US5214762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Disk drive activity indicator
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 1990-11-19
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Granted: 1993-05-25
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Expires: 2010-11-19
Abstract
Abstract In a desktop computer, a hard disk drive activity indicator such as an LED is mounted on the front panel, remote from its associated hard disk drive which is mounted in the back of the housing. The LED is triggered in response both I/O writes for addresses reserved for use with the hard disk, and interrupt requests generated by the hard disk drive. Triggering logic on the motherboard of the computer detects these conditions, and a retriggerable monostable multivibrator which activates the LED. The LED is coupled to the triggering logic with by a conductor that need not be added as an additional part or assembly but instead is within an already-existing assembly such as the power supply.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth L. Bush
- 👤 Ralph S. Perry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/18; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
291 words
A computer system comprising: (a) a housing having a front panel visible to a user during operation of the computer system; (b) a circuit board located within said housing; (c) a CPU located within said housing and mounted on said circuit board; (d) peripheral I/O means located within said housing, said peripheral I/O means addressable by said CPU; (e) system bus means located within said housing, said system bus means coupling addresses, data, and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral I/O means; (f) said peripheral I/O means including: (1) a peripheral controller connected to said system bus to receive addresses, data, and control signals from said CPU and to send data and control signals to said CPU, and (2) an input/output device disposed within said housing remote from said front panel, said input/output device being operated by said peripheral controller; said peripheral controller defining a plurality of registers addressable by said CPU for transferring data and control signals to and from said CPU and to and from said input/output device; (g) means, connected to said system bus means, for detecting transfers of address and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller via said system bus means; (h) indicator means, connected to said means for detecting transfers, for informing a user of said computer system of activity by said peripheral I/O means, said peripheral I/O means activity being determined by said means for detecting transfers detecting transfers of address or control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller via said system bus means, said indicator means activated under control of said means for detecting transfers, and deactivated after a fixed period of time; (i) said indicator means installed remotely from said peripheral controller and said input/output device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
291 words
A computer system comprising: (a) a housing having a front panel visible to a user during operation of the computer system; (b) a circuit board located within said housing; (c) a CPU located within said housing and mounted on said circuit board; (d) peripheral I/O means located within said housing, said peripheral I/O means addressable by said CPU; (e) system bus means located within said housing, said system bus means coupling addresses, data, and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral I/O means; (f) said peripheral I/O means including: (1) a peripheral controller connected to said system bus to receive addresses, data, and control signals from said CPU and to send data and control signals to said CPU, and (2) an input/output device disposed within said housing remote from said front panel, said input/output device being operated by said peripheral controller; said peripheral controller defining a plurality of registers addressable by said CPU for transferring data and control signals to and from said CPU and to and from said input/output device; (g) means, connected to said system bus means, for detecting transfers of address and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller via said system bus means; (h) indicator means, connected to said means for detecting transfers, for informing a user of said computer system of activity by said peripheral I/O means, said peripheral I/O means activity being determined by said means for detecting transfers detecting transfers of address or control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller via said system bus means, said indicator means activated under control of said means for detecting transfers, and deactivated after a fixed period of time; (i) said indicator means installed remotely from said peripheral controller and said input/output device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said input/output device is a hard disk drive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said means for detecting transfers includes means responsive to address and control signals being transferred from said CPU to said plurality of registers in said peripheral controller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein said means for detecting transfers includes means responsive to assertion of preselected control signals directed to said CPU via said system bus means by said peripheral controller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said indicator means further comprises a light-emitting diode coupled to said front panel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system according to claim 5 and further comprising a power supply unit located within said housing and extending to said front panel and electrical connection means coupling said means for detecting transfers and said light-emitting diode, said electrical connection means extending through said power supply unit and to said front panel of said computer system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 4 wherein said means for detecting transfers further comprises means responsive to assertions by said CPU of preselected address signals directed to said peripheral controller via said system bus means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
136 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein said means for detecting transfer comprises: (a) an address decoder coupled to said system bus means for producing a first distinctive output signal upon detection of said preselected address signals being coupled on said system bus means between said CPU and said peripheral I/O means; (b) digital logic circuitry coupled to said system bus means, said logic circuitry including means for producing a second distinctive output signal upon detection of said preselected control signals being coupled on said system bus means between said CPU and said peripheral I/O means; and (c) a retriggerable, monostable, multivibrator, said multivibrator receiving said first and second distinctive signals and producing a triggering signal which activates said indicator means upon receipt of said first distinctive signal and upon receipt of said second distinctive signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A computer system according to claim 1 wherein said detecting transfers means further comprises: means, connected to said address bus, for detecting accesses of said disk drive by said CPU; and means, connected to said control bus, for detecting interrupts of said CPU by said disk drive.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
114 words
A computer system comprising: (a) a system bus; (b) a CPU connected to said system bus; (c) a peripheral controller connected to said system bus; (d) activity detection means, connected to said system bus, for detecting address and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller; (e) indicator means, connected to said activity detection means, for informing a user of said computer system when transfer of address and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller along said system bus is detected by said activity detection means said indicator means activated by said activity detection means whenever said activity detection means detects transfer of address and control signals along said system bus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
114 words
A computer system comprising: (a) a system bus; (b) a CPU connected to said system bus; (c) a peripheral controller connected to said system bus; (d) activity detection means, connected to said system bus, for detecting address and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller; (e) indicator means, connected to said activity detection means, for informing a user of said computer system when transfer of address and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller along said system bus is detected by said activity detection means said indicator means activated by said activity detection means whenever said activity detection means detects transfer of address and control signals along said system bus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein said peripheral controller is coupled to a hard disk drive.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein said system bus carries address, data and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller, and wherein said activity detection means indicates activity by said peripheral controller in response to an assertion by said peripheral controller of a preselected one of said control signals indicative of activity by said peripheral controller and directed to said CPU via said system bus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein said CPU defines an I/O address space, and wherein said peripheral controller defines a plurality of registers within said I/O address space for transferring data and commands to and from said CPU.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 13 wherein said activity detection means is responsive to addresses or commands being written by said CPU into said plurality of registers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein said system bus carries address, data and control signals between said CPU and said peripheral controller, and wherein said activity detection means indicates activity by said peripheral controller in response to an assertion by said CPU of a preselected one of said address signals indicative of activity by said peripheral controller and directed to said peripheral controller via said system bus.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-05-24 | 1996-11-23 | 1997-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-05-24 | 2000-11-23 | 2001-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-05-24 | 2004-11-23 | 2005-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |