Patent ID: 7032055

Claim:
A method comprising: controlling, at least in part, by a first device, whether a first signal line of a second device is coupled to a bus and whether a second signal line of a third device is coupled to the bus; and after the first and second signal lines are coupled to the bus, supplying from the first device to the second and third devices, via the first and second signal lines, one or more signals that, after being received by the second and third devices, permit, at least in part, at least one of control and configuration by the first device of the second and third devices; a first circuit card comprising the first device, a second circuit card comprising the second device, the first device being coupled to the second device and to the third device via a mechanism that permits the first device to control whether the signals lines are coupled to the bus, the mechanism also permitting the first device to receive one or more interrupt signals from at least one of the second device and the third device, the one or more signals comprising Initialization Device Select (IDSEL) signals.