US 5,835,750 AGrant
User Transparent System Using Any One of a Family of Processors in a Single Socket
Issue Date:1998-11-10
•24 Claims
•5 Drawing Sheets
Abstract
A digital computer system having a socket capable of accepting any one of a family of processors, the family being defined as those processors having commonality of their respective basic input/output system code. Each processor has assigned pins for conducting specified signals, the pins engaging the socket. There is dissimilarity between at least two of the processors of correspondence where at least one of the specified signals, of one of the processors, is assigned to a different pin from the other processors. When such dissimilarity is present, the signal is redirected to the appropriate designated pin for the particular type of processor.
Metadata
Assignee
- Dell USA, L.P.
Inventor
- Ruby Y. Pan-Ratzlaff
Application Information
Application Number:US 7446713
Filing Date:1996-11-06
Priority Date:1991-09-27
Art Unit:273
Classifications
IPC:
G06F 9455
Field of Search:
395820;520;500;830;836;820.34;820.37;527
Patent Drawings (5 sheets)
Description
Back of the Invention
1. Field of the Invention
This invention deals with a digital computer system having a processor socket capable of accepting any one of a family of processors. More particularly, this invention enables automatically accommodating the various processors in the family.
2. Description of the Related Art
Processors in a family of processors often differ in the assignment of a specified signal to a designated pin. That is, a pin on one of the processors may carry a particular specified signal while the corresponding pin on another of the processors carries a different specified signal.
In the past, it has been common practice to adjust the socket manually for each one of the processors. A jumper wire is placed from one location to another to redirect the particular signal to its assigned pin.
Other prior art solutions to the problem have involved switches that are set to redirect the signal from one pin to another of a particular processor.
Another solution to the problem includes using more than one socket. That is, a socket may be exclusively wired to receive one processor from the family of processors, with a second and third socket wired to accept others of the family. Such a system may include automatically switching those processors in place out of the circuit upon the installation of the last of the processors.
This invention enables the user to simply insert the desired processor from the family of processors into a single socket without concern for installing jumpers or throwing switches. The operation is completely transparent to him.
Brief Summary of the Invention
A digital computer system has a socket capable of accepting any one of a plurality of types of processors having assigned pins for conducting specified signals and for engaging the socket. The processors have a common basic input/output system code and dissimilarity between at least two of the processors of correspondence between at least one of the specified signals and the assigned pins. The Intel Corporation processor types 80486DX, 80486SX and 80487SX, are the processors of the family in this preferred embodiment. Other processors of other families could, of course, be used.
The basic input/output system memory (BIOS) has a program for reading the type of processor, coding the type and storing the code in a register. The BIOS also has a program for detecting the presence or absence of a coprocessor, coding the presence or absence, and storing the code in the register.
A Programmable Array of Logic (PAL) is interposed between the register and the socket. The PAL is connected to certain of the pins and, depending upon the contents stored in the register, reroutes signals to other pins. A gate is used to completely block a signal from entry to the processor, depending upon the contents of the register.
The principle object of this invention is to provide a socket in a computer system that will automatically accept any one of a plurality of types of processors having assigned pins for conducting specified signals and having a common basic input/output system code, irrespective of dissimilarities between specified signals and assigned pins. This and other objects will be made evident in the detailed description that follows.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the socket of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the processor, PAL and associated components.
Detailed Description of the Invention
This invention enables a user to interchange any one of a family of processors by simply inserting the processor into a socket. The user does not have to insert any jumpers or throw any switches. Any changes required in the processor socket because of dissimilarity of correspondence between specified signals and assigned pins is completely transparent to the user. The following description details the system used to obtain this result.
FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, collectively referred to as FIG. 1, show socket 10 with terminal 26 carrying signal IGNNE.sup.*, terminal 27 carrying signal FERR1.sup.*, terminal 29 carrying signal FERR.sup.*, and terminal 21 carrying signal NMI. Signals PRO/COP.sup.* and DX.sup.* /SX are combined in AND gate 11 to gate signal NMI through buffer 12. The ".sup.* " is used to denote assertion of a low signal level.
