Patent ID: 6813671
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising:a computer body including a processing unit and a first I/O (input-output) controller having a first register with a predetermined address, the first register for containing predetermined data; an extended I/O device which is hot swappable to the computer body and comprises a second I/O controller having a second register, said second register having an address corresponding to the predetermined address of the first register; means for detecting, upon providing power to the computer body and thereafter, connection of the extended I/O device to the computer body; and means for controlling initialization of the first and the second I/O controllers such that, when said extended I/O device is connected with the computer body, only one of the first and the second I/O controllers is initialized at any one time based on detection results of said detecting means; and wherein, when the detection results indicate that the extended I/O device is not connected to the computer body, the first I/O controller is initialized; and, after initialization of the first I/O controller, upon detecting connection of the extended I/O device to the computer body, said controlling means copies initialization data in the first register into the second register.