Context transferring between portable computer processor and docking station processor upon docking and undocking

• US 6,549,968 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hart, Frank P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Application Number:
  US09/541,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 710/300-304, 712/228, 361/681-686
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system for controlling operation of a computer includes a first processor in the computer and a second processor in a docking station. The first and second processors shift a context for controlling the computer between the computer and the docking station based on detecting an event relating to docking. If the context is shifted to the computer in response to undocking, the first processor controls the computer and the second processor halts operation. If the context is shifted to the docking station in response to docking, the second processor controls the computer and the first processor halts operation.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a computer in a docking station, comprising:

receiving a context of a first processor in the computer at the docking station;

controlling the computer using a second processor on the docking station and the context of the first processor; and

halting operation of the first processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context of the first processor is received in response to detecting a docking event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the context of the first processor resides in one or more memory devices on the computer and is transferred to one or more memory devices on the docking station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the context of the first processor is received over a symbiotic link between the computer and the docking station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second processor has greater capability than the first processor.

6. A method of controlling operation of a computer using a docking station, comprising:

receiving a context of a first processor in the docking station at the computer;

controlling the computer using a second processor on the computer and the context of the first processor; and

halting operation of the first processor with respect to the computer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the context of the first processor is received from the docking station in response to detecting an undocking event.

8. A method of controlling operation of a computer, comprising:

shifting a context between the computer and a docking station for the computer based on detecting an event relating to docking; and

controlling the computer using the context;

wherein;

if the context is shifted to the computer, a processor in the computer controls the computer and a processor in the docking station halts operation; and

if the context is shifted to the docking station, the processor in the docking station controls the computer and the processor in the computer halts operation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the context resides in one or more memory devices on either the computer or the docking station.

10. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer executable instructions for controlling a computer, the instructions causing a docking station to:

receive a context of a first processor in the computer;

control the computer using a second processor on the docking station and the context of the first processor; and

halt operation of the first processor.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the context of the first processor is received in response to detecting a docking event.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the context of the first processor resides in one or more memory devices on the computer and is transferred to one or more memory devices on the docking station.

13. The article of claim 10, wherein the context of the first processor is received over a symbiotic link between the computer and the docking station.

14. The article of claim 10, wherein the second processor has greater capability than the first processor.

15. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions for controlling operation of a computer using a docking station, the instructions causing the computer to:

receive a context of a first processor in the docking station at the computer;

control the computer using a second processor on the computer and the context of the first processor; and

halt operation of the first processor with respect to the computer.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the context of the first processor is received from the docking station in response to detecting an undocking event.

17. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions for controlling operation of a computer, the instructions causing the computer to:

shift a context between the computer and a docking station for the computer based on detecting an event relating to docking; and

control the computer using the context;

wherein;

if the context is shifted to the computer, a processor in the computer controls the computer and a processor in the docking station halts operation; and

if the context is shifted to the docking station, the processor in the docking station controls the computer and the processor in the computer halts operation.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the context resides in one or more memory devices on either the computer or the docking station.

19. A system for controlling a computer in a docking station, comprising:

a first processor which transfers a context of the first processor to the docking station and thereafter halts operation; and

a second processor on the docking station which controls the computer using the context of the first processor.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first processor detects a docking event and transfers the context in response to detecting the docking event.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the context of the first processor resides in one or more memory devices on the computer and is transferred to one or more memory devices on the docking station.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the context of the first processor is transferred over a symbiotic link between the computer and the docking station.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the second processor has greater capability than the first processor.

24. A system for controlling operation of a computer using a docking station, comprising:

a first processor in the docking station which transfers a context of the first processor to the computer and thereafter halts operation with respect to the computer; and

a second processor in the computer which receives the context from the first processor and which controls operation of the computer using the context of the first processor.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the second processor receives the context of the first processor from the docking station in response to detecting an undocking event.

26. A system for controlling operation of a computer, comprising:

a first processor in the computer; and

a second processor in a docking station;

wherein the first and second processors shift a context for controlling the computer between the computer and the docking station based on detecting an event relating to docking, and wherein;

if the context is shifted to the computer, the first processor controls the computer and the second processor halts operation; and

if the context is shifted to the docking station, the second processor controls the computer and the first processor halts operation.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the context resides in one or more memory devices on either the computer or the docking station.