FIG. 2 illustrates socket 10 with the necessary circuitry for enabling the redirection of specified signals to different pins, depending upon the type of processor used.
PAL 18 is shown having output IGNNE.sup.* /NMI connected to pin a15 of processor 20. Pins c14 and a13 carries signals FERR.sup.* or FERR1.sup.*, respectively, to PAL 18. PAL 18, in this preferred embodiment, is a type 16R4-7. PAL 18 redirects signal FERR.sup.* (and FERR1.sup.*, as designated for the type 80487SX) when required.
In this preferred embodiment, only signals NMI, and IGNNE.sup.* are required to be redirected. One of signals FERR.sup.* and FERR1.sup.* is selected depending upon the type of processor. The following table illustrates the map for these signals.
BIOS 15 of any of the processors includes a program for detecting the processor type when the computer system first powers up. The ID is provided by the processor itself and the program supplied by the BIOS 15 codes that ID into a two bit binary code and stores it in register 16. BIOS 15 also has a program for detecting the presence or absence of a coprocessor, thereby adding to the identification of the processor. This information is coded into one bit in register 16 and is shown as signal PRO/COP.sup.*. The ID is shown as signal DX.sup.* /SX from BIOS 15 into register 16. Programs written in assembly language source code for determining this identification are listed below.
The NMI signal for types 80486DX and 80487SX are applied to pin B15 through buffer 12 by the gating signal from register 16, as shown. If, however, the processor is type 80486SX, then signal NMI is applied to pin A15 via PAL 18, as shown. Signal IGNNE.sup.* is applied to pin A15 for types 80486DX and 80487SX and not connected for the type 80486SX. The operation of PAL 18 is described by the following:
Mode of Operation
Assume that a type 80486SX processor is installed in the socket 10. In that case, signal NMI is blocked by gate 12 from pin B15 of socket 10. Signal NMI is redirected through PAL 18 to pin A15, the correct pin as indicated in table 1. That is the only redirection required in that instance. When a type 80487SX processor is installed, the NMI signal is gated through buffer 12 to pin B15 of socket 10. Signal IGNNE.sup.* is gated by the PAL to pin A15. Pin A13 is scanned for its indication of signal FERRI.sup.*.
When a type 80486DX processor is installed, signal NMI is gated through buffer 12 and impressed on pin B15. Signal IGNNE.sup.* is gated by the PAL to Pin A15. Pin C14 is scanned for its indication of signal FERR.sup.*. In this manner, it is shown that at least three different processors from the same family may each be installed in a single socket without the user having to take any further steps or precautions.
The above-described arrangement is merely an illustrative application of the principles of the invention; numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the skill and scope of the invention which is limited only as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
Certificate of Correction present
The claims shown below may not include correction changes. Use the corrected PDF for authoritative text.
What is claimed is:
1. A digital computer system comprising: a processor socket capable of accepting any one of a plurality of types of processors wherein all processor types have assigned pins for conducting specified signals and for engaging the processor socket, a common basic input/output system identification code, and dissimilarity of correspondence between at least one of the specified signals and assigned pins; a memory, storing a basic input/output system program for detecting the type of processor by use of the common basic input/output system identification code and for providing an identification signal indicative of the processor type; logic circuitry, connected to the processor socket, for selectively redirecting the at least one of the specified signals to another assigned pin of the processor, as determined by the identification signal; a register for storing the identification signal, the logic circuitry being responsive to the identification signal stored in the register when selectively redirecting the at least one of the specified signals to another assigned pin of the processor.
2. The system of claim 1 where the logic circuitry includes a Programmable Array of Logic (PAL), connected to the processor socket, for the selectively redirecting the at least one of the specified signals to another assigned pin of the processor.
