Universal docking station

• US 6,256,691 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mobility Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Moroz, John A., Ternus, James, Altenberg, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/481,266
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 710/103, 710/101, 713/400, 713/401, 713/500, 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 interfacing with said portable computer bus;

c) at least one peripheral device coupled to said PCMCIA interface;

d) said control unit comprising

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

ii) means for routing said converted signal to said designated peripheral device without waiting for the end of any current transactions,

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

iv) means for prioritizing access to said PCMCIA bus by said input signals.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the means for converting said output signal into a form compatible with said designated peripheral comprises extending the period of time the output signal remains stable.

3. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein said peripheral device comprises a user input device capable of generating an input signal, further comprising means for converting said input signal into a form compatible with said portable computer, and means for prioritizing access to said PCMCIA bus by said input signals.

4. A docking station for interfacing at least one of a plurality of peripherals to a portable computer having data on a bus and a PCMCIA interface, wherein the portable computer generates output signals for a designated peripheral, the docking station comprising:

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

b) means for converting the output signals generated by the portable computer to be compatible with the designated peripheral; and

c) means for routing said converted output signals to said designated peripheral without waiting for the end of any current transactions.

5. The docking station as specified in claim 4 further comprising:

d) means for converting input signals generated by the peripheral device into a form compatible with the portable computer; and

e) means for prioritizing access to said PCMCIA interface for receiving the input signals.

6. The docking station of claim 5 wherein the peripheral device is a user input device.

7. The docking station of claim 4 where the 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.

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

a) providing data to be written to the peripheral device on the PCMCIA bus without waiting for the end of any current transactions; and

b) writing the data to the peripheral device via the PCMCIA bus.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the extending step is accomplished by activating the write signal a period before a standard write signal.

10. 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 a 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; and

d) wherein the docking station control unit selectively transfers data between the PCMCIA interface and one of the peripheral control units without waiting for the end of any current transactions.

11. A computer system having data on a bus, comprising:

circuitry generating output signals for at least one peripheral device; and

a control unit having a peripheral interface facilitating the interface of the computer to a peripheral device without regard to a state of the bus.

12. A computer system having data on a bus, comprising:

circuitry generating output signals for at least one peripheral device; and

a control unit having a peripheral interface facilitating the interface of the computer to a peripheral device without regard to activity on the bus.