Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection – Bus access regulation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-04
2001-03-06
Sheikh, Ayaz R. (Department: 2781)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
Bus access regulation
C710S029000, C710S037000, C710S010000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199137
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to semi-conductor devices and, more particularly, to input/output (IO) controllers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
IO controllers provide a connection between a computer operating system and an IO interface. Conventional operating systems create descriptor lists that form the instructions that an IO controller reads and follows in order to do its work. Current implementations of IO controllers include hardware circuits which read and initiate the operations defined in the descriptors. Any significant variation in the descriptor requires a new circuit, consequently rendering existing circuits obsolete. In practice, this creates the situation in which the development of new operating systems and the development of new hardware is delayed because the development of either requires coordination with the other.
The operational speed of an IO controller interface is typically fixed and the controller is limited to the bandwidth of the interface. The addition of another interface requires the addition of an add-on board or the redesign of a motherboard to accommodate a new controller interface device.
Attempts to increase the bandwidth of an IO device have required modification of the device hardware, precluding the dynamic addition of bandwidth. Modification or addition of hardware to a system has numerous disadvantages including reconfiguration expense, additional hardware expense and possible incompatibility with an existing operating system. Further, the addition of new hardware is performed while a system is turned off, requires a technician to install new hardware, and possibly requires a system administrator to change the operating system to support the new hardware. This process can be difficult, error prone and require expensive, time consuming design and re-qualification.
It is therefore desirable to have a device capable of accommodating the variation of a descriptor to add features, improve performance or provide forward or backward compatibility. Additionally, it is desirable to have a device which can be adapted to provide additional bandwidth by dynamically creating new instance of the IO controller in response to the requirements of a system without the addition of new hardware.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for controlling data flow through an IO controller in a computer system. The method includes determining a desired configuration for the IO controller, reprogramming the IO controller to allow for processing of one or more descriptor lists, modifying the configuration of the IO controller to reflect the addition or deletion of one or more virtual controllers, re-enumerating the IO controller, and processing a descriptor list for each of the IO controller and the one or more virtual controllers. The one or more virtual controllers are discovered and initialized during the re-enumeration and are capable of providing the full bandwidth supported by the IO controller.
In another aspect, the invention is an integrated circuit device for use as an IO controller comprising a system bus interface, a programmable list processor and a port router. The integrated circuit device is adapted for reconfiguration to add or delete one or more virtual controllers. The virtual controllers provide substantially the full bandwidth supported by the integrated circuit device.
The invention may be used in a personal computer system, but can also be applied to other types of compute platforms, including but not limited to information appliances, set-top boxes, cable modems, game consoles, smart appliances, handheld computers, palm-sized computers, embedded control systems, workstations, servers and the like.
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Aguilar Raul A.
Clee James Thomas
Guziak James Edward
Latif Farrukh Amjad
Lynch Kevin Joseph
Lucent Technolgies Inc.
Phan Raymond N
Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP
Sheikh Ayaz R.
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