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US 8,555,042 B2Granted
Apparatus, system, and method for resetting and bypassing microcontroller stations
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorEnrique Q. Garcia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for resetting and bypassing microcontroller stations. A command module asserts and de-asserts a reset line in response to a command. A reset module resets a microcontroller station if the command module asserts and de-asserts the reset line within a time interval. In addition, the reset module bypasses the microcontroller station if the command module asserts and holds the reset line for a time period exceeding the time interval.
Claims18
An apparatus to reset and bypass a station, the apparatus comprising:
- a reset line;
- a command module asserting and de-asserting the reset line in response to a command;
- and
- a reset module embodied in the station and in communication with the command module over the reset line, the station communicating with an upstream device and a downstream device over a bus if the station is not in a safe mode, wherein the reset module resets the station if the command module asserts and subsequently de-asserts the reset line within a time interval and bypasses the station if the command module asserts and holds the reset line for a time period exceeding the time interval, wherein the bypassed station boots in the safe mode and only communicates with the upstream device and loads firmware over the bus from the upstream device in the safe mode.
1 more element
A method to reset and bypass a station, the method comprising:
- receiving a command;
- asserting and subsequently de-asserting a reset line in communication with the station within a time interval for a reset command, the station communicating with an upstream device and a downstream device over a bus if the station is not in a safe mode;
- asserting the reset line for a bypass command;
- resetting the station if the station detects the reset line is asserted and subsequently de-asserted within the time interval;
- and
- bypassing the station if the station detects the reset line is asserted and held for a time period exceeding the time interval, wherein the bypassed station boots in the safe mode and only communicates with the upstream device and loads firmware over the bus from the upstream device in the safe mode.
3 more elements
A system to reset and bypass a station, the system comprising:
- a host comprising a command module;
- a plurality of stations each comprising a command module and a reset module, wherein the host is in communication with one downstream station through a reset line and a bus, each station is in communication through the reset line and the bus with at least two devices selected from the host, an upstream station, and a downstream station if the station is not in a safe mode, the host and stations form a serial chain, and wherein each command module is configured to assert and de-assert a downstream reset line in response to a command received through the bus and each reset module configured to reset the station if an upstream command module asserts and subsequently de-asserts the reset line within a time interval and to bypass the station if the upstream command module asserts and holds the reset line for a time period exceeding the time interval, wherein the bypassed station boots in the safe mode and only communicates with an upstream device and loads firmware over the bus from the upstream device in the safe mode.
An apparatus to reset and bypass a station, the apparatus comprising:
- means for communicating a signal;
- means for asserting and de-asserting the signal of the communicating means in response to a command;
- means for resetting the station if the asserting/de-asserting means asserts and subsequently de-asserts the signal within a time interval, the means for resetting embodied in the station, the station communicating with an upstream device and a downstream device over a bus if the station is not in a safe mode;
- and
- means for bypassing the station if the asserting/de-asserting means asserts and holds the signal for a time period exceeding the time interval, wherein the bypassed station boots in the safe mode and only communicates with the upstream device and loads firmware over the bus from the upstream device in the safe mode, the means for bypassing embodied in the station.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.