Option Card Identification Using Multi-Voltage Inputs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
As the number of option cards increases, existing identification methods become inefficient, particularly when more than 16 identifiers are needed, as adding additional identification pins can lead to incompatibility with older cards.
Innovation Solution
A computing device identifies option cards using multiple power state inputs by applying different voltage inputs and analyzing the corresponding outputs, utilizing a circuit with two resistors and a conditionally added third resistor to provide unique combinations, allowing for 106 possible identifiers without requiring additional pins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If additional identification pins are added to support more than 16 identifiers, then the number of identifiers increases, but incompatibility with older cards occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-voltage identification system to a multi-voltage identification system. By applying different voltage levels (first voltage, second voltage, third voltage) to the identification pin, the system creates additional identification dimensions. This allows the same physical pin to convey more information through voltage variation, enabling support for more than 16 identifiers while maintaining physical compatibility with older cards that expect a single voltage level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (voltage level) of the identification pin from a static single-value system to a dynamic multi-value system. The identification pin can output different voltage levels (first voltage range, second voltage range, third voltage range) depending on the option card type. This parameter change enables expanded identification capability while maintaining backward compatibility, as older cards can still detect the presence of a card even if they cannot interpret all voltage levels.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single pin is used for identification, then compatibility with older cards is maintained, but the number of identifiers is limited to 16
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a voltage level dimension to the single-pin identification system. Instead of using only the presence/absence of voltage, the system now uses multiple discrete voltage levels (first, second, and third voltage ranges) to encode additional information. This dimensional expansion allows the same single pin to support more than 16 identifiers while maintaining compatibility with older cards that only expect to detect basic voltage presence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the identification pin from a binary voltage detector to a multi-level voltage encoder. By defining multiple voltage ranges (first voltage range for first identifiers, second voltage range for second identifiers, third voltage range for third identifiers), the system increases the information capacity of the single pin without adding physical pins, thus maintaining backward compatibility while expanding identification capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method efficiently expands the number of possible identifiers on a single pin, ensuring backwards compatibility with older cards by using distinct output combinations based on voltage inputs, effectively managing the growth of option card types.
Implementation Method 1
The circuit includes two resistors forming a resistor divider, as well as a third resistor which is conditionally added in series and forms part of the resistor divider based in the input voltage. Hence, at a first input voltage, the resistor divider does not include the third resistor and results in a first output, and at the second input voltage, the resistor divider includes the third resistor and results in a second output.
Data Source
AI summary
An example computing device includes: an option card receptacle to receive an option card; a controller interconnected with the option card receptacle, the controller to: apply a first voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle and detect a first output from the option card; apply a second voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle and detect a second output from the option card; determine an identifier of the option card based on a combination of the first output and the second output.