Self-identifying peripheral device

Details Self-identifying peripheral device Self-identifying peripheral device

1998-10-13

2001-08-07

Le, Dieu-Minh (Department: 2184)

Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/

Input/output data processing

Peripheral configuration

C710S104000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06272560

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly to a computer system in which new peripheral devices can be readily added. In particular, a computer system is disclosed having an operating system which obtains peripheral device information, such as identification and capacity information from the peripheral device so that the operating system and the peripheral device can communicate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
is block diagram of a computer system
100
in accordance with the prior art. Computer system
100
includes three main units: a host system
102
, a system disk
104
and peripheral devices
110
A to
110
N: (where A-N represents a range of peripheral devices
110
of an arbitrary number). The computer system may be an A Series system developed by Unisys Corporation of Blue Bell, Pa., USA. or it may be any system capable of interfacing with peripheral devices
110
.
The host system
102
includes a central processing unit (CPU)
112
, memory
114
and an input/output processor (IOP)
116
, which are all apparent to those skilled in the art. All communication between the host system
102
, the system disk
104
and other devices occurs via the I/O processor
116
.
The system disk
104
is connected to the host system
102
via bus
121
. The system disk
104
includes an operating system
106
. The operating system
106
includes an internal software driver(s)
122
which permits the host system
102
to: (1) identify external peripheral devices
110
; (2) issue commands to peripheral devices
110
; (3) process exceptions returned by those peripheral devices
110
; and (4) command the transfer of data to and from the peripheral devices
110
. A log file
118
is also included for storing, for example, system error messages and accessing violation messages. This is useful for diagnostic purposes.
The peripheral devices
110
are connected to the host system via bus
120
/
121
. The peripheral devices
110
may employ Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) as a protocol for communication with the host system
102
. Other interface protocols such as Intelligent Peripheral Interface (IPI) and Message Level Interface (MLI) can also be employed by the peripheral devices
110
. Peripherals devices
110
may be either disk devices in the mega-to-giga byte range or tape devices, but may also be other devices such as CD-ROM devices.
When a new peripheral device, such as a SCSI disk device, is desired for use with computer system
100
, the operating system software (along with other software) often requires modification to include information pertaining to the new peripheral device. Such modifications are desirable so that the operating system can recognize and communicate with the new disk. Such modifications, however, may force customers to upgrade to a new software release level each and every time they wish to make use of a new peripheral device which was not available at the time they obtained their current version of the operating system software. Also, internal testing and development by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) may be hampered by the need to create a modified internal version of operating system software each time a new peripheral device may need to be investigated and/or tested.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus enables a newly installed peripheral device to be used with a computer system without changing the operating system. The peripheral device is identified as a type which is not recognized by an operating system operating in conjunction with the computer system. Peripheral device information is obtained from the peripheral device. A determination is made as to whether the operating system and the peripheral device are compatible (i.e. whether they can operate together) based on the information obtained from the peripheral device. The operating system and the peripheral device communicate if it is determined that the operating system and the peripheral device are compatible.


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