Adapter for detecting whether a peripheral is standard or multimedia type format and selectively switching the peripheral to couple or bypass the system bus

摘要

A computer system including one or more PCMCIA expansion slots allows video and/or audio capabilities to be added to the system through a standard PCMCIA interface, utilizing multimedia type PCMCIA peripheral cards. A PCMCIA host adapter integrated circuit interrogates a PCMCIA peripheral card to determine whether or not the PCMCIA peripheral card is a multimedia type PCMCIA peripheral including video or audio capability. If the PCMCIA peripheral card is a multimedia type peripheral, the PCMCIA host adapter integrated circuit couples the PCMCIA peripheral card directly to the graphics and sound controller integrated circuits, using the standard PCMCIA interface and bypassing the host system bus. Otherwise, if the PCMCIA peripheral card is a standard PCMCIA peripheral, then the PCMCIA host adapter integrated circuit interfaces communications between the PCMCIA peripheral card and the host system bus in a conventional manner. The computer system includes a multi-windowing or display function whereby a typical computer applications program may be operating and displayed in a first window or display while the system simultaneously displays a playback or live video signal from a multimedia type peripheral card in a second window or display.