Method and apparatus for self identification of circuitry
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsValerie Hornbeck Chickanosky, Kevin William Gorman, Emory D. Keller, Michael Richard Ouellette
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system that includes a controller for enabling an enumeration operation. The enumeration operation is performed by a controller (110) and logic elements (120) in a system, such that each logic element in the system assigns itself a unique identifier. Each logic element can then be controlled by another source or have a means to communicate with other logic elements in the system. The unique identifier enables greater system flexibility, thereby reducing cost and improving efficiency.
Claims17
A structure comprising:
- a controller (110) and at least one logic element (e.g. 120a);
- the controller comprising
- a first register (210) coupled to a first decoder (230), a first counter (220), and the logic element;
- the logic element comprises a second counter (320), the second counter (320) increments when enabled by the controller and stores a value corresponding to the last count when the second counter is disabled by the controller;
- the first counter comprises a count corresponding to a number of instances of the logic element in a system.
A method for enabling an enumeration operation by a controller, comprising:
- loading a first instruction in a first register (210);
- decoding the first instruction in a first decoder (230);
- asserting a first signal (BEXE) in accordance with the first instruction;
- incrementing a first counter (220) until a second signal is asserted (DONEIN);
- storing a first value in the first counter, the first value being representative of the number of one or more logic elements (120)
- loading the first instruction in a second register (310);
- decoding the first instruction in a second decoder (330);
- incrementing a second counter (320) until the second signal is asserted (DONEIN);
- and
- storing a second value in the second counter, the second value being representative of an identifier for the logic element.
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium, the design structure comprising:
- a controller (110) and at least one logic element (e.g. 120a);
- the controller comprising
- a first register (210) coupled to a first decoder (230), a first counter (220), and the logic element;
- the logic element comprises a second counter (320), the second counter increments when enabled by the controller, and stores a value corresponding to an identifier for the logic element when the second counter is disabled by the controller;
- the first counter comprises a count corresponding to a number of instances of the logic element in a system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.