Docking system for a computer

• US 6,584,533 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Woo-Jong, Shin, Hyun-Kuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US09/653,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 710/72, 710/303, 710/8, 710/300, 710/306, 714/23, 713/100, 361/683, 361/686, 385/100, 359/152, 359/159, 359/163, 439/374, 711/102, 341/100, 341/101, 455/3.01
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3879 for non-native instruction execution, e.g. executing a command; for Java instruction set

Abstract

A docking system for a computer includes a portable computer having a first signal transmitting unit and a main computer having a second signal transmitting unit. The portable computer includes a read-only memory (ROM) wherein a first operating system is stored, a microprocessor, a memory wherein commands and data are stored, and a first docking controller for selecting an operating system according to the existence or non-existence of docking of the portable computer at the main computer. The main computer includes an auxiliary storage device wherein a second operating system is stored, a second microprocessor, a second memory wherein commands and data are stored, and a second docking controller for controlling the first and second microprocessors so that they are used simultaneously when the portable computer is docked at the main computer. The signal transmitting units control transmission and reception of data between the portable computer and the main computer.

Claims

1. A docking system for a computer, comprising:

a portable computer including a read-only memory (ROM) wherein a first operating system is stored, a first microprocessor, a first memory wherein commands and data are stored, and first docking controlling means for selecting an operating system according to an existence of docking;

a main computer including an auxiliary storage device wherein a second operating system is stored, a second microprocessor, a second memory wherein commands and data are stored, and a second docking controlling means for controlling the first and second microprocessors so that they are used simultaneously when the portable computer is docked at the main computer; and

first and second signal transmitting units provided at the portable computer and the main computer, respectively, for performing transmission and reception of data between the portable computer and the main computer.

2. The docking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first docking controlling means comprises a first docking controller which detects a docking state between the first signal transmitting unit and the second signal transmitting unit, stores the detected state in the first memory, and resets the first microprocessor to make the portable computer use the second operating system when the portable computer is docked at the main computer.

3. The docking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second docking controlling means comprises:

a bridge chip connected to said second microprocessor, and connected via said first and second signal transmitting units to said first microprocessor, for causing said first and second microprocessors to operate in a sharing mode when the portable computer is docked to the main computer; and

a second docking controller connected to said second microprocessor for detecting a docking state between the portable computer and the main computer.

4. The docking system as claimed in claim 3, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the first and second signal transmitting units via one of a free space, an optical fiber, and an electric connector.

5. The docking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second docking controlling means comprises:

a bridge chip for causing the first and second microprocessors to be shared when the portable computer is docked at the main computer; and

a second docking controller which detects a docking state between the portable computer and the main computer and reboots the second operating system.

6. The docking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first signal transmitting unit comprises:

a first light emitting portion for converting a first input electric information signal to a first optical information signal, and for transmitting the first optical information signal to the second signal transmitting unit as emitted light;

a first driver for driving the first light emitting portion by receiving a transmission signal output from the portable computer and producing the first input electric information signal;

a first light receiving portion for receiving a second optical information signal input from the second signal transmitting unit, and for converting the received signal to a first electric information signal; and

a first amplifier for amplifying the first electric information signal from the first light receiving portion to produce a first signal output; and

wherein the second signal transmitting unit comprises;

a second light emitting portion for converting a second input electric information signal to the second optical information signal, and for transmitting the second optical information signal to the first signal transmitting unit as emitted light;

a second driver for driving the second light emitting portion by receiving a transmission signal output from the main computer and producing the second input electric information signal;

a second light receiving portion for receiving the first optical information signal input from the first signal transmitting unit, and for converting the received signal to a second electric information signal; and

a second amplifier for amplifying the second electric information signal from the second light receiving portion to produce a second signal output.

7. The docking system as claimed in claim 6, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the first and second signal transmitting units via one of a free space and an optical fiber.

8. The docking system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first signal transmitting unit further comprises:

a first serial converter connected to an input of the first driver for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the portable computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a first serial signal; and

a first parallel converter for converting the first signal output of the first amplifier from a serial signal to a parallel signal; and

wherein the second signal transmitting unit further comprises;

a second serial converter connected to an input of the second driver for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the main computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a second serial signal; and

a second parallel converter for converting the second signal output of the second amplifier from a serial signal to a parallel signal.

