1 / 17

Software Docking Architecture

A Software Architecture For Docking Stations Paul Stanley Portable PC Architect Portable Advanced Architecture Compaq Computer Corporation. Software Docking Architecture. Compaq-Sponsored Proposal to the Mobile Advisory Council Work In Progress Not A Proposed Solution

presley
Télécharger la présentation

Software Docking Architecture

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. A Software Architecture For Docking Stations Paul StanleyPortable PC ArchitectPortable Advanced ArchitectureCompaq Computer Corporation

  2. Software Docking Architecture • Compaq-Sponsored Proposal to the Mobile Advisory Council • Work In Progress • Not A Proposed Solution • Intended To Stimulate Discussion and Thought Process • Detailed Solutions Are Not Yet Available • Not A MAC Consensus View • Not A Compaq Product Roadmap!

  3. Software Docking Architecture • Not A Hardware Implementation • Hardware is Abstracted via WDM & ACPI • Does Not Enable Inserting OEM A’s Notebook into OEM B’s Docking Station • Product Support Nightmare

  4. Software Docking Architecture • What The Problem Is • One OS To Support Every OEM Design • Docking Stations vs Port Replicators • PCI-to-PCI Positive vs Subtractive Bridges (Or No Bridges At All) • PCI-to-ISA Bridges Everywhere • Side-Banded & Pass-Thru Signals • Expansion Slots • OEM Proprietary Devices

  5. Software Docking Architecture • What The Problem Is • All sorts of hardware coming and going • Surprise Removal Of Devices • Surprise Removal Of The Dock • “Good” vs “Bad” Hot-Connect Busses • PC Card, PCI, USB, 1394, ...

  6. Software Docking Architecture • What The Solution Could Be • One Possible Operating System Perspective -- There Are Others • Docking Station appears as a single device • PCI-to-PCI positive decode bridge, no side-banded or pass-through signals, no ISA bridge in the dock • Write A Single Universal Driver

  7. Software Docking Architecture • What The Solution Could Be • One Possible Platform OEM Perspective -- There Are Others • Driver Might Use WDM Layered Architecture • ACPI-Based Where Appropriate • OEM-Specific Features Confined To a Low-Level Mini-Driver • Power Control, Audio/Graphics, etc.

  8. Software Docking Architecture ACPI Kernel PnP ACPI Docking Support OEM Adaptation Layer (ASL Code)

  9. Software Docking Architecture • Docks must use side-banded or pass-thru signals to support: • Docking Events: detection, power sequencing, etc. (I2C Bus) • Legacy Ports/Devices: Serial/Parallel, PS/2, FDD, IDE HDD, etc. • Cost Reduction for otherwise duplicated subsystems: audio, video, etc. • What About Legacy Removal and Docking?

  10. Legacy Device Migration • What Is “Legacy”? • SuperIO & Legacy Ports: Serial, Parallel • PS/2 Keyboard & Mouse • Legacy FDD • Legacy IDE HDD (ISA IRQ 14/15) • Analog Audio • Etc... • ISA Slots And Devices Are “No More” As Of PC 99

  11. Legacy Device Migration • Where Can They Go? • Some Possibilities -- There Are Others • USB “SuperIO” In The Dock • IDE-Based FDD • “Native Mode IDE” HDD

  12. Legacy Device Migration • What Problems May Arise? • USB Bandwidth Limitations • 12 Mbit/Sec Is A Theoretical Maximum • USB 2.0 Promises More Thruput • USB Driver Software For New Classes • PnP Support For Legacy Peripherals? • For Example, a Parallel-Port Printer May Not Be Recognized By Its Driver Install • Cost?

  13. One Possible Evolution • Create a New USB Device Class for a Docking Device • Abstract OEM-Proprietary Hardware Design • Latch & Unlatch • Power Sequencing • Push Buttons • LED’s & Other Indicators

  14. One Possible Evolution ACPI Kernel PnP ACPI Docking Support USB Bus Class Driver USB Docking Station OEM Adaptation Layer

  15. Next Steps • What’s going to happen to driver software? • What’s going to happen to legacy peripherals?

  16. What is the MAC? • Open consortium of Mobile Industry participants • Platform OEMs, Peripheral Manufacturers, Silicon & Software providers… • Not a Standards body • Establish Mobile Industry Consensus on open technical issues • Present recommendations to existing standards bodies

  17. Call To Action • Common Docking Architecture is incomplete • Join the MAC! Help solve this problem • MAC Administrative Offices • MAC Admin: Rich Baek, Karen Reff • (503) 297-2206 Phone • (503) 297-1090 Fax • MAC Web Site: www.mobileadvisory.org

More Related