3. The system of claim 1 where the logic circuitry includes a gate with an output connected to the processor socket, the gate selectively blocking a specified signal to an assigned pin of the processor, as determined by the identification signal.
4. The system of claim 3 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is blocked from a B15 pin when an 80486SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
5. The system of claim 3 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is redirected to a pin B15 when a 80487SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
6. The system of claim 3 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is redirected to a pin B15 when a 80486DX processor is detected in the processor socket.
7. The system of claim 1 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is redirected to a pin A15 when a 80486SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
8. The system of claim 1 where an Ignore Numeric Error.sup.* (IGNNE.sup.*) signal is redirected by the logic circuitry to a pin A15 when a 80487SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
9. The system of claim 1 where an Ignore Numeric Error.sup.* (IGNNE.sup.*) signal is redirected by the logic circuitry to a pin A15 when a 80486DX processor is detected in the processor socket.
10. The system of claim 1 where an Ignore Numeric Error.sup.* (IGNNE.sup.*) signal is blocked by the logic circuitry when a 80486SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
11. The system of claim 1 where the Floating Point Error.sup.* (FERR.sup.*) signal is redirected from a pin C14 by the logic circuitry when a 80486DX processor is detected in the processor socket.
12. The system of claim 1 where the Floating Point Error 1 (FERRI.sup.*) signal is redirected from a pin A13 by the logic circuitry when a 80487SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
13. The system of claim 1 where the memory further includes a basic input/output system program for detecting the presence or absence of a coprocessor and for providing a coprocessor detection signal indicative of whether a coprocessor is present or absent.
14. A digital computer system comprising: a processor socket capable of accepting any one of a plurality of types of processors wherein all processor types have assigned pins for conducting specified signals and for engaging the processor socket, a common basic input/output system identification code, and dissimilarity of correspondence between at least one of the specified signals and assigned pins; a memory, storing a basic input/output system program for detecting the type of processor by use of the common basic input/output system identification code and for providing an identification signal indicative of the processor type, the memory storing a basic input/output system program for detecting the presence or absence of a coprocessor and for providing a coprocessor detection signal indicative of whether a coprocessor is present or absent: logic circuitry, connected to the processor socket, for selectively redirecting the at least one of the specified signals to another assigned pin of the processor, as determined by the identification signal; a register for storing the identification signal and the coprocessor detection signal, where the logic circuitry is responsive to the identification signal and the coprocessor detection signal stored in the register in selectively redirecting the at least one of the specified signals to another assigned pin of the processor.
15. The system of claim 14 where the logic circuitry includes a gate with an output connected to the processor socket, the gate selectively blocking a specified signal to an assigned pin of the processor, as determined by the identification signal and the coprocessor detection signal.
16. The system of claim 15 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is redirected to a pin B15 when a 80487SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
17. The system of claim 15 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is blocked from a pin B15 when an 80486SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
18. The system of claim 15 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is redirected to a pin B15 when a 80486DX processor is detected in the processor socket.
19. The system of claim 14 where a Non-maskable Interrupt (NMI) signal is redirected to a pin A15 when a 80486SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
20. The system of claim 14 where an Ignore Numeric Error.sup.* (IGNNE.sup.*) signal is redirected by the logic circuitry to a pin A15 when a 80487SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
21. The system of claim 14 where an Ignore Numeric Error.sup.* (IGNNE.sup.*) signal is blocked by the logic circuitry when a 80486SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
22. The system of claim 14 where an Ignore Numeric Error.sup.* (IGNNE.sup.*) signal is redirected by the logic circuitry to a pin A15 when a 80486DX processor is detected in the processor socket.
23. The system of claim 14 where the Floating Point Error 1.sup.* (FERR1.sup.*) signal is redirected from a pin A13 by the logic circuitry when a 80487SX processor is detected in the processor socket.
24. The system of claim 14 where the Floating Point Error.sup.* (FERR.sup.*) signal is redirected from a pin C14 by the logic circuitry when a 80486DX processor is detected in the processor socket.