 Semiconductor memory device including address transition detecting circuit |
| One object of the present invention is to reduce a consumed current in writing operation in a ... |
|
| Non-volatile register system utilizing thin-film floating-gate amorphous transistors |
| One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved register in which amorphous silicon ... |
|
| Environmental abnormality detection apparatus |
| I claim as my invention: 1. An environmental abnormality detection apparatus comprising: detector ... |
|
| Innate bus monitoring system for computer system manager |
| In one embodiment, the present invention is of a system for innately monitoring a computer system ... |
|
| LAN server personal computer with unattended activation capability |
| OF INVENTION While the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference ... |
|
| Fiber-optic interface system |
| What is claimed is: 1. An optically-powered, fiber-optical data-link for interfacing a remote ... |
|
| Plenum bypass serial fan cooling subsystem for computer systems |
| To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present ... |
|
| Installation link-up procedure |
| An apparatus and method for preparing an indoor environmental conditioning system for spaces, for ... |
|
| Integrated zoning circulator with priority controller |
| The invention features an integrated zoning circulator having its own priority controller integral ... |
|
| Integrated remote asynchronous power switch |
| In accordance with the present invention, a computer with power switching capabilities is described ... |
|
|
System for automatic reconfiguration termination to multi-processor bus without added expense of removable termination module
| Details |
Inventors: Vivio, Joseph;
Assignee: Dell USA, L.P. (Round Rock, TX)
Primary Examiner: Lim; Krisna
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Garrana; Henry N., Kahler; Mark P., Roberts; Diana L.
A modular computer bus providing a system for automatically maintaining proper bus termination. A module connector is located at on end of the bus. A switch device is located at the end of the bus as close as possible to the connector. The switch device couples a termination device to the end of the bus when the switch device is in an on state. The switch device is in the on state when no module is present in the connector and in an off state when a module, such as a processor module, is present in the connector. When the switch device is in the off state, the termination device is not coupled to the bus. Instead the end of the bus is terminated by a termination device on the module. Thus, computer bus is correctly terminated automatically when a module is inserted into or removed from the connector. Thus a bus structure is provided for implementing a bus standard while providing modularity and automatically maintaining proper bus termination. The superior flexibility, upgradeability and serviceability benefits of a modular bus system are achieved without incurring the increased damage risk, cost, and user confusion disadvantages of prior termination techniques. |
|
DETAILED DESCRIPTION A computer system implementation according to the present invention comprises a computer bus with at least one connector for receiving an add-in module to allow modular configuration of the computer system.
The system and method of the present invention automatically terminate the computer bus according to the presence of the module so that correct bus termination is always maintained.
This automatic bus termination allows for a modular bus architecture without the need for additional manual intervention to reconfigure the bus termination.
Therefore, the present invention is less confusing to the user and avoids the increased risk of component damage associated with manually reconfiguring bus termination.
The present invention also provides automatic reconfiguration of bus termination without the added expense of a removable termination module.
In one embodiment of the invention, a computer bus is primarily located on a printed circuit board (PCB) motherboard.
A connector for receiving a module is located at one end of the bus.
A first bus termination device is provided on the motherboard near the connector at the end of the bus and is electrically coupled to the computer bus through a switch device.
Each add-in module includes a second termination device located in the module.
When no module is inserted in the connector, the switch device is in an on state, and the first termination device is electrically coupled to the bus and provides correct termination at the bus end.
When a module is inserted into the connector, the switch device is switched to an off state so that the first termination device is no longer electrically coupled to the bus.
Rather, when a module is inserted, bus termination is supplied by the second termination device located on the module, and thus the effective end of the computer bus is on the module when the module is inserted.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the computer bus complies with the P6.
0 bus standard.
The bus is primarily located on a motherboard and terminated at one end on the motherboard
|
|
Multiplexer-related 
