Patent ID: 6961797

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a central processing unit; a north bridge electrically connected to the central processing unit; a memory electrically connected to the north bridge; a south bridge electrically connected to the north bridge, the south bridge having a general purpose serial input/output port; at least one peripheral device electrically connected to the south bridge; and an interfacing circuit for providing a plurality of extended general purpose input/output ports, the interfacing circuit having a connection end electrically connected to the general purpose serial input/output port, the interfacing circuit integrating data signals for a plurality of external devices connected to the extended general purpose input/output ports of the interfacing circuit into combined signal packets and transmitting the combined signal packets serially; wherein when inputting a data signal from the general purpose input/output port, the data signal is transmitted to the general purpose serial input/output port through the connection end of the interfacing circuit, and when outputting a data signal from the general purpose serial input/output port, the data signal is transmitted to the general purpose input/output port through the connection end of the interfacing circuit.