Integrated PC Card Host Controller for the Detection and Operation of a Plurality of Expansion Cards

Abstract

An integrated controller for the detection and operation of both PC Cards, smart cards and passive smart card adapter cards. In one aspect, the invention detects the presence of standard expansion cards or passive smart card adapters by utilizing the reserved detection and voltage selection signal area defined by the PC Card specification. In another aspect, the invention provides an integrated controller that includes logic to operate either a standard expansion card or a passive smart card adapter by reassigning certain PC Card signal lines to operate a standard expansion card or a passive smart card adapter, thereby eliminating the need to provide pins in addition to those defined by the PC Card specification.

1 . A method for detecting and operating an expansion card comprising: 
 identifying an expansion card type as complying with a PC Card specification or not complying with said PC Card specification using conventional PC Card signal lines;    communicating between said expansion card and a bus controller using conventional PC Card communication protocols.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein identifying an expansion card type comprises determining a signal state of a first and second card detection signal lines, determining the signal state of a first and second voltage select signal lines, and determining a signal state of a PC Card signal line that is unused during the detection of a PC Card.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein communicating between said expansion card and said bus controller comprises enabling MUX logic to provide communication between said expansion card and said bus controller.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising interfacing said expansion card to a bus using said bus controller to provide communication between said expansion card and said bus.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said expansion card type not complying with said PC Card specification comprises a Smart Card.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said expansion card type complying with said PC Card specification comprises a CardBus card.  
   
   
       7 . A system for detecting and operating an expansion card comprising: 
 a socket for receiving said expansion card;    an integrated controller comprising a first logic set for operating an expansion card that complies with a PC Card specification and a second logic set for operating an expansion card that does not comply with said PC Card specification, and interface logic for communication between said expansion card not complying with said PC Card specification and a bus using PC Card communication protocols.    
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein said integrated controller further comprises detection logic to determine if said expansion card complies with said PC Card specification.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said detection logic determines if said expansion card complies with said PC Card specification using conventional PC Card signal lines.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein said bus comprises a PCI bus.  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein an expansion card that complies with said PC Card specification comprises a CardBus card.  
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein an expansion card that does not comply with said PC Card specification comprises a Smart Card.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an integrated circuit having a first logic set for operating an expansion card that complies with a PC Card specification and a second logic set for operating an expansion card that does not comply with said PC Card specification, said integrated circuit further comprising interface logic for communication between said expansion card not complying with said PC Card specification and a bus using PC Card communication protocols.    
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said integrated circuit further comprises detection logic to determine if said expansion card complies with said PC Card specification.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said detection logic determines if said expansion card complies with said PC Card specification using conventional PC Card signal lines.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said bus comprises a PCI bus.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said expansion card that complies with said PC Card specification comprises a CardBus card.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said expansion card that does not comply with said PC Card specification comprises a Smart Card.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said integrated circuit comprises a bus controller for communication between said expansion card and said interface logic.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said integrated circuit comprises MUX logic to provide communication between said expansion card and said bus controller using PC Card communication protocols.