Importance

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Abstract

Hardware and software triggered programmable reset circuitry for a serial communication device. The invention has particular use in conjunction with an IEEE 1394 standard serial communication device ('serial card') within a computer system. The serial communication device is for coupling with a peripheral component interface (PCI) bus of the computer system. The serial communication device provides a serial bus onto which other devices can connect. The present invention provides a reset circuit that is triggered by software and/or hardware. In one embodiment, the software triggering portion of the invention is triggered by three sources. A particular address range is predefined and software triggered accesses over this address range cause a reset on the serial card. Second, a predefined device ID pattern is presented to a device ID circuit causing the device ID circuit to generate a reset on the serial card. Third, software on the computer system can cause the processor to trigger a system reset thereby causing the serial card to be reset. Hardware reset can also originate from three locations. A push button on the computer system causes system reset, thereby causing the serial card to reset. Second, a push button on the serial card itself can directly cause the serial card to reset. Third, an external function generator can be applied to special taps on the serial card and thereby assert a reset signal of programmable period and duty cycle for resetting the serial card.

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First Claim