Combination personal data assistant and personal computing device with master slave input output

• US 6,816,925 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Watts, La Vaughn F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Ilwoo
• Application Number:
  US09/770,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 710/2, 710/8, 710/14, 710/36, 710/38, 710/62-64, 710/72-74, 710/300, 710/301, 710/305, 710/306, 710/313-316, 710/107, 710/110
• US Class Current: 710/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In order to provide continuous communication ability in a computer architecture that integrates a computer (PC) architecture system and a personal digital assistant (PDA) architecture system, a common communication device is provided. Independent access is made available to the communication device to either the PC or the PDA depending on which system is in control. A switch isolates either the PC or PDA to control of the communication device and other common peripherals. The PDA can be a slave device to the PC, with both systems synchronized with one another and able to exchange information and data. Because the PDA consumes much less power than the PC, the PDA can remain active while the PC is shut off. Because the PDA has the ability to communicate the computer continues to receive and transmit messages and information.

Claims

1. A mobile computing system comprising:

a personal computer architecture system (PC);

a personal digital assistant architecture system (PDA);

a communication device coupled to the PC by a first bus and coupled to the PDA by a second bus; and

a switch coupled to the PC by a third bus and coupled to the PDA by the second bus, such that control of the mobile computing system is isolated to the PDA when the switch is in a first state and control of the mobile computing system is taken by the PC when the switch is in a second state, the communication device being continuously coupled to the PC and the PDA.

2. The mobile computing system of claim 1 including a set of peripheral devices selectively controllable by either the PC or the PDA system.

3. The mobile computing system of claim 2, wherein the PC interfaces to the communication device and the set of peripheral devices when the PC is active and the switch is in the second state, and the PDA interfaces to the communication device and the set of peripheral devices when the switch is in the first state.

4. The mobile computing system of claim 3 wherein the PDA is a slave device and the PC is a master device.

5. The mobile computing system of claim 3 wherein the second bus and the third bus are low pin count (LPC) busses.

6. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the PDA is a slave device and the PC is a master device.

7. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the second bus and the third bus are low pin count (LPC) busses.

8. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the PDA is integrated into a mini PCI card.

9. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the PDA is integrated into a PC system board.

10. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the PDA and the communication device are integrated into a mini PCI card.

11. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the PDA and the communication device are integrated into a PC system board.

16. The mobile computing system of claim 1 wherein the first state corresponds to the switch being open and the second state corresponds to the switch being closed.

12. A method of providing communication access in a mobile computer system comprising:

providing a personal computer (PC);

providing a personal digital assistant (PDA);

providing a communication device coupled to the PC by a first bus and coupled to the PDA by a second bus; and

providing a switch coupled the PC by a third bus and to the PDA by the second bus, such that control of the mobile computer system is isolated to the PDA when the switch is in a first state and control of the mobile computer system is taken by the PC when the switch is in a second state, the communication device being continuously coupled to the PC and the PDA.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

providing information from the PDA to the PC when the PC is active.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the communication device is a wireless communication technology device.

15. A mobile computing system comprising:

a first computing system exhibiting a first architecture;

a second computing system exhibiting a second architecture that is different from the first architecture;

a communication device coupled to the first computing system by a first bus and coupled to the second computing system by a second bus; and

a switch coupled to the first computing system by a third bus and coupled to the second computing system by the second bus, such that control of the mobile computing system is isolated to the second computing system when the switch is in a first state and control of the mobile computing system is taken by the first computing system when the switch is in a second state, the communication device being continuously coupled to the first computing system and the second computing system.