Computer architecture having elements distributed over and adaptable to a plurality of local area networks of various types, and a microprograms architecture therefore

• US 5,408,609 A
• Filed: 12/19/1991
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Bonifas, Josue, Gallo, Remy L., Lyvet, Gerald, Malgogne, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, RObert B.
• Application Number:
  US07/810,310
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1 MS File, 364/DIG. 2 MS File, 395/200, 395/250, 395/275, 395/325, 395/500, 395/800
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

A distributed computer architecture eliminates the need for numerous transmission lines that extend beyond the housing of the computer and its communications server, thereby reducing crosstalk and space consumption. The distributed computer architecture includes a plurality of computer systems each connected through communications servers to a plurality of communications networks of various types. Each computer system includes a plurality of terminal adapters that are connected to at least one network of the CSMA/CD type, each terminal adapter being connected to at least one terminal via a respective transmission link, and each terminal adapter managing and transferring frames from the network to an associated terminal, and vice versa, and adapting the protocols and transmission speeds used in the network and on each transmission link.

Claims

1. A distributed computer architecture comprising:

a plurality of computer systems, each computer system connected to a corresponding communication server;

a plurality of communication networks, each of said communication networks having a network protocol and an information transmission speed, wherein each of said computer systems is coupled to at least one of said plurality of communication networks by the corresponding communication server and wherein at least one of said communication networks is a CSMA/CD communication network;

a plurality of terminals, each of said terminals having at least one transmission link;

a plurality of adapter systems, each of said plurality of adapter systems including a plurality of terminal adapters wherein each of said plurality of adapter systems is coupled to the at least one CSMA/CD communication network and to the at least one transmission link of a corresponding terminal;

wherein each communication server is for managing and transferring a CSMA/CD frame between at least one of said plurality of computer systems and at least one of said plurality of adapter systems via said at least one CSMA/CD communication network; and

each terminal adapter within each of said plurality of adapter systems for managing and transferring CSMA/CD frames between said communication network and each associated terminal and for adapting the protocols and transmission speeds used on said at least one CSMA/CD communication network and said transmission link;

wherein said terminal adapter comprises;

a base unit connected to a transmission medium of said communication network; and

a peripheral part connected both to said base unit and to a plurality of input/output terminals connected to the adapter via a plurality of respective transmission links;

wherein said base unit receives the CSMA/CD frame from said communication network, stores the CSMA/CD frame, and converts the CSMA/CD frame into a converted frame specific to each of said transmission links of each of said input/output terminals and transfers said converted frame to said plurality of input/output terminals through said peripheral part;

wherein said base unit comprises;

a physical matching interface adapted to match to a CSMA/CD type interface, said physical matching interface coupled connected to the transmission medium of said communication network;

a CSMA/CD controller, connected to said physical matching interface, for sending and receiving said CSMA/CD frames via said communication network and said physical matching interface;

a programmable read only memory;

an adapter random access memory;

an adapter microprocessor connected to said CSMA/CD controller, to said adapter random access memory and to said programmable read only memory, for executing a microprogram architecture; and

a serial communication controller coupled to each input/output terminal connected to said terminal adapter, each serial communication controller being assigned to a transmission link connected to each of said input/output terminals;

wherein said CSMA/CD controller transmits said CSMA/CD frames to said communication network via said physical matching interface and to said adapter random access memory under the control of said adapter microprocessor,

said adapter microprocessor for storing said CSMA/CD frames in said adapter random access memory, and then for converting said CSMA/CD frames into converted frames specific to said input/output terminals and for sending the converted frames to said serial communication controller wherein said serial communication controller sends said converted frames to said input/output terminals via said peripheral part;

wherein said microprogram architecture comprises;

a core;

an administration task stored in said programmable read only memory; and

a plurality of tasks, each task being associated with an input/output terminal,

wherein said administration task allows said adapter to establish a dialog with the various systems of which the computer architecture, is composed when said adapter is initialized,

each task for transferring frames from an associated input/output terminal to said communication network and for transferring frames from said communication network to the associated input/output terminal,

each task being independent of other tasks, and the sequencing of each task being organized in real-time by said core,

wherein said microprogram architecture is executed by said adapter microprocessor of said terminal adapter according to the steps of;

upon being turned on, sending a terminal adapter acknowledgement message to the entire communication network for indicating terminal adapter identity, terminal adapter address said communication network, and terminal adapter function;

upon receiving said acknowledgment message, a communications server of a computer system sending a server acknowledgment message back to said terminal adapter, said server acknowledgment message being of a like structure to the terminal adapter acknowledgement message;

said server then sending a first connection message for asking said terminal adapter to open a LAP procedure;

upon receiving said first connection message, said terminal adapter sending back to said server a second connection message with a structure identical to said first connection message;

said server and said terminal adapter implementing the LAP procedure;

said server sending to said terminal adapter the contents of said microprogram architecture, including a core NYA and the tasks, and the contents of the latest version of said LAP procedure that said terminal adapter has stored in the random access memory of said base unit;

.

said server sending a third connection message for asking said terminal adapter to establish said latest version of said LAP procedure;

.

said terminal adapter signifying agreement by sending a message analogous to said second connection message;

said terminal adapter and said server exchanging data between said input/output terminals connected to said terminal adapter and the computer system that contains said server;

said server and said terminal adapter exchanging messages for ending data exchange; and

returning to the step executed upon being turned on.

2. A distributed computer architecture comprising:

a plurality of computer systems, each of said plurality of computer systems including a computer and a communication server;

a plurality of communication networks, each of said plurality of communication networks having a network data protocol and a network data transmission speed;

a plurality of adapter systems, each of said plurality of adapter systems including at least one terminal adapter;

a plurality of terminals, each of said plurality of terminals including a transmission link, each transmission link having a link data protocol and a link data transmission speed;

a plurality of server communication systems,

wherein each of said plurality of computer systems is connected by at least one of said plurality of communication networks to at least one of said plurality of adapter systems and to at least one other computer system of said plurality of computer systems;

wherein each of said plurality of adapter systems is connected to one of said plurality of communication networks and to at least one transmission link coupled to at least one terminal;

wherein each of said plurality of terminal adapters within said adapter system adapts the network data protocol to the link data protocol, adapts the network data transmission speed to the link data transmission speed and manages and transmits network data frames between said communication network and each terminal coupled thereto;

wherein each of said terminal adapters comprises;

a base unit connected to a transmission medium of the communication network; and

a peripheral part connected both to the base unit and to a plurality of input/output terminals connected to the adapter via a plurality of respective transmission links;

wherein said base unit receives network data frames from said communication network, stores the network data frames, and converts the network data frames into converted frames specific to each of the transmission links of each of the input/output terminals and transfers the converted frames to respective ones of the plurality of input/output terminals through said peripheral part;

wherein the base unit comprises;

a physical matching interface adapted to interface to a network of the type connected to the transmission medium of the communication network;

a network controller, connected to said physical matching interface, for sending and receiving the network data frames via the communication network and said physical matching interface;

a programmable read only memory;

an adapter random access memory;

an adapter microprocessors, connected to said network controller, to said adapter random access memory, and to said programmable read only memory, said adapter microprocessor for executing a microprogram architecture; and

a serial communication controller coupled to each input/output terminal connected to said terminal adapter, each serial communication controller being assigned to a transmission link connected to each of the input/output terminals;

wherein the network controller transmits network frames to the communication network via the physical matching interface and to said adapter random access memory under the control of said adapter microprocessor,

the adapter microprocessor for storing the network data frames in the adapter random access memory, and for then converting the network data frames into converted frames specific to the input/output terminals and for sending the converted frames to the serial communication controller wherein the serial communication controller sends the converted frames to the input/output terminals via said peripheral part;

wherein the microprogram architecture comprises;

a core;

an administration task stored in the programmable read only memory; and

a plurality of tasks, each task being coupled to a respective one of said plurality of input/output terminals,

wherein the administration task allows the adapter to establish a dialog with each of the plurality of computer systems of which the computer architecture is composed when said terminal adapter is initialized,

each task for transferring frames from the respective one of said plurality of input/output terminals to said communication network, and for transferring said frames from said communication network to the respective one of said plurality of input/output terminals,

wherein each task is independent of the other tasks, and the sequencing of each task is organized in real-time by said core;

wherein the microprogram architecture is executed by the adapter microprocessor of the terminal adapter according to the steps of;

upon being turned on, sending a terminal adapter acknowledgement message to the entire communication network for indicating terminal adapter identity, terminal adapter address in the communication network, and terminal adapter function;

upon receiving the acknowledgment message, a communications server of a computer system sending a server acknowledgment message back to said terminal adapter, the server acknowledgment message being of a like structure to the terminal adapter acknowledgement message;

the server then sending a first connection message for asking said terminal adapter to open a LAP procedure;

upon receiving the first connection message, said terminal adapter sending back to the server a second connection message with a structure identical to the first connection message;

said server and said terminal adapter implementing the LAP procedure;

the server sending to said terminal adapter the contents of the microprogram architecture, including a core NYA and the tasks, and the contents of the latest version of the LAP procedure that said terminal adapter has stored in said adapter random access memory;

the server sending a third connection message for asking said terminal adapter to establish the latest version of the LAP procedure;

said terminal adapter signifying agreement by sending a message analogous to the second connection message;

said terminal adapter and said server exchanging data between the input/output terminals connected to said terminal adapter and the computer system that contains said server;

said server and said terminal adapter exchanging messages for ending data exchange; and

returning to the step executed upon being turned on.