Device for interfacing between a redundant-architecture computer and a means of communication

• US 5,778,206 A
• Filed: 07/19/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Original Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Inventors: Pain, Isabelle, Toillon, Pahice, Colas, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANCHOLI, JIGAR K
• Application Number:
  US08/690,156
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 395/280, 395/306, 395/309, 395/182.04, 395/182.09, 395/183.07
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1625 in communications, e.g. transmission, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1641 where the comparison is not performed by the redundant processing components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1683 at instruction level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/83 the solution involving signatures

Abstract

In order to connect a computer comprising plural redundant processors to at least one digital data transfer bus, the interfacing device embodying the invention comprises: a means for synchronizing and comparing the transmission and reception requests respectively transmitted by the processors, and for triggering processing of a request when the latter has been transmitted by all the processors, a means for transferring the data blocks to be transmitted or received between a controller of said bus and the respective working memories of the processors, and a means for triggering the transfer of a data block if the latter is simultaneously at the output of all the processors, from one of the working memories to said bus controller, with a view to transmission thereof on said bus.

Claims

1. An interfacing device for connecting a computer comprising plural redundant processors, to a bus controller connected to at least one external digital data transfer bus, each processor being connected by a respective internal digital data transfer bus to a respective working memory, said device comprising:

a means for receiving from said processors transmission and reception requests for transferring data blocks between said working memories and said bus controller, each request designating an area in said working memories,

a means for synchronizing and comparing the requests received by said receiving means and respectively transmitted by said processors, and for triggering processing of a request when this request has been transmitted by all the processors,

processing means for processing transmission requests, said processing means being triggered by said synchronizing means, and comprising a means for comparing data blocks located in the area designated by a processed transmission request in all said working memories, and a means for triggering transfer of said data blocks if they are identical in all said working memories,

a first means for transferring the data blocks to be transmitted on said external bus, from a working memory of one of said processors to the bus controller, said first transferring means being triggered by said processing means, and

a second means for transferring data blocks received from said bus controller to the area designated by a processed reception request in all said working memories of said processors, said second transferring means being triggered by said synchronizing means.

2. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 1, said device comprising a means for checking integrity of each data block received by said bus controller, and if said data block is integral, for validating transfer thereof towards the respective working memories of the processors.

3. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for computing a signature on each data block transmitted by each processor and each data block received by said bus controller, a means for comparing with one another the respective signatures of the data blocks respectively transmitted by said processors, for adding said signature to each data block to be transmitted, a means for comparing the signature computed on each block received with a signature contained in said block and computed by a transmitter of the block, and means for generating a status word including a result of these comparisons and a check word generated and supplied by the bus controller, said status word being transmitted to all said processors.

4. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 1, said device being connected to an exchange memory intended to receive all the data blocks to be transmitted and received by the controller of the bus.

5. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 1, said device being connected to a FIFO type memory in which are stored all exceptions and interruptions transmitted by the bus controller, this memory being accessible on request transmitted by all the processors to the synchronizing means.

6. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 1, said device being connected to a FIFO type memory in which are stored identification codes of the data blocks received by the bus controller, this memory being accessible on request transmitted by all the processors to the synchronizing means.

7. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the synchronizing synchronizes the processors with the bus controller so as to reduce to a minimum the time between the moment the data are generated by the processors and the moment they are effectively transmitted on the external bus by the bus controller.

8. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bus controller comprises a means for receiving the data block it has just transmitted on the bus and means for checking that the transmitted data block corresponds to the received data block, the synchronizing means comprising means for processing a transmission check request transmitted by all the processors, and means for triggering said computing means to compute a signature on the data block thus received and to compare said signature with the signature associated with the data block transmitted and reread on the external bus, and stored in the exchange memory, the result of this comparison being transmitted to the means for generating a status word.

9. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the FIFO type memory is updated by a means for generating a status word which has access to registers of the bus controller in which data pertaining to exception or interruption context are stored.

10. The interfacing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the data blocks are transmitted on the external bus within periodic frames, the generating means being designed to receive and process a signal emitted by the bus controller at the start of each frame.

11. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bus controller comprises a deferred reception mode, and emits a signal when it receives a data block in this mode, said signal being received by a generating means which accesses information relative to the identification of said data block received and the storage address of said block in an exchange memory, this information being manipulated by the bus controller when said data block is received in said deferred reception mode, said generating means inscribing these data in said FIFO type memory.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, integrated in an ASIC.

13. A computer connected via a bus controller to at least one external digital data transfer bus, said computer comprising plural redundant processors each being connected by a respective internal digital data transfer bus to a respective working memory and to an interfacing device connected to said bus controller, said interfacing device comprising:

a means for receiving from said processors transmission and reception requests for transferring data blocks between said working memories and said bus controller, each request designating an area in said working memories,

a means for synchronizing and comparing the requests received by said receiving means and respectively transmitted by said processors, and for triggering processing of a request when this request has been transmitted by all the processors,

processing means for processing transmission requests, said processing means being triggered by said synchronizing means, and comprising a means for comparing data blocks located in the area designated by a processed transmission request in all said working memories, and a means for triggering transfer of said data blocks if they are identical in all said working memories,

a first means for transferring the data blocks to be transmitted on said external bus, from a working memory of one of said processors to the bus controller, said first transferring means being triggered by said processing means,

a second means for transferring data blocks received from said bus controller to the area designated by a processed reception request in all said working memories of said processors, said second transferring means being triggered by said synchronizing means,

a means for computing a signature on each data block transmitted by each processor and each data block received by said bus controller,

a means for comparing with one another the respective signatures of the data blocks respectively transmitted by said processors, and for adding said signature to each data block to be transmitted,

a means for comparing the signature computed on each block received with a signature contained in said block, and

means for generating a status word including a result of these comparisons and a check word generated and supplied by the bus controller, said status word being transmitted to all said processors.

14. A computer connected via a bus controller to at least one external digital data transfer bus, said computer comprising plural redundant processors each being connected by a respective internal digital data transfer bus to a respective working memory and to an interfacing device connected to said bus controller, said interfacing device comprising:

a means for receiving from said processors transmission and reception requests for transferring data blocks between said working memories and said bus controller, each request designating an area in said working memories,

a means for synchronizing and comparing the requests received by said receiving means and respectively transmitted by said processors, and for triggering processing of a request when this request has been transmitted by all the processors,

processing means for processing transmission requests, said processing means being triggered by said synchronizing means, and comprising a means for comparing data blocks located in the area designated by a processed transmission request in all said working memories, and a means for triggering transfer of said data blocks if they are identical in all said working memories,

a first means for transferring the data blocks to be transmitted on said external bus, from a working memory of one of said processors to the bus controller, said first transferring means being triggered by said processing means, and

a second means for transferring data blocks received from said bus controller to the area designated by a processed reception request in all said working memories of said processors, said second transferring means being triggered by said synchronizing means,

said computer further comprising a FIFO type memory connected to said interfacing device for storing all the exceptions and interruptions transmitted by the bus controller, this memory being accessible on request transmitted by all the processors to the synchronizing means.