Patent ID: 7054981

Claim:
An apparatus for providing a direct connection between an external memory source and a local hard drive in order to facilitate a high speed data transfer in a system that includes a central processing unit (CPU) always connected to a main system bus, comprising: a direct memory access (DMA) bus; a local hard drive (HDD) coupled to the DMA bus; a port receptor connected to the DMA bus arranged to receive an external connector; a high speed serial cable detection circuit for detecting if a high speed serial cable is connected to the port receptor and wherein, when the high speed serial cable detected, the high speed serial cable detection circuit generates and forwards a high speed data transfer request to the CPU; a direct memory access bus switch coupled by way of the DMA bus to the CPU that provides a direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus wherein when the direct memory access bus switch provides the direct connection between the port receptor and the HDD by way of the DMA bus, the CPU is unable to access the HDD.