Bus communication emulation
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsMichael Rothman, Vincent Zimmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are a method, system, and program for initializing a processor of a computer system, to enumerate a remote bus and remote devices coupled to the remote bus, as operating components of the computer system. In another embodiment, a controller stores a message containing a directive in a memory shared by a processor of a computer system and the controller which may be operated independently of the state of said processor and said operating system. The processor may read a message stored in the shared memory by the controller and process the message. In addition, the processor may store a message intended for the controller to provide, for example, status information to be forwarded to another computer system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Claims77
A method, comprising:
- initializing a processor of a computer system including a first chassis having a first bus coupled to said processor, and a controller coupled to said first bus;
- wherein said initializing includes enumerating a first bus and devices coupled to said first bus including said controller coupled to said first bus, as operating components of said computer system, and enumerating a remote bus and remote devices coupled to the remote bus, as operating components of said computer system, wherein said remote bus is maintained on a remote chassis remote to said first chassis, and is coupled by a network to said controller.
A method, comprising:
- operating a controller to store a first message containing a directive in a memory shared by said controller and a processor of a computer system which includes an operating system maintained in a memory coupled to said processor, and a bus coupling said shared memory to said processor and said controller, wherein said controller is operated independently of the state of said processor and said operating system;
- and
- operating said processor to read said first message in said shared memory and to process said directive of said first message.
A system for use with a network and a remote chassis having a remote bus and a plurality of remote devices coupled to said remote bus, the system comprising:
- a computer having a first chassis having a motherboard, a processor mounted on said motherboard, a first bus coupled to said processor, a first plurality of devices coupled to said first bus, said first plurality of devices including a controller mounted on said motherboard and coupled to said first bus wherein the controller is adapted to be coupled to said remote chassis by said network;
- and
- wherein said processor and said controller are adapted to initialize said processor wherein said initializing includes enumerating said first bus and said first plurality of devices coupled to said first bus including said controller as operating components of said computer, and enumerating a remote bus and remote devices coupled to the remote bus, as operating components of said computer.
A computer system, comprising:
- a motherboard;
- a processor mounted on said motherboard;
- a system memory coupled to said processor and adapted to maintain an operating system;
- an expansion card coupled to said motherboard;
- a controller mounted on said motherboard;
- a shared memory;
- and
- a bus coupling said shared memory to said processor and said controller;
- wherein said controller is adapted to store a first message containing a directive in said shared memory and wherein said controller is adapted to be operated independently of the state of said processor and said operating system;
- and
- wherein said processor is adapted to read said first message in said shared memory and to process said directive of said first message.
A controller for use with a computer having a first chassis, a processor, a first bus coupled to said processor, a first plurality of devices coupled to said first bus, a remote chassis adapted to be coupled to the first chassis by a network, the remote chassis having a remote bus and a plurality of remote devices coupled to said remote bus, the controller comprising:
- logic adapted to, in connection with bus enumeration by said processor to enumerate said remote bus and said remote devices coupled to the remote bus, as operating components of said computer and responsive to commands issued by said processor over said first bus to identify said remote bus and said remote devices to said processor:
- forward commands over said network to identify said remote bus and said remote devices to said controller, and to identify said remote bus and said remote devices to said processor in response to said processor commands.
A controller for use with a first computer having a processor, a system memory coupled to said processor, an operating system stored in said system memory, a shared memory, and a bus adapted to couple said shared memory to said processor and said controller;
- said controller comprising:
- logic adapted to store a first message containing a directive in said shared memory, and to be operated independently of the state of said processor and said operating system;
- wherein said processor is adapted to read said first message in said shared memory and to process said directive of said first message.
An article for use with a computer having a first chassis, a processor, a first bus coupled to said processor, a first plurality of devices coupled to said first bus, a remote chassis adapted to be coupled to the first chassis by a network, the remote chassis having a remote bus and a plurality of remote devices coupled to said remote bus, said article comprising a storage medium, the storage medium comprising machine readable instructions stored thereon to:
- in connection with bus enumeration by said processor to enumerate said remote bus and said remote devices coupled to the remote bus, as operating components of said computer and responsive to commands issued by said processor over said first bus to identify said remote bus and said remote devices to said processor:
- forward commands over said network to identify said remote bus and said remote devices to said controller, and to identify said remote bus and said remote devices to said processor in response to said processor commands.
An article for use with a first computer having a processor, a system memory coupled to said processor, an operating system stored in said system memory, a shared memory, and a bus coupling said shared memory to said processor and said controller;
- said article comprising a storage medium, the storage medium comprising machine readable instructions stored thereon to:
- store a first message containing a directive in said shared memory, and to be operated independently of the state of said processor and said operating system;
- wherein said processor is adapted to read said first message in said shared memory and to process said directive of said first message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.