Universal device for coupling a computer bus to a specific link of a network and operating system therefor

• US 5,455,950 A
• Filed: 07/15/1992
• Issued: 10/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Ravaux, Paul, Vasseur, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, DUNG C
• Application Number:
  US07/913,366
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/775, 395/700, 395/500, 395/650, 395/275
• US Class Current: 709/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

An operating system (GPOS) for universal device (GPU) for coupling a computer bus (PSB) to at least one specific link of a network (RN), the device includes a microprocessor (CPU) associated with at least one memory (SRAM) containing this system and means (MPC, B₂, VRAM, B₁, DMAC) for transferring frames from the computer bus to the link. The system is associated with a plurality of applications (A₁ -A_n) independent of one another, and includes a central core (NY) managing and organizing the work of each of the applications in real time, an applications manager (GA), which supervises and defines the state each of the applications must be in, and an intercommunications server (SA) for the applications, enabling each of them to request the services of another when that proves necessary. The core, the manager and the intercommunications server communicate between one another via system calls.

Claims

1. A universal device for coupling a computer bus of a computer to a controller of a group of peripherals connected to one another by a specific link to which the controller is physically connected, said universal device comprising:

a memory;

a microprocessor connected to the memory, said microprocessor having an operating system associated therewith;

a controller interface for linkage with the controller and enabling transfer of data defining frames and control blocks;

a double-port random-access buffer memory connected by a first bus to said controller interface and by a second bus to the computer bus via a specific interface of the computer;

means for organizing transfer of data by the microprocessor between said controller interface and the double-port memory, and between the double-port memory and the computer bus;

a direct memory access controller operatively connected between said double-port memory and the computer, said transfer of data being effected under control of said direct memory access controller, wherein conversion of control blocks of protocols used on the computer bus into those used on the link and vice versa is performed by the microprocessor, which enables a transfer of control blocks used on the link over an internal bus of the microprocessor to or from said controller interface;

said operating system being associated with a plurality of applications independent of one another, wherein said operating system includes;

a central core for managing and organizing the work of each of the applications in real time, when each application is running;

an applications manager for supervising and defining an operational condition for each of the applications;

an intercommunications server for enabling each of said applications to request the services of another of said applications when necessary;

means for establishing intercommunication between the central core, the applications manager and the intercommunications server via system calls; and

means for enabling said applications to communicate with each of the services provided by said central core, said applications manager and said intercommunications manager via monitor calls.

2. The universal device of claim 1, wherein every first application can interact with a second application by way of the intercommunications server, by sending the latter a first set of system calls for providing communication between the first application and the intercommunications server, the server then sending a second set of system calls to the second application for providing communications between the intercommunications server and the second application.

3. The universal device of claim 1, wherein each application is represented by an information structure including static information enabling its identification, and dynamic information having the real time state of the application at a predetermined moment.