Intel Corporation

Diane M Bryant

Sung-Soo Cho

James P Kardach

Feng Deng

Nikhil Mazumder

Farid Rastgar

Pranav S Shah

Prior art quiet docking and undocking methods used an interface that was located within the notebook computer, thus adding to the complexity, weight, and power consumption of the notebook computer. The present invention provides for a method for quiet docking and undocking of a notebook computer using interface circuitry located within the docking station. Moreover, the method of the present invention provides for docking and undocking whether the notebook computer is in a powered-on or suspend mode. The notebook computer is docked and undocked to the docking station such that any transaction occurring on the system bus during the docking/undocking sequence is not affected.

Method and apparatus for docking and undocking a notebook computer to

Prior art quiet docking and undocking methods used an interface that was located within the notebook computer, thus adding to the cost, complexity, weight, and power consumption of the notebook computer. The present invention provides for an apparatus for quiet docking of a notebook computer to a docking station, including interface circuitry located within the docking station. The interface detects when the notebook computer has been inserted within the docking station, and correspondingly enables a switch such that a common system bus is coupled between the notebook computer and the docking station. The interface also generates events to allow a software routine to configure the notebook computer and docking station without prior user intervention. The interface also includes circuitry to detect an undock request, and correspondingly undock the computer such that a transaction occurring on the system bus is not affected.

Method and apparatus for docking and undocking a notebook computer

A system having a portable computer, a docking station and an interface coupled between the portable computer and the docking station that is responsive to unpreconditioned insertion or removal of the portable computer into or from the docking station respectively. When the portable computer is being inserted into or removed from the docking station, the interface generates events to allow software to configure (e.g., precondition) the portable computer and the docking station without prior user intervention.

Method and apparatus for automatic un-preconditioned insertion/removal

In an integrated circuit comprising discrete circuit modules, dedicated test signals for the individual circuit modules are multiplexed with operational signals to the external pins of the integrated circuit. When not in a test mode, the external pins of the chip are coupled to the normal operational signals. When a test mode is commanded, certain external pins are coupled to test signals that are not otherwise available off-chip in accordance with the contents of a test register.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Diane M Bryant