Auto-polling unit for interrupt generation in a network interface device
First Claim
1. A computer system, comprising:
- a host CPU;
an IO interface device coupled to said computer system via a management interface;
an auto-polling unit configured to monitor activity on said management interface, wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to read a first status value from a status register within said 10 interface device in response to detecting a lack of activity on said management interface over a predetermined interval;
wherein said auto-polling unit is further configured to compare said first status value to a second status value, wherein said second status value is a most recent status value read by said host CPU from said status register;
wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to generate an interrupt to said host CPU in response to detecting a mismatch between said first status value and said second status value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for auto-polling a status register within a physical layer (PHY) interface to a local area network (LAN). The system includes a host CPU which needs to detect and service interrupts generated by a PHY device on the LAN which is coupled between a first transmission medium (such as copper or fiber cable) and a management interface to the system. The system further includes an auto-polling unit which monitors activity on the management interface of the PHY device. When the auto-polling unit detects a lack of activity on the management interface of the PHY for a predetermined interval, the auto-polling unit reads a first value from the PHY status register. This first status value is then compared to a previously stored value which corresponds to the last PHY status value read by the host CPU. If a mismatch is detected between these two values, an interrupt is generated to the CPU. In response to receiving the interrupt, auto-polling is suspended (to avoid changing the status data that caused the interrupt) and the CPU requests a read of the status value in the first register. In this manner, the CPU is able to access the status value which caused the interrupt and determine the appropriate course of action. This status read by the CPU also has the effect of clearing the interrupt. This system frees the CPU from having to continually poll the PHY status register to determine if a change in status has occurred.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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a host CPU; an IO interface device coupled to said computer system via a management interface; an auto-polling unit configured to monitor activity on said management interface, wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to read a first status value from a status register within said 10 interface device in response to detecting a lack of activity on said management interface over a predetermined interval; wherein said auto-polling unit is further configured to compare said first status value to a second status value, wherein said second status value is a most recent status value read by said host CPU from said status register; wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to generate an interrupt to said host CPU in response to detecting a mismatch between said first status value and said second status value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system, comprising:
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a host CPU; a network interface device coupled between a first transmission medium and a management interface to said computer system; an auto-polling unit configured to monitor activity on said management interface of said network interface device, wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to read a first status value from a status register within said network interface device in response to detecting a lack of activity on said management interface over a predetermined interval; wherein said auto-polling unit is further configured to compare said first status value to a second status value, wherein said second status value is a most recent status value read by said host CPU from said status register; wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to generate an interrupt to said host CPU in response to detecting a mismatch between said first status value and said second status value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for generating an interrupt in a computer system which includes a host CPU, an IO interface device, and an auto-polling unit, said method comprising:
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said auto-polling unit monitoring activity on a management interface coupled to said IO interface device; said auto-polling unit detecting a lack of activity on said management interface over a predetermined interval; said auto-polling unit reading a first status value from a status register within said IO interface device; said auto-polling unit comparing said first status value to a second status value, wherein said second status value is a most recent status value read by said host CPU from said status register; said auto-polling unit generating said interrupt to said host CPU in response to detecting a mismatch between said first status value and said second status value. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A computer system configured to perform auto-polling of a network interface device, comprising:
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a host CPU; an auto-polling unit; a network interface device; wherein said host CPU is configured to enable said auto-polling unit to perform auto-polling of said network interface device; wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to poll said network interface in response to detecting a lack of activity on a management interface of said network interface device, and wherein said auto-polling unit is configured to signal an interrupt to said host CPU in response to detecting a status value which indicates an interrupt condition; and wherein said host CPU is configured to read said status value which caused said interrupt condition; and wherein said host CPU is configured to de-assert said interrupt in response to reading said status value.
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Specification