Patent ID: 7779176

Claim:
A system comprising: a first controller for controlling at least one peripheral card of a first type; a second controller for controlling at least one peripheral card of a second type; a shared signal controller coupled to said first controller for restricting the first controller to controlling said at least one peripheral card of the first type, and coupled to said second controller for restricting the second controller to controlling said at least one peripheral card of the second type, wherein the shared signal controller comprises: a first mask register for restricting the first controller to controlling said at least one peripheral card of the first type; and a second mask register for restricting the second controller to controlling said at least one peripheral card of the second type; and a shared signaling and control bus coupled to said shared signal controller and for said controlling of said at least one peripheral card of the first type and for said controlling of said at least one peripheral card of the second type, wherein the first mask register and the second mask register are coupled together and share values to ensure consistency of said restricting of said first controller and said restricting of said second controller.