Patent ID: 6240496
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer system for configuring an expansion circuit board, comprising;a host computer having an expansion slot;a connector in the expansion slot being connectable to the host computer;an expansion circuit board in the expansion slot connected to said connector such that said connector is located between said expansion circuit board and said host computer, said expansion circuit board including:a controller chip for controlling the operation of said expansion circuit board in communication with said host computer, said controller chip including an internal register for storing a plurality of configuration data bits, said configuration data bits permitting said host computer to communicate commands to and receive input from said expansion circuit board, wherein said controller chip is electrically coupled to the host computer when said connector is connected to the host computer, and said controller chip is electrically decoupled from the host computer when said connector is disconnected from the host computer;a memory for storing a plurality of configuration data bits which define the address space occupied by said expansion circuit board with respect to said host computer;a first parallel bus connected to said controller chip and to said memory and other components on said expansion circuit board for transferring data bits between said controller chip and said memory and said other components;a control line connected between said controller chip and said memory for enabling an output of said memory to transfer said configuration data bits to said internal register over said first parallel bus; andtransceiver means for controlling the transfer of data bits from said expansion circuit board to a second parallel bus extending from said connector to said host computer;wherein, when power is supplied to said expansion circuit board, said memory transfers said configuration data bits to said internal register over said first parallel bus independently of a command from said host computer.