Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection – Bus access regulation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-18
2001-07-24
Ray, Gopal C. (Department: 2781)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
Bus access regulation
C710S120000, C710S108000, C710S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266729
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to data transfer protocols for a high speed serial bus, such as a serial bus that conforms to the IEEE 1394 standard. More particularly, this invention relates to systems, data structures, and methods implemented at nodes on the serial bus for encapsulating data packets from various legacy protocols and transferring those packets over the serial bus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
IEEE
1394
specifies a standard for a high performance serial bus (hereinafter “
1394
bus”). The
1394
bus uses a generic data transfer protocol to facilitate communication among nodes. One of the intended uses of the
1394
bus is to transfer data, and to be used in conjunction with legacy data transfer protocols. Using a legacy data transfer protocol and transport layer is advantageous because existing hardware and software already support them.
A problem arises in that the generic data transfer protocol employed by the
1394
bus is incompatible with all legacy data transfer protocols.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new data transfer protocol tailored for the
1394
bus that encapsulates legacy protocols for usage in conjunction with the
1394
bus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a data transfer protocol for transferring data over the
1394
bus, regardless to which legacy protocol the data conforms.
According to an aspect of this invention, the data transfer protocol is implemented as a serial databus manager layer interposed between the
1394
bus and the existing network layer (e.g., SCSI, Ethernet, FDDI, token ring, etc.). The databus manager resides at every node on the
1394
bus. Each databus manager has an array of memory cells to temporarily hold discrete data units received from the serial bus. These data units might be, for example, data packets that are packaged according to a legacy protocol or segments of such data packets.
Each databus manager also has a cell availability register and a cell servicing register. The cell availability register holds information indicating whether one or more remote memory cells at a remote node are available to receive a data unit to be transferred over the serial bus. The cell servicing register holds information indicating whether one or more of the local memory cells contain data units that are ready to be serviced.
To transfer the data unit, the local databus manager examines its cell availability register to identify an available remote memory cell and sends the data unit over the
1394
bus to the available remote memory cell. The local databus manager updates its cell availability register to indicate that the remote memory cell to which the data unit is sent is no longer available. The local databus manager then sends a command to update the cell servicing register at the remote node to indicate that the remote memory cell to which the data unit is sent is ready to be serviced.
The remote databus manager services the remote memory cell and updates its cell servicing register to indicate that the remote memory cell is no longer ready for service. The remote databus manager then sends a command to update the cell availability register of the local databus manager to indicate that the remote memory cell is once again available to receive a new data unit.
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Leung Yuen Yu
Pierce Shaun D.
Lee & Hayes PLLC
Microsoft Corporation
Ray Gopal C.
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