Laptop docking port tutorial

> Greetings and salutations.
> I am a senior at DeVry University, in their EET program.
> I, as part of a team of three, have a project to complete which will
> require
> us to control several pager motors with a laptop computer. This is a
> design
> project, not an assigned project. That is, the team decided what the
> project
> would be, the assignment was to come up with a device that shows our
> skills
> and build it before graduation... so any help will be fair game.
> The motors will not just be on/off, they will be sent a four-bit value
> which
> will then be fed to a DAC, and the resulting voltage will run the motor.
> The
> idea is to have a range of vibration intensities/frequencies for each
> motor.
> The laptop to be used has one free USB port, (the second USB port will
> have a
> camera attached to it,) an unused PCMCIA slot, and its docking port
> available
> to me for this communication.
> We've pretty much decided that the best choice to control these motors
> would
> be through the docking port, via an interface board that we will build.
> The
> interface board will essentially be a bunch of latches and a D/A converter
> multiplexed to the motors. The DAC will poll each latch, convert the four
> bit
> value it is holding to a voltage, and charge a cap with that voltage.
> Alternately, we may just use an R2R network for each motor instead of a
> DAC
> and do away with the multiplexing. My task is to get the four-bit values
> into
> the latches.
> My difficulty is that I know very little about the docking1 port, and a
> few
> quick searches using google did not turn up any information sources.
> Could
> anyone point me to a website that will give pinouts, and maybe some
> information about programming for devices that use the port?
> Is this port simply straight access to the system busses? (like the slots
> on a
> desktop computer's motherboard) If so, the only information I would lack
> would
> be the pinout. If it requires a special software routine like a USB port
> does,
> on the other hand, I would need a rundown on that routine as well.
> Also, sources for the connector would help me out, although I'm sure with
> more
> searching I could probably find that at an online store. :)
> If any of you disagree that the docking port would be the best choice for
> controlling the motors, I'd like to know that too, and what you think the
> best
> choice in that case would be.
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>

> It would help to know the make and model of the laptop. Docking ports
> for most model laptops are usually one off custom SCIC ports. I'd contact
> the manufacturer for white-papers or manuals on your laptop before messing
> with it.

> The motors will not just be on/off, they will be sent a four-bit value which
> will then be fed to a DAC, and the resulting voltage will run the motor. The
> idea is to have a range of vibration intensities/frequencies for each motor.
>
> The laptop to be used has one free USB port, (the second USB port will have a
> camera attached to it,) an unused PCMCIA slot, and its docking port available
> to me for this communication.

>Greetings and salutations.
>I am a senior at DeVry University, in their EET program.
>I, as part of a team of three, have a project to complete which will require
>us to control several pager motors with a laptop computer. This is a design
>project, not an assigned project. That is, the team decided what the project
>would be, the assignment was to come up with a device that shows our skills
>and build it before graduation... so any help will be fair game.
>The motors will not just be on/off, they will be sent a four-bit value which
>will then be fed to a DAC, and the resulting voltage will run the motor. The
>idea is to have a range of vibration intensities/frequencies for each motor.
>The laptop to be used has one free USB port, (the second USB port will have a
>camera attached to it,) an unused PCMCIA slot, and its docking port available
>to me for this communication.
>We've pretty much decided that the best choice to control these motors would
>be through the docking port, via an interface board that we will build. The
>interface board will essentially be a bunch of latches and a D/A converter
>multiplexed to the motors. The DAC will poll each latch, convert the four bit
>value it is holding to a voltage, and charge a cap with that voltage.
>Alternately, we may just use an R2R network for each motor instead of a DAC
>and do away with the multiplexing. My task is to get the four-bit values into
>the latches.
>My difficulty is that I know very little about the docking1 port, and a few
>quick searches using google did not turn up any information sources. Could
>anyone point me to a website that will give pinouts, and maybe some
>information about programming for devices that use the port?
>Is this port simply straight access to the system busses? (like the slots on a
>desktop computer's motherboard) If so, the only information I would lack would
>be the pinout. If it requires a special software routine like a USB port does,
>on the other hand, I would need a rundown on that routine as well.
>Also, sources for the connector would help me out, although I'm sure with more
>searching I could probably find that at an online store. :)
>If any of you disagree that the docking port would be the best choice for
>controlling the motors, I'd like to know that too, and what you think the best
>choice in that case would be.
>Thanks in advance for any responses.