COMPUTING MODULE WITH SERIAL DATA CONNECTIVITY

• US 20130042046A1
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shamrock Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles Mollo, Desi Rhoden, Frank W. Ahern, Jeff Doss
• Inventors: Ahern, Frank W., Rhoden, Desi, Doss, Jeff, Mollo, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,535,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/313
• 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 computing module includes an interface to asynchronously, serially exchange parallel system bus data with one or more other modules of a computer system that includes the computing module. The computing module can asynchronously, serially transfer first parallel bus data to another module of the computer system, and can asynchronously, serially receive second parallel bus data from another module of the computer system.

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a first parallel bus of a first module; and

an interface configured to asynchronously, serially receive serial data from a second module without requiring handshaking, wherein said second module is configured to communicate peripherally over a second parallel bus, and wherein said interface is configured to send parallel data corresponding to said serial data over said first parallel bus.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said interface comprises a bridge.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein a computing first module is separated from each of the one or more modules by a distance of at least a meter.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the one or more modules include one or more of:

a disk drive a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, a printer, an internet connection, a wireless accessory, or a storage module.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said interface is configured to receive second parallel data from the first parallel bus and configured to asynchronously, serially exchange second serial data, corresponding to the second parallel data, with said second module without requiring handshaking.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said first module comprises a processor module including a CPU and memory, and wherein said second module comprises a peripheral device.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said peripheral device comprises a hard drive.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein one of said first and second modules comprises a portable computing device.

55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said first module comprises a memory device.

56. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said first module is configured to generate a clock signal from the received serial data.

57. A method comprising:

asynchronously, serially receiving at a first module serial data from a second module without requiring handshaking, wherein said serial data corresponds to second parallel bus data of said second module; and

sending first parallel data corresponding to said serial data over a first parallel bus of said first module.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said second module is configured to communicate peripherally over said second parallel bus, and wherein said first module is configured to communicate peripherally over said first parallel bus.

59. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

receiving third parallel bus data from the first parallel bus; and

asynchronously, serially exchanging second serial data corresponding to said third parallel bus data with said second module without requiring handshaking.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein said first module comprises a processor module including a CPU and memory, and wherein said second module comprises a peripheral device.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said peripheral device comprises a hard drive.

62. The method of claim 57, wherein said first module is separated from said second module by at least a meter.

63. The method of claim 57, wherein said first module comprises one of:

a disk drive, a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, a printer, an internet connection, a wireless accessory, or a storage module.

64. A system comprising:

means for asynchronously, serially receiving at a first module serial data from a second module without requiring handshaking, wherein said serial data corresponds to second parallel bus data of said second module; and

means for sending first parallel data corresponding to said serial data over a first parallel bus of said first module.

65. The system of claim 64, further comprising:

means for receiving third parallel bus data from the first parallel bus; and

means for asynchronously, serially exchanging second serial data corresponding to said third parallel bus data with said second module without requiring handshaking.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein said second module is configured to communicate peripherally over said second parallel bus, and wherein said first module is configured to communicate peripherally over said first parallel bus.