Method for switching to a service mode of operation in response to detecting a device connected to an I/O port of the system

• US 7,366,890 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Blinick, Stephen LaRoux, Richards, Paul Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/990,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20060107078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 713/182, 714/46
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2289 by configuration test

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, deployment and article of manufacture, wherein in one embodiment, a mode of operation may be switched to a service mode by detecting a device inserted into a connector of an input/output port of a system. In the illustrated embodiment, the device has a connector and a wire which loops a code received from the input/output port back to the input/output port. Upon detecting receipt of the transmitted code, the mode of operation may be switched to a service mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting the presence of a device having a first connector inserted into a second connector of an input/output port of a system; and

switching the mode of operation of said system from a first operational mode to a service mode in response to said device detection wherein said input/output port is a serial port and wherein said first connector and said second connector are each RJ11 standard connectors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting includes detecting signals routed by the device from a transmit terminal of said second connector back to a receive terminal of said second connector.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said routed signals are routed over a wire shorting said receive terminal to said transmit terminal.

4. A method comprising:

detecting the presence of a device having a first connector inserted into a second connector of an input/output port of a system; and

switching the mode of operation of said system from a first operational mode to a service mode in response to said device detection wherein said detecting includes said system transmitting a code to said input/output port, said device receiving said code and returning said code back to said input/output port, and said system detecting receipt of said transmitted code.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said first operational mode includes a first booting process and said service mode includes a second booting process and wherein said switching includes switching said first booting process to said second booting process in response to said device detection.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said system includes a controller embedded in said system and wherein said second connector is positioned on a mainboard of said embedded controller.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said device is a dongle comprising said first connector and a wire shorting a receive terminal of said first connector to a transmit terminal of said first connector.

8. A method, comprising integrating computer-readable code into a system, wherein the system has a host processor having a memory adapted to maintain an operating system, an embedded controller having a first operational mode of operation and a service mode of operation, and an input/output port having a socket, and a device having a male connector adapted to be inserted into said socket, and wherein the code in combination with system is enabled to cause the system to perform:

detecting the presence of said device male connector inserted into said socket of said input/output port of said embedded controller; and

switching the mode of operation of said embedded controller from said first operational mode to said service mode in response to said device detection wherein said input/output port is a serial port and wherein said male connector and said socket are each RJ11 standard connectors.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said socket has a transmit terminal and a receive terminal and wherein said device is adapted to rout signals received by the device from said transmit terminal of said socket back to said receive terminal of said socket.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said device has a wire shorting said receive terminal to said transmit terminal when said device male connector is inserted into said socket, said wire being adapted to route signals from said transmit terminal to said receive terminal.

11. A method, comprising integrating computer-readable code into a system, wherein the system has a host processor having a memory adapted to maintain an operating system, an embedded controller having a first operational mode of operation and a service mode of operation, and an input/output port having a socket, and a device having a male connector adapted to be inserted into said socket, and wherein the code in combination with system is enabled to cause the system to perform:

detecting the presence of said device male connector inserted into said socket of said input/output port of said embedded controller; and

switching the mode of operation of said embedded controller from said first operational mode to said service mode in response to said device detection wherein said embedded controller detecting includes transmitting a code to said input/output port, said device receiving said code and returning said code back to said input/output port, and said embedded controller detecting receipt of said transmitted code.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first operational mode includes a first booting process and said service mode includes a second booting process and wherein said switching includes switching said first booting process to said second booting process in response to said device detection.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said embedded controller includes a mainboard and wherein said socket is positioned on said mainboard of said embedded controller.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said socket has a transmit terminal and a receive terminal and wherein said device is a dongle comprising said male connector and a wire adapted to short said receive terminal of said socket to said transmit terminal of said socket when said male connector is inserted into said socket.