Switch-based microchannel planar apparatus

A switch-based, multi-node planar comprising:

• a switch interconnection network means for coupling multiple nodes asynchronously through input to output port connections simultaneously;
• a plurality of nodes each attached to an individual multi-drop bus structure, and capable of configuring elements within the nodes of varying characteristics depending upon the functions implemented by various processor and/or expansion cards within the nodes;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of transmitting data to said network;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of receiving data from said network;
• multiple multi-drop bus architecture converter means, each with the capability for adapting the standard multidrop bus architecture and protocol for a single multi-drop bus multi-drop bus to said switch network architecture and protocol and each with the capability for adapting the switch network architecture and protocol to the standard bus architecture and protocol for a single multi-drop bus;
• and
• an expansion interface to said switch network comprising driver and receiver circuits and providing means of interconnecting multiple switch paths external to said planar;
• and wherein said switching network operates asynchronously in relation to input signals received at each input port, needs no clock input of any kind to perform its control functions of establishing connections, and employs no buffering of data messages of any kind.

A switch-based, multi-node planar comprising:

• part of a distributed switch interconnection network means for coupling multiple local nodes asynchronously through input to output port connections simultaneously to communicate to either other local nodes located within said planar or remote nodes located external to said planar;
• a plurality of nodes each attached to an individual bus structure, and capable of configuring elements within the nodes of varying characteristics depending upon the functions implemented by various processor and/or expansion cards within the nodes;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of transmitting data to said network;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of receiving data from said network;
• multiple bus architecture converter means, each with the capability for adapting the bus structure protocol for a single multi-drop bus to said switch network architecture and protocol and each with the capability for adapting the switch network architecture and protocol to the bus structure protocol for a single multi-drop bus;
• an expansion interface to said switch network comprising driver and receiver circuits and providing means of interconnecting multiple said planars;
• wherein multiple copies of said planar can be interconnected modularly to expand the number of nodal elements supported by the apparatus;
• and
• wherein said switching network is implemented across multiple copies of said planar, and the entire said network operates asynchronously in relation to input signals received at each input port, needs no clock input of any kind to perform its control functions of establishing connections, and employs no buffering of data messages of any kind.

A switch-based, multi-node planar comprising:

• part of a distributed switch interconnection network means for coupling multiple local nodes asynchronously through input to output port connections simultaneously to communicate to either other local nodes located within said planar or remote nodes located external to said planar;
• a plurality of nodes each attached to an individual multi-drop bus structure, and capable of configuring elements within the nodes of varying characteristics depending upon the functions implemented by various processor and/or expansion cards within the nodes;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of transmitting data to said network;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of receiving data from said network;
• multiple multi-drop bus converter means, each with the capability for adapting the multi-drop bus architecture and protocol for a single multi-drop bus to said switch network architecture and protocol and each with the capability for adapting the switch network architecture and protocol to the standard bus architecture and protocol for a single multi-drop bus;
• and
• an expansion interface to said switch network comprising driver and receiver circuits and providing means of interconnecting multiple said planars;
• wherein multiple copies of said planar can be interconnected modularly to expand the number of nodal elements supported by the apparatus;
• and
• wherein said switching network is implemented across multiple copies of said planar, and the entire said network operates asynchronously in relation to input signals received at each input port, needs no clock input of any kind to perform its control functions of establishing connections, and employs no buffering of data messages of any kind.

A switch-based, multi-node planar comprising:

• a switch interconnection network means distributed amongst multiple copies of said planar and supplemented by additional switching elements implemented externally to said multiple planars for coupling multiple nodes located on the multiple planars asynchronously through input to output port connections simultaneously;
• a plurality of nodes each attached to an individual standard bus structure, and capable of configuring elements within the nodes of varying characteristics depending upon the functions implemented by various processor and/or expansion cards within the nodes;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of transmitting data to said network;
• a plurality of pluggable nodal elements capable of receiving data from said network;
• multiple bus architecture converter means, each with the capability for adapting the standard bus architecture and protocol for a single multi-drop bus to said switch network architecture and protocol and each with the capability for adapting the switch network architecture and protocol to the standard bus architecture and protocol for a single multi-drop bus;
• and
• an expansion interface to said switch network comprising driver and receiver circuits and providing means of interconnecting multiple said planars and additional switching elements implemented externally to said multiple planars;
• wherein multiple copies of said planar can be interconnected modularly to expand the number of nodal elements supported by the apparatus by interconnecting to additional switching elements implemented externally to said multiple planars;
• and
• wherein said switching network is implemented across multiple copies of said planar and additional switching elements implemented externally to said multiple planars, and the entire said network operates asynchronously in relation to input signals received at each input port, needs no clock input of any kind to perform its control functions of establishing connections, and employs no buffering of data messages of any kind.

A planar apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of receptacle means each for coupling to an expansion card or processor card;
• bus means for coupling each of the receptacle means to an associated one of a plurality of conversion means, each said conversion means for converting switch protocol data messages to bus protocol data messages and for converting bus protocol data messages to switch protocol data messages, each said conversion means including means for receiving a bus protocol data message over the bus means from an associated expansion card or processor card, means for sending a data message converted to switch protocol to a switch network, means for receiving a switch protocol data message from the switch network, and means for sending a data message converted to bus protocol to an associated expansion card or processor card over the bus means;
• said switch network comprising:
• a plurality of input ports for receiving a data message converted to switch protocol and a plurality of output ports for sending the data message converted to switch protocol;
• connection means for establishing a communication path between any one of the input ports and any one of the output ports in response to a connection request received at said any one of the input ports, said communication path for transmitting a data message converted to switch protocol received at said any one of the input ports to said any one of the output ports,
• said connection means including asynchronous connection means for establishing asynchronously a plurality of simultaneously active communication paths between a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports in response to a plurality of connection requests received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of input ports, said simultaneously active communication paths for transmitting simultaneously a plurality of data messages converted to switch protocol received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of input ports to said plurality of output ports.