Platform-independent communications protocol supporting communications between a processor and subsystem controller based on identifying information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-implemented subsystem controller communication method comprising:
- issuing an identifier and a command from a host computer to a subsystem controller;
identifying said command as a protocol command based on said identifier; and
if said command is identified as said protocol command, causing said subsystem controller to perform an action, andotherwise, passing said command to a device controlled by said subsystem controller.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus implement a communications protocol whereby a host application program can communicate with a computer subsystem without the use of special driver software. In this way, the application program is able to invoke virtually any vendor-unique function on a compatible subsystem controller using only standard read/write system calls. This avoids platform dependency and greatly improves the portability of the application program.
49 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented subsystem controller communication method comprising:
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issuