The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 24, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1996
Donald G Scharnberg, Pasadena, TX (US);
Scott P Saunders, Spring, TX (US);
Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sensing the state of a computer system and changing the state, if necessary, before connecting the computer system to a computer expansion unit. The computer system has an electrical sense pad on which it sets a state signal. This state signal can indicate one of several states of the computer system. When the computer system is placed in the computer expansion unit, the expansion unit detects the state signal from the electrical sense pad and determines the state of the computer therefrom. If the determined state is an acceptable state, then the expansion unit will complete the connection of the computer to itself. If the determined state is an unacceptable state, then the expansion unit will delay completion of the connection and will send a signal back to the computer system telling the computer system to change its state. When the computer system receives this signal, it will change its state to an acceptable state and then reset the state signal on the electrical sense pad to indicate the new state.