Modular computer system

• US 7,734,852 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shamrock Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tao Logic Systems LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Mollo, Charles, Rhoden, Desi, Ahern, Frank W., Doss, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Knoll, Clifford H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US09/559,678
• Time in Patent Office: 3,694 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/104, 710/300, 710/30, 710305-306, 710/71, 709/208, 711/170, 711/172, 712/28, 712/29
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1642 with request queuing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1673 using buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4013 with data re-ordering, e.g. Endian conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4045 where the bus bridge performs an extender function
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247

Abstract

A modular computer system (20) including a universal connectivity station (UCS) (22) interconnected to a plurality of remote modules (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 42) via a plurality of respective high speed serial links (26, 40) such as based on proprietary Split-Bridge™ technology. The plurality modules, including a processor module (42) which may include core parts including a CPU, memory, AGP Graphics, and system bus interface may be remotely located from each of the other modules, including the UCS (22). The present invention achieves technical advantages wherein each module of the modular computer system (20) appear to each device to be interconnected to the other on a parallel bus since the high speed serial links appear transparent. Preferably, although not necessary, each of the modules including the UCS 22 are based on the PCI bus architecture, or the PCMCIA bus architecture, although other bus architectures are well suited to be incorporated using the present invention. The processor module can be upgraded to change or improve the performance of the modular computer system 20 without requiring any changes to the remaining system, thus drastically improving the price to performance trade-offs of the system. Moreover, the operating system (OS) of each module, including both the software and hardware, do not need to be changed as the entire modular system (20) is based on a common architecture, such as the PCI or Cardbus bus architecture.

Claims

1. A spatially separated computer system, comprising:

a first connectivity station having a first interface adapted to asynchronously, serially exchange parallel bus data thereacross;

a computing module disposed in the first connectivity station including a processing unit and a system bus coupled to the first interface;

a first module remotely positioned relative to the first connectivity station and having an interface coupled to the first connectivity station first interface via a serial communications link, wherein the first module is adapted to cooperate with the processing unit; and

wherein the first module and the first connectivity station asynchronously, serially transfer data therebetween via the serial communications link and collectively operate as a single computer.

2. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first connectivity station first interface comprises a bridge.

3. The computer system as specified in claim 2 wherein the system bus is coupled to the first interface via a serial link.

4. The computer system as specified in claim 3 wherein said serial link includes multiple channels.

5. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first module is selected from a group comprising of:

memory, graphics, a disk drive, a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, a printer, and an Internet connection.

6. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first module is separated from the first connectivity station by a distance of at least a meter.

7. The computer system as specified in claim 6 wherein the first module is separated from the first connectivity station by a distance of at least several meters.

8. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first connectivity station is adapted to serially transfer data with the first module without requiring handshaking.

9. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first connectivity station comprises a second interface, further comprising a second module remotely positioned from the first connectivity station and having an interface coupled to the first connectivity station second interface via a serial link and adapted to serially transfer data with the computing module or the first module.

10. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first module includes a processing unit.

11. The computer system as specified in claim 9 wherein the second module comprises a processing unit.

12. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first module is based on a parallel data bus architecture.

13. The computer system as specified in claim 12 wherein the parallel data bus is a PCI data bus.

14. The computer system as specified in claim 12 wherein the data bus is a Cardbus data bus.

15. The computer system as specified in claim 12 wherein the parallel data bus is a PCIX data bus.

16. The computer system as specified in claim 1 further comprising a third module having an interface coupled to the first module.

17. The computer system as specified in claim 16 wherein the third module is based on a parallel data bus architecture.

18. The computer system as specified in claim 17 wherein the parallel data bus is a PCI data bus.

19. The computer system as specified in claim 17 wherein the parallel data bus is a Cardbus data bus.

20. The computer system as specified in claim 17 wherein the parallel data bus is a PCIX data bus.

47. The computer system as specified in claim 1, wherein the first connectivity station communicates with the first module over a single-level bridge.

50. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first connectivity station communicates with the first module by sending bus information without waiting for an incoming acknowledgement before inaugurating transfer of the bus information therebetween.

52. The computer system as specified in claim 1 wherein the first connectivity station communicates with the first module by sending bus information without waiting for an incoming acknowledgement before inaugurating transfer of the bus information therebetween.

21. A computer system, comprising:

a connectivity station having a plurality of interfaces including a first and a second interface, each said interface being adapted to asynchronously, serially exchange parallel bus information;

a first module having an interface coupled to the connectivity station first interface via a serial link; and

a computing module including a processor and a system bus coupled to a computing module interface, the computing module interface coupled to the connectivity station second interface via a serial communications link and adapted to asynchronously, serially exchange said parallel bus information.

22. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein said computing module interface comprises a bridge.

23. The computer system as specified in claim 22 wherein the first module is based on a parallel data bus architecture.

24. The computer system as specified in claim 23 wherein the parallel data bus is a PCI data bus.

25. The computer system as specified in claim 23 wherein the parallel data bus is a Cardbus data bus.

26. The computer system as specified in claim 23 wherein the parallel data bus is a PCIX data bus.

27. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein the computing module comprises memory.

28. The computer system as specified in claim 27 wherein the computing module further comprises graphics.

29. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein the connectivity station comprises a third interface, further comprising a second module having an interface coupled to the connectivity station third interface via a serial link and adapted to serially communicate with the computing module.

30. The computer system as specified in claim 29 wherein the second module comprises a peripheral device.

31. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein the first module comprises a processor.

32. The computer system as specified in claim 29 wherein the second module comprises a processor.

33. The computer system as specified in claim 29 wherein both the first and second modules are each comprised of a mobile computing device.

34. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein the connectivity station further comprises a third interface adapted to exchange serial data with a module selected from a group comprising of:

a disk drive, a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, a printer, an Internet connection, a wireless accessory, and a storage module.

35. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein the computing module is separated from the connectivity station by a distance of at least several meters.

48. The computer system as specified in claim 22, wherein the connectivity station communicates with the first module over a single-level bridge.

51. The computer system as specified in claim 21 wherein the connectivity station communicates with the first module by sending bus information without waiting for an incoming acknowledgement before inaugurating transfer of the bus information therebetween.

36. A computer system, comprising:

a first module having a first interface; and

a second module having a second interface remotely positioned from and connected to the first interface and adapted to asynchronously, serially transfer bus information therebetween, wherein only one said module is required to have a computing module including a CPU to asynchronously, serially transfer said bus information therebetween.

37. The computer system as specified in claim 36, wherein the second interface comprises a bridge.

38. The computer system as specified in claim 37, further comprising a third module coupled to the first module and adapted to serially transfer said bus information therebetween.

39. The computer system as specified in claim 36 further comprising a third module coupled to the second module and adapted to serially transfer said bus information therebetween.

40. The computer system as specified in claim 36 wherein both the first module and the second module comprise a computing module, wherein the first and second modules are each adapted to transfer said bus information therebetween without handshaking.

41. The computer system as specified in claim 36 wherein the first module comprises a primary video display.

42. The computer system as specified in claim 41 wherein the second module comprises a secondary video display.

43. The computer system as specified in claim 41 wherein the first module also comprises a data entry device coupled to the primary video display.

44. The computer system as specified in claim 41 wherein the first module also comprises a common storage module.

45. The computer system as specified in claim 38 wherein the third module coupled to the first module is adapted to serially transfer said bus information therein without handshaking.

46. The computer system as specified in claim 39 wherein the third module coupled to the second module is adapted to serially transfer said bus information therebetween without handshaking.

49. The computer system as specified in claim 37, wherein the second module communicates with the first module over a single-level bridge.