Coexisting standard and proprietary connection usage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9229836-B2
Application number	US-201213690965-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2012
Priority date	Nov 30, 2012
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A method for coexisting standard connection and proprietary connection use is disclosed. The method may include connecting a peripheral device to a host computing device, wherein the peripheral device is connected via one of a standard connection type and a proprietary connection type. The method may include detecting the connection type. The method may include determining if the connection type is supported by the host computing device. The method may also include rendering a message indicating the connection type is not supported by the host system if the connection type is not supported.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for coexisting standard connection and proprietary connection use, comprising:
connecting a peripheral device to a host computing device, wherein the peripheral device is connected via one of a standard connection type and a proprietary connection type;
detecting the connection type;
determining if the connection type is supported by the host computing device, wherein determining if the connection type is supported comprises:
examining a polarity characteristic of an interface pin, wherein a high polarity indicates that the connection type is a standard connection type, and a low polarity indicates that the connection type is a proprietary connection type;

configuring an interface between the host computing device and the connection type to align with the peripheral device in response to the connection type being supported; and
rendering a message indicating the connection type is not supported by the host system if the connection type is not supported.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enumerating the peripheral device according to a specification associated with the peripheral device when the connection type is supported.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the type of connection comprises identification of a vendor associated with the connection type based on one or more of:
a vendor identification index value;
version data indicating a version of the connection type; and
a textual representation of the vendor that can be directly rendered in the message comprising one or more of: a manufacturer associated with the connection type device, a common name of the connection type, and a model number associated with the connection type.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message rendered may instruct a user of a method to contact a manufacturer of a connection type that is not supported by the host computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the type of connection is carried out by a logical control circuit within the host computing device, the logical control circuit to receive a signal indicating the connection type.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the standard connection type is associated with an industry standardized interface protocol specification comprising:
a universal serial bus (USB) interface protocol;
a PCI Express (PCIe) interface protocol;
a high-definition media interface (HDMI) interface protocol; or
a DisplayPort interface protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proprietary connection type comprises a proprietary interface protocol provided over a standardized interface connector.

8. A host computing device, comprising;
a detector to detect a type of connection comprising one of a standard connection type and a proprietary connection type used to connect a peripheral device to the host computing device, wherein the detector is further to determine if the connection type is supported by the host computing device wherein determining if the connection type is supported comprises:
examining a polarity characteristic of an interface pin, wherein a high polarity indicates that the connection type is a standard connection type, and a low polarity indicates that the connection type is a proprietary connection type,

and the host computing device is to configure an interface between the host computing device and the connection type to align with the peripheral device in response to the connection type being supported; and
a user interface to render a message indicating when the connection type is not supported by the host computing device.

9. The host computing device of claim 8 , wherein the connection type is a standard connection type, further comprising:
a processor;
a storage device comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium to store instructions thereon that when executed by the processor cause the host computing system to enumerate the peripheral device according to a specification associated with the device when the connection type is supported.

10. The host computing device of claim 8 , wherein detecting the type of connection comprises identification of a vendor associated with the connection type based on one or more of:
a vendor identification index value;
version data indicating a version of the connection type; and
a textual representation of the vendor that can be directly rendered in the message comprising one or more of: a manufacturer associated with the connection type, a common name of the connection type, and a model number associated with the connection type.

11. The host computing device of claim 8 , wherein the message rendered may instruct a user to contact a manufacturer of a connection type that is not supported by the host computing device.

12. The host computing device of claim 8 , wherein the detector comprises a logical control circuit within the host computing device, the logical control circuit to receive a signal indicating the connection type.

13. The host computing device of claim 8 , wherein the standard connection type is associated with an industry standardized specification comprising:
a universal serial bus (USB) interface protocol;
a PCI Express (PCIe) interface protocol;
a high-definition media interface (HDMI) interface protocol; or
a DisplayPort interface protocol.

14. The host computing device of claim 8 , wherein the proprietary connection type comprises a proprietary interface protocol provided over a standardized interface connector.

15. A system, comprising;
a host computing device;
a peripheral device including a connection type to attempt an interface with the host computing device;
a detector, of the host computing system, to detect the connection type comprising one of standard connection type and proprietary connection type, wherein the detector is further to determine if the connection type is supported by the host computing device, wherein determining if the connection type is supported comprises:
examining a polarity characteristic of an interface pin, wherein a high polarity indicates that the connection type is a standard connection type, and a low polarity indicates that the connection type is a proprietary connection type,

and the host computing device is to configure an interface between the host computing device and the connection type to align with the peripheral device in response to the connection type being supported; and
a user interface of the host computing device to render a message indicating when the connection type is not supported by the host computing device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the connection type is a standard connection type, further comprising:
a processor of the host computing device;
a storage device, of the host computing device, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium to store instructions thereon that when executed by the processor cause the host computing system to enumerate the peripheral device according to a specification associated with the device when the connection type is supported.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein detecting the type of connection comprises identification of a vendor associated with the connection type based on one or more of:
a vendor identification index value;
version data indicating a version of the connection type; and
a textual representation of the vendor that can be directly rendered in the message comprising one or more of: a manufacturer associated with the connection type device, a common name of the connection type, and a model number associated with the connection typ

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Saunders Bradley
• Dunstan Robert

Classifications

• G06F9/4411

  Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers · CPC title

• G06F13/4086

  Bus impedance matching, e.g. termination · CPC title

• G06F13/385 Primary

  for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices · CPC title

• G06F11/3051 Primary

  Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs (verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247) · CPC title

• G06F13/4068

  Electrical coupling · CPC title