PC processing card, wherein the processing component receives data from the computer system through the PC card interface and the data controller, the data controller formatting the data such that the processing component can properly perform the function on the data, the data controller further receiving processed data from the processing component and sending the processed data to the computer system.

4. The PC processing card of claim 3 further comprising:

a power controller coupled to the processing component and the data controller, wherein when the data controller is not receiving data from the computer system the data controller informs the power controller and the power controller reduces the power consumption of the PC processing card.

5. The PC processing card of claim 3 further comprising:

a read only memory having a code that initializes the data controller.

7. The PC processing card of claim 3 further comprising:

a memory, the data controller using the memory to buffer the data received from the computer system before transferring the data to the processing component.

8. The PC processing card of claim 3 further comprising:

a memory, the data controller using the memory to buffer the processed data received from the processing component before transferring the processed data to the computer system.

2. A PCMCIA (PC) card adding functionality to a computer system, the PC processing card couples to the computer system through a PC card interface, wherein the PC processing card interacts with a central processing unit of the computer system to perform a function that is otherwise performed by the central processing unit, the PC processing card comprising:

a processing component, the processing component performing the function that is otherwise performed by the central processing unit, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is decoding of digital versatile disk data.

6. The PC processing card of claim 2, wherein the processing component includes a memory, wherein the processing component utilizes the memory to perform the function.

9. A PCMCIA (PC) card adding functionality to a portable computer system, the PC processing card couples to the computer system through a PC card interface, wherein the PC processing card interacts with a central processing unit of the portable computer system to perform a function that is otherwise performed by the central processing unit, the PC processing card comprising:

a processing component, the processing component performing the function that is otherwise performed by the central processing unit;

a data controller coupled to the PC card interface, the data controller facilitating communication between the portable computer system and the processing component of the PC processing card, wherein the processing component receives data from the computer system through the PC card interface and the data controller, the data controller formatting the data such that the processing component can properly perform the function on the data, the data controller further receiving processed data from the processing component and sending the processed data to the computer system;

a power controller coupled to the processing component and the data controller, wherein when the data controller is not receiving data from the computer system the data controller informs the power controller and the power controller reduces the power consumption of the PC processing card;

a read only memory having a code that initializes the data controller;

a first memory, the data controller using the first memory to buffer the data received from the computer system before transferring the data to the processing component; and

a second memory, the data controller using the second memory to buffer the processed data received from the processing component before transferring the processed data to the computer system.

10. The PC processing card of claim 9, wherein the processing component includes a memory, wherein the processing component utilizes the memory to perform the function.

11. The PC processing card of claim 9, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is decoding of digital versatile disk data.

12. The PC processing card of claim 9, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is digital signal processing.

13. The PC processing card of claim 9, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is decoding video data.

14. The PC processing card of claim 9, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is decoding audio data.

15. The PC processing card of claim 9, wherein the function performed by the PC processing card is graphics acceleration.

16. A method of adding functionality to a computer system having a central processing unit and a PCMCIA (PC) interface, such that the ability to perform a function more efficiently is added to the computer system, wherein the function is otherwise performed by the central processing unit of the computer system, the method comprising:

coupling a processing component to the computer system through the PC interface, the processing component configured to perform the function more efficiently than the central processing unit of the computer system; and

performing the function on the processing component, whereby the function is performed by the processing component more efficiently than by the central processing unit, wherein the function is digital versatile disk data decoding.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

retrieving unprocessed data associated with the function and routing the unprocessed data from the computer system to the processing component; and

providing processed data as the result of the processing component performing the function on the unprocessed data.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

routing the processed data from the processing component to the computer system.