Patent ID: 6032254
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of identifying a peripheral device employed in a semiconductor device, said semiconductor device being equipped with a microprocessor and being capable of having said peripheral device electrically connected to the microprocessor at at least first and second connecting terminals and executing operations in cooperation with the microprocessor, comprising the following steps:a first step for reading an identification program for identifying said peripheral device from a nonvolatile electrically programmable memory;a second step for outputting a signal to said first connecting terminal;a third step for receiving a signal outputted from said second connecting terminal;a fourth step for comparing the signal outputted in said second step and the signal received in said third step;a fifth step for identifying said peripheral device in response to the result of comparison obtained in said fourth step;a sixth step for storing the result of identification therein;a seventh step for selecting one of a plurality of control programs stored in the nonvolatile electrically programmable memory, according to the result of identification stored in said sixth step, the selected control program for accessing the peripheral device; andan eighth step of reading the selected control program to the peripheral device.