9. The docking system as claimed in claim 8, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the first and second signal transmitting units via one of a free space and an optical fiber.

10. The docking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first signal transmitting unit comprises:

a first serial converter for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the portable computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a first serial signal; and

a first parallel converter for converting a second serial signal input received from the second signal transmitting unit to a first parallel signal; and

wherein the second signal transmitting unit comprises;

a second serial converter for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the main computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to the second serial signal; and

a second parallel converter connected to the main computer for converting the first serial signal input received from the main computer to a second parallel signal.

11. A docking system for a computer, comprising:

a portable computer including first means for storing a first operating system, a first microprocessor, and first docking controlling means for selecting an operating system according to an existence of docking;

a main computer including second storage means for storing a second operating system, a second microprocessor, and second docking controlling means for controlling the first and second at microprocessors so that they are used simultaneously when the portable computer is docked at the main computer; and

signal transmitting means connecting the portable computer to the main computer for performing transmission and reception of data by the portable computer and the main computer.

12. The docking system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said signal transmitting means comprises a first signal transmitting unit connected to said portable computer and a second signal transmitting unit connected to said main computer, and wherein said first docking controlling means detects a docking state between the first signal transmitting unit and the second signal transmitting unit, stores the detected state in the first storage means, and resets the first microprocessor to make the portable computer use the second operating system when the portable computer is docked at the main computer.

13. The docking system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second docking controlling means comprises:

a bridge chip for causing the first and second microprocessors to be shared when the portable computer is docked at the main computer; and

a second docking controller which detects the docking state between the portable computer and the main computer and reboots the second operating system.

14. The docking system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said signal transmitting means comprises a first signal transmitting unit mounted on said portable computer and a second signal transmitting unit mounted on said main computer.

15. The docking system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first signal transmitting unit comprises:

a first light emitting portion for converting a first input electric information signal to a first optical information signal, and for transmitting the converted signal to the second signal transmitting unit as emitted light;

a first driver for driving the first light emitting portion by receiving a transmission signal output from the portable computer and producing the first input electric information signal;

a first light receiving portion for receiving an optical information signal input from the second signal transmitting unit, and for converting the received signal to a first electric information signal; and

a first amplifier for amplifying the first electric information signal from the first light receiving portion to produce a first signal output; and

wherein the second signal transmitting unit comprises;

a second light emitting portion for converting a second input electric information signal to a second optical information signal, and for transmitting the converted signal to the first signal transmitting unit as emitted light;

a second driver for driving the second light emitting portion by receiving a transmission signal output from the main computer and producing the second input electric information signal;

a second light receiving portion for receiving an optical information signal input from the first signal transmitting unit, and for converting the received signal to a second electric information signal; and

a second amplifier for amplifying the second electric information signal from the second light receiving portion to produce a second signal output.

16. The docking system as claimed in claim 15, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the first and second signal transmitting units via one of a free space and an optical fiber.

17. The docking system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first signal transmitting unit further comprises:

a first serial converter connected to an input of the first driver for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the portable computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a first serial signal; and

a first parallel converter for converting the first signal output of the first amplifier from a serial signal to a parallel signal; and

wherein the second signal transmitting unit further comprises;

a second serial converter connected to an input of the second driver for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the main computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a second serial signal; and

a second parallel converter for converting the second signal output of the second amplifier from a serial signal to a parallel signal.

18. The docking system as claimed in claim 17, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the first and second signal transmitting units via one of a free space and an optical fiber.

19. The docking system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first signal transmitting unit comprises:

a first serial converter for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the portable computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a first serial signal; and

a first parallel converter for converting a serial signal input received from the second signal transmitting unit to a first parallel signal, and

wherein the second signal transmitting unit comprises;

a second serial converter for receiving a parallel transmission signal output from the main computer, and for converting the received parallel transmission signal output to a second serial signal; and

a second parallel converter connected to the main computer for converting a serial signal input received from the main computer to a second parallel signal.

20. The docking system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second docking controlling means comprises:

a bridge chip connected to said second microprocessor, and connected via said first and second signal transmitting units to said first microprocessor, for causing said first and second microprocessors to operate in a sharing mode when the portable computer is docked to the main computer; and

a second docking controller connected to said second microprocessor for detecting a docking state between the portable computer and the main computer.