Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-18
2001-04-24
Beausoleil, Robert (Department: 2184)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223305
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of data communications, and more particularly, to a diagnostic procedure performed in a data communication device.
BACKGROUND ART
Subtle errors in a communication device may degrade its performance and reduce efficiency without completely shutting down any portion of the device. The causes of such errors can lie in many different device components. Ascertaining all the causes requires sophisticated test equipment and highly trained personnel. Communications problems can also be random and troublesome to reproduce.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a diagnostic system that would allow a diagnostician to stop a device so as to set its elements into a chosen state, in order to recreate an event that may be hard to capture during actual operation of the device.
Further, to prevent data loss and increase efficiency of the device, it would be desirable to restart the device from its disable state without a reset.
Moreover, to achieve flexibility during a diagnostic procedure, it would be desirable to provide a device that combines a freezing diagnostic mode for stopping operations of the device immediately, with a disable/enable diagnostic mode for stopping elements of the device in a serial fashion after their current operations are completed.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is in providing a communication device that combines a freezing diagnostic mode for stopping operations of the device instantaneously to examine its elements, with a disable/enable diagnostic mode for stopping elements of the device in a serial fashion after their current operations are completed.
Another advantage of the present invention is in providing a diagnostic system that would allow a diagnostician to disable a communication device so as to set its elements into a chosen state, in order to recreate an event that may be hard to capture during actual operation of the device.
A further advantage of the present invention is in providing a communication device that may be restarted from its disable state without a reset.
The above and other advantages of the invention are achieved, at least in part, by providing a communication system that comprises a host interface for providing a host with access to internal elements of the system. Diagnostic circuitry is provided for stopping the internal elements immediately in response to a freeze signal from the host processor, and for stopping the internal elements serially so as to cause each of the internal elements to stop after completing currently performed operations, in response to a disable signal from the host processor.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the host is enabled to set the internal elements into a chosen state after the elements are stopped by the disable signal. The host may produce an enable signal for restarting the internal elements from the chosen state without resetting them to an initial state.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the disable signal is produced by setting an enable bit in a command register into a first logic state, whereas the enable signal is produced by setting the enable bit into a second logic state.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the internal elements pass the disable signal serially from one to another in a sequence preset so as to enable the internal elements to complete their current operations. The host may be enabled to monitor internal states of the elements after the elements are stopped by the disable signal.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a reset signal may be produced to reset the internal elements to their initial state.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the internal elements are reset to their initial state to restart the system after freezing.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the freeze signal may be transferred via the host interface, or produced by setting a freeze bit in the command register into a predetermined logic state
In accordance with a method of the present invention, the following steps are carried out to perform a diagnostic procedure to detect an error in a communication device:
(a) stopping internal elements of the communication device immediately in response to a freeze signal, and
(b) stopping the internal elements serially so as to cause each of the internal elements to stop after completing currently performed operations, in response to a disable signal.
The disable signal may be passed serially from one internal element to another in a sequence preset so as to enable the internal elements to complete current operations. After disabling the internal elements, they may be set to a chosen state.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
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Saunders, S. “LAN Switch Pulls Double Duty: Kalpana's Prostack Ethernet LAN switch checks errors while working in cut-through mode”, Data Communications, vol. 24, No. 5, Apr. 1, 1995, pp. 37-38 XP000501578.
Egbert Chandan
Erimli Bahadir
Kerstein Denise
Runaldue Thomas J.
Simmons Philip
Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Baderman Scott T.
Beausoleil Robert
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