Dynamically changing a system I/O configuration definition
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a central processor operated by an operating system, a channel subsystem having a defined configuration for controlling I/O operations, a memory portion addressable by the central processor, and a hardware storage area addressable by said channel subsystem, a mechanism for changing the defined configuration of the channel subsystem comprising:
- configuration control blocks in said hardware storage area for defining the I/O configuration;
a microcoded I/O processor in the channel subsystem for controlling an I/O operation by use of said configuration control blocks;
command means in said operating system for creating commands requesting said I/O processor to change said configuration control blocks; and
command-request blocks in said memory portion addressable by said command means and said microcoded I/O processor for passing said commands from said command means to said I/O processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mechanism for changing the system I/O configuration definition in the channel subsystem of a data processing system without having to do a power on reset operation. The data processing system includes one or more central processing units, an I/O processor, a storage addressable by the central processors and the I/O processor, and a command mechanism for creating command-request blocks in the storage, each of which contains a requested command and data for the I/O Processor to add, delete or change elements of the I/O configuration definitions of the channel subsystem. Response-blocks are created in the storage for passing status information from the I/O processor to the central processing unit(s) indicating either successful execution of the requested command or that the I/O configuration definitions were unchanged by the command of the request-block, or when associated functions may have been performed in the execution of the command of the request-block by the I/O processor.
198 Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a central processor operated by an operating system, a channel subsystem having a defined configuration for controlling I/O operations, a memory portion addressable by the central processor, and a hardware storage area addressable by said channel subsystem, a mechanism for changing the defined configuration of the channel subsystem comprising:
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configuration control blocks in said hardware storage area for defining the I/O configuration; a microcoded I/O processor in the channel subsystem for controlling an I/O operation by use of said configuration control blocks; command means in said operating system for creating commands requesting said I/O processor to change said configuration control blocks; and command-request blocks in said memory portion addressable by said command means and said microcoded I/O processor for passing said commands from said command means to said I/O processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification