System and method for determining attributes and coupling characteristics of components by comparatively observing provided reference signal
First Claim
1. A method for determining predetermined characteristics of a system component couplable to a computer backplane including an attribute monitoring unit associated with said computer backplane, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a reference signal at said attribute monitoring unit;
supplying said reference signal on at least one signal line to said system component, the at least one signal line being a first signal line;
monitoring said reference signal at said attribute monitoring unit on said at least one signal line;
initially determining whether said system component is properly coupled to said computer backplane by comparatively observing if said reference signal on said first signal line is substantially unaltered from said reference signal provided in said attribute monitoring unit; and
additionally supplying said reference signal on a second signal line, to said system component;
further determining said system component is not electrically coupled to said computer backplane if said reference signal on said first and second signal lines is substantially unaltered from said reference signal provided in said attribute monitoring unit; and
alternatively determining said system component is only partially electrically coupled to said computer backplane if said reference signal on only one of said first and second signal lines is substantially unaltered from said reference signal provided in said attribute monitoring unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining the physical presence, proper electrical coupling and predetermined identifying characteristics and attributes of various computer system elements and components, including both fixed and removable modules such as field replaceable units ("FRUs"), utilizing a minimum number of signal lines per component. In a preferred embodiment, a voltage divider is established between a first resistance in an environmental monitoring unit ("EMU") and a second resistance in an associated FRU wherein a voltage level taken intermediate the first and second resistances is indicative of a particular FRU attribute.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for determining predetermined characteristics of a system component couplable to a computer backplane including an attribute monitoring unit associated with said computer backplane, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a reference signal at said attribute monitoring unit; supplying said reference signal on at least one signal line to said system component, the at least one signal line being a first signal line; monitoring said reference signal at said attribute monitoring unit on said at least one signal line; initially determining whether said system component is properly coupled to said computer backplane by comparatively observing if said reference signal on said first signal line is substantially unaltered from said reference signal provided in said attribute monitoring unit; and additionally supplying said reference signal on a second signal line, to said system component; further determining said system component is not electrically coupled to said computer backplane if said reference signal on said first and second signal lines is substantially unaltered from said reference signal provided in said attribute monitoring unit; and alternatively determining said system component is only partially electrically coupled to said computer backplane if said reference signal on only one of said first and second signal lines is substantially unaltered from said reference signal provided in said attribute monitoring unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer system including a computer mass storage subsystem coupled to a central processing unit through an input/output bus, said storage subsystem comprising:
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a plurality of system components coupled to a backplane of said computer mass storage subsystem; an attribute monitoring unit coupled to said backplane and to said input/output bus; and for a given system component, (i) a first signal line coupling said attribute monitoring unit to the given system component, said first signal line for presenting an analog signal to said attribute monitoring unit indicative of an attribute of said given system component; and (ii) another signal line coupling said attribute monitoring unit to said given system component, said another signal line for presenting another analog signal to said attribute monitoring unit indicative of another attribute of said system component. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for determining attributes of system components in a computer storage subsystem, said computer subsystem comprising:
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an attribute monitoring unit including a voltage source for providing a reference voltage to a first voltage divider element; at least one signal line coupling said first voltage divider element of said attribute monitoring unit to a second voltage divider element associated with at least one of said system components, said attribute monitoring unit operative to monitor a first voltage level on said signal line and to qualitatively compare said first voltage level to a predetermined voltage level to determine at least one attribute of said at least one of said system components; and another signal line coupling said first voltage divider element of said attribute monitoring unit to a third voltage divider element associated with said at least one of said system components, said attribute monitoring unit operative to monitor another voltage level on said another signal line and to qualitatively compare said monitored another voltage level to a predetermined voltage level to determine at least one other attribute of said at least one system component. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification