| 摘要 |
In a computer system having at least two host controllers 100, 102 for communicating with attached devices 104...126 using a specific protocol, such as USB or SATA, port association logic associates active communications ports with host controllers. Each host controller has the capability to control a maximum number of ports. If the total number of currently active ports is less than the maximum number of ports controllable by a first host controller, then a newly active port is associated with the first host controller and a second host controller is prevented from powering to an operating state. However, if the total number of currently active ports is greater than or equal to the maximum number of ports controllable by the first host controller then a newly active port 112 is associated with a second host controller. If there are no active ports then the first host controller is powered down. The invention reduces power consumption by dynamically associating and re-associating ports to host controllers such that the number of powered host controllers is kept to a minimum. The invention can be expanded to accommodate any number of host controllers. |
