A method includes generating, by a control unit of a first device, a handshaking signal to be transmitted to a second device via a second channel. The method further includes based on the handshaking signal being acknowledged by the second device, configuring, by the control unit, the second channel to communicate non-display data and configuring a first channel connecting the first device to the second device to selectively communicate either display data or non-display data; and based on the handshaking signal being not acknowledged by the second device, configuring, by the control unit, the first channel to communicate display data.

Techniques are disclosed for hot swapping one or more module devices on a single host device. A module device can perform module-specific tasks that are defined in its module software driver. Using one or more application programming interfaces, the host device communicates with the module device's module software driver to allow the module device to perform module-specific tasks while removably connected to the host device.

An embodiment method of operating a CAN bus comprises coupling a first device and second devices to the CAN bus via respective CAN transceiver circuits, and configuring the respective CAN transceiver circuits to set the CAN bus to a recessive level during transmission of messages via the CAN bus by the respective first device or second devices.

A controller coupled to a peripheral identifies an access type used by the controller for data transfer. The controller performs operations including: sending information to a peripheral coupled to a controller, the information indicating an access type for which the controller is configured for data transfer; monitoring a communication link with the peripheral for a signal indicating that the peripheral is ready to perform a data transfer according to the access type; and performing, in response to a receipt of the signal through the communication link, the data transfer using data transfer handshake signals that are adapted according to the access type.

A method includes generating, by a control unit of a first device, a handshaking signal to be transmitted to a second device via a second channel. The method further includes based on the handshaking signal being acknowledged by the second device, configuring, by the control unit, the second channel to communicate non-display data and configuring a first channel connecting the first device to the second device to selectively communicate either display data or non-display data; and based on the handshaking signal being not acknowledged by the second device, configuring, by the control unit, the first channel to communicate display data.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a docking station and an external device control method and system utilizing the docking station, which are capable of implementing simultaneous working of devices of two types of protocols through a same multiplexing interface. The external device control method includes: utilizing a docking station, where the docking station includes: a first protocol/second protocol multiplexing interface for connecting to a main device; at least one first protocol device interface for connecting to a first protocol external device; and at least one second protocol device interface for connecting to a second protocol external device. The method is: receiving first protocol data sent by the first protocol external device through the first protocol device interface; and converting the first protocol data into second protocol data, and sending the second protocol data to the main device through the first protocol/second protocol multiplexing interface.

The Multicore Bus Architecture (MBA) protocol includes a novel technique of sharing the same physical channel for all transaction types. Two channels, the Transaction Attribute Channel (TAC) and the Transaction Data Channel (TDC) are used. The attribute channel transmits bus transaction attribute information optionally including a transaction type signal, a transaction ID, a valid signal, a bus agent ID signal, an address signal, a transaction size signal, a credit spend signal and a credit return signal. The data channel connected a data subset of the signal lines of the bus separate from the attribute subset of signal lines the bus. The data channel optionally transmits a data valid signal, a transaction ID signal, a bus agent ID signal and a last data signal to mark the last data of a current bus transaction.

An embodiment method of operating a CAN bus comprises coupling a first device and second devices to the CAN bus via respective CAN transceiver circuits, and configuring the respective CAN transceiver circuits to set the CAN bus to a recessive level during transmission of messages via the CAN bus by the respective first device or second devices.

The Multicore Bus Architecture (MBA) protocol includes a novel technique of sharing the same physical channel for all transaction types. Two channels, the Transaction Attribute Channel (TAC) and the Transaction Data Channel (TDC) are used. The attribute channel transmits bus transaction attribute information optionally including a transaction type signal, a transaction ID, a valid signal, a bus agent ID signal, an address signal, a transaction size signal, a credit spend signal and a credit return signal. The data channel connected a data subset of the signal lines of the bus separate from the attribute subset of signal lines the bus. The data channel optionally transmits a data valid signal, a transaction ID signal, a bus agent ID signal and a last data signal to mark the last data of a current bus transaction.

The Multicore Bus Architecture (MBA) protocol includes a novel technique of sharing the same physical channel for all transaction types. Two channels, the Transaction Attribute Channel (TAC) and the Transaction Data Channel (TDC) are used. The attribute channel transmits bus transaction attribute information optionally including a transaction type signal, a transaction ID, a valid signal, a bus agent ID signal, an address signal, a transaction size signal, a credit spend signal and a credit return signal. The data channel connected a data subset of the signal lines of the bus separate from the attribute subset of signal lines the bus. The data channel optionally transmits a data valid signal, a transaction ID signal, a bus agent ID signal and a last data signal to mark the last data of a current bus transaction.