System and method for indicating the status of a communications link and traffic activity on non-protocol aware modules
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorRandall K. Webb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system, device, method and computer program to control and set LEDs associated with ports that are non-protocol aware is accomplished. This system, device, method and computer program does not interfere with the normal operation of protocol aware ports. Utilizing this system, device, method and computer program, savings in time and effort for installation and debug of a network system is realized.
Claims23
A method of controlling a light emitting diode (LED) indicator associated with a communications port on a device, comprising:
- identifying all communications ports on a device as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware communications ports;
- receiving information to be transmitted over a non-protocol aware communications port;
- scheduling transmission of LED commands to an LED indicator associated with the non-protocol aware communications port over a management link;
- and
- transmitting the LED commands to control operation of the LED indicator, and information over the non-protocol aware communications port.
A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer, comprising:
- a port identification code segment to access and identify all ports on a device as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;
- a port monitoring code segment to monitor information transmitted to either a protocol aware port or a non-protocol aware port;
- and
- a message scheduler code segment to transmit a LED command to an LED associated with a non-protocol aware port, when the port has been identified as a non-protocol aware port.
A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer system, perform the method comprising:
- identifying all communications ports on a device as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;
- receiving information to be transmitted over a non-protocol aware port;
- scheduling transmission of LED commands to an LED indicator associated with the non-protocol aware port over a management link;
- and
- transmitting the LED commands to control operation of the LED indicator.
A system for controlling an LED indicator associated with a communications port, comprising:
- a port identification module to access and identify all communications ports in a system as either protocol aware or non-protocol aware ports;
- a port monitoring module to monitor link and activity status on either a protocol aware port or a non-protocol aware port;
- and
- a message scheduler module to transmit an LED command to a module management entity (MME) to control operation of an LED indicator associated with a non-protocol aware port, when the port has been identified as a non-protocol aware port.
A switch for relaying data between links, comprising:
- a plurality of port modules each including at least an LED indicator and a port provided to establish connection with another device, via one or more links;
- and
- a switch logic connected to the port modules to control operation of the switch, including to determine if the port included in the corresponding port module is a protocol aware or non-protocol aware port, and to control the LED indicator via the corresponding port module when the port is a non-protocol aware port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.