Multiprocessor system including a docking system

• US 6,438,622 B1
• Filed: 11/17/1998
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Songer, Neil W., Haghighi, Siamack
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/193,269
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710/129, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7864 on more than one IC chip

Abstract

A system includes a docking base unit having a first processor and a portable computing device that is dockable to the docking base unit that includes a second processor. A module identifies the number of processors in the system once the portable computing device is docked to the docking base unit and configures the system as a multiprocessor system if more than one processor is identified.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a docking base unit;

a portable computing device dockable to the docking base unit; and

a module to identify the number of processors in the system in response to the portable computing device being docked to the docking base unit and to configure the system as a multiprocessor system in response to the number of processors identified.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the module is invoked after the portable computing device is docked to the docking base unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the module configures the system as a uni-processor system if the portable computing device is not docked to the docking base unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the module configures the system as a uni-processor system if the identified number of processor is equal to one.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising components, wherein the module selectively disables and enables the components in the system.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising controllers and devices accessible by the controllers, wherein the module initializes routing tables in the controllers to set up the address spaces of devices recognizable by the controllers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a processor in the portable computing device and a processor in the docking base unit may have different operating levels, and wherein the module sets up configuration information to identify any differences between the processors.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the module includes a basic input/output system routine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the module is started in response to a reset in the system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the processors in the portable computing device and docking base unit is identified as the master processor.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising buses, wherein the processors in the portable computing device and docking base unit are coupled to corresponding buses, the system further comprising a docking connector to couple the buses once the portable computer is docked to the docking base unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the module identifies the number of processors based on reading one or more advanced programmable interrupt controller identification values.

13. A portable device that is dockable to a docking base unit having a first processor, the portable device comprising:

a second processor;

a routine executed on one of the first and second processors once the portable device is docked to the docking base unit; and

an operating system configured by the routine to be a multiprocessing operating system that is executable on the first and second processors once the portable device is docked to the docking base unit, wherein the routine determines the number of processors present in response to the portable device being docked to the docking base unit.

14. The portable device of claim 13, wherein the routine configures the operating system as a multiprocessing operating system if more than one processor is present.

15. The portable device of claim 13, wherein the routine configures the operating system as a uni-processing operating system if only one processor is present.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the module determines the number of processors based on reading one or more advanced programmable interrupt controller identification values.

17. An article including a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions for causing a processor located in a system including a computing device dockable to a docking base to:

detect whether the computing device is docked to a docking base unit;

determine the number of processors in the computing device and docking base unit in response to the computing device being docked to the docking base unit, and

configure the system as a multiprocessing system if more than one processor is detected.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the storage medium contains instructions for causing the processor to configure the system as a uni-processor system if only one processor is detected.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein the storage medium contains a basic input/output system routine.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the storage medium contains instructions for causing the processor to initialize routing tables in controllers in the system to set up address spaces of devices recognizable by the controllers.

21. A method of operating a system including a computing device that is dockable to a docking base, the method comprising:

identifying the number of processors in the system in response to the computing device being docked to the docking base; and

configuring the system as a multiprocessor system based on the number of processors identified.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising configuring the system as a uni-processor system if the number of processors is equal to one.

23. An apparatus that is attachable to a unit having one or more slave processors, comprising:

an operating system; and

a master processor to;

initialize the operating system in response to attaching the apparatus to the unit;

execute a routine to verify that the one or more slave processors of the unit are not active; and

activate the one or more slave processors of the unit in response to initializing the operating system.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the routine determines the number of processors in at least the unit.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the routine determines the number of processors in the apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the routine disables the one or more slave processors of the unit.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the routine determines the number of processors based on reading one or more advanced programmable interrupt controller identification values.