Patent ID: 6338107
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of providing an interconnection between a peripheral device and a system bus of a computer system wherein a peripheral device may be selectively exchanged while the computer system is active, comprising the steps of:connecting a bridge to a system bus; connecting a primary peripheral bus to the bridge; connecting one or more peripheral devices to one or more of a plurality of secondary peripheral buses; selectively establishing and removing a connection from the primary peripheral bus to one of the secondary peripheral buses; determining a target peripheral device to be exchanged from among the one or more peripheral devices when the bridge is a master of the primary peripheral bus using an address decoder and sending an encoded set of signals to the target peripheral device using bus switch control logic to indicate which of the secondary peripheral buses the target peripheral device is connected to; automatically quiescing said target peripheral device and powering down said target peripheral device in response to said determining; and thereafter, providing a user discernable indication that exchange of said target device is permitted.