US 5,544,319 AGranted

Fiber optic memory coupling system with converter transmitting and receiving bus data in parallel fashion and diagnostic data in serial fashion

AssigneeEncore Computer U.S., Inc.

InventorsJohn D. Acton, Lawrence C. Grant, Jack M. Hardy, Jr., Steven P. Kent, Steven E. Schelong

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Abstract

A system for coupling sets of plurality of nodes that are memory coupled to pass write only data memory to memory via a data link that further includes an optical fiber controller coupled to each data link. Each controller is interconnected through fiber for high speed data transfers from one set of nodes to another. The controller is capable of connection implementing three and four cable interfaces. The data is transmitted through the fiber serially but the controller is adapted to receive parallel data and convert to serial form and vice versa.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a first and second set of plurality of nodes;
a first bus associated with and connecting said first set of plurality nodes;
a second bus associated with and connecting said second set of plurality of nodes;
each node except one of each of said first and second sets of plurality of nodes including a processing unit, a memory, a bus coupled to the processing unit and memory, and a sensor means for sensing a write from the processing unit to the memory and for transmitting the sensed write including data and an address to which said data is being written on said associated bus without intervention of the processing unit;
fiber optic means for optically transmitting data and associated addresses from one excepted node to the other excepted node;
the excepted node of the first set of plurality of nodes including first converter means connected to the first bus for (1) receiving data and associated addresses on said first bus in a parallel fashion, (2) converting said data to corresponding optical signals, (3) transmitting said optical signals via said fiber optic means, (4) receiving optical signals from said fiber optic means in a serial fashion, and (5) transmitting the optical signals received from said fiber optic means onto said first bus, said first converter means including latches receiving and outputting data from said first bus or said fiber optic means in a parallel fashion and receiving and outputting diagnostic data in a serial fashion;
the excepted node of the second set of plurality of nodes including second converter means connected to the second bus for (1) receiving data and associated addresses on said second bus in a parallel fashion, (2) converting said data to corresponding optical signals, (3) transmitting said optical signals via said fiber optic means, (4) receiving optical signals from said fiber optic means in a serial fashion, and (5) transmitting the optical signals received from said fiber optic means onto said second bus, said second converter means including latches receiving and outputting data from said second bus or said fiber optic means in a parallel fashion and receiving and outputting diagnostic data in a serial fashion;
and
both said first and second converter means including selection means for accepting for transmission only data having preselected associated addresses.

6 more elements

A system for connecting memory coupled systems, comprising:

a plurality of nodes;
a first data bus connecting a first group of said plurality of nodes;
a second data bus connecting a second group of said plurality of nodes;
one of said plurality of nodes of the first group including first converter means for converting signals on the first data bus to optical signals and for transmitting same;
one of said plurality of nodes of the second group including second converter means for converting signals on the second data bus to optical signals and for transmitting same;
first fiber optic means for carrying transmitted data from the first converter means to the second converter means;
second fiber optic means for carrying transmitted data from the second converter means to the first converter means;
the first and second converter means each comprising:
input latch means for receiving data from a respective data bus and having inputs and outputs accessible both in a parallel fashion and a serial fashion;
hit and translation RAM means connected to the input latch means for determining the destination of data received from the data bus;
first micro-interface means connected to the input latch means for controlling the hit and translation RAM means;
transmission FIFO means connected to the input latch means for latching the data received from the data bus;
error detection means for determining if an error exists in the data in the transmission FIFO means;
first and second transmission latches connected to the transmission FIFO means, each of said transmission latches having inputs and outputs accessible both in a parallel fashion and in a serial fashion;
transmitter means connected to the first and second transmission latches for transmitting the data to another converter means;
receiver means for receiving data transmitted from another converter means;
first and second receiver latches for latching the received data, each of said receiver latches having inputs and outputs accessible both in a parallel fashion and in a serial fashion;
error detection means connected to the first and second latch means for checking if an error exists in the received data;
second micro-interface means for testing the received data if the check by the error detection means fails;
receive FIFO means connected to the first and second receive latch means for holding the received data after checking by the error detection means;
output latch means for transmitting the received data to the respective data bus and having inputs and outputs accessible both in a serial fashion and in a parallel fashion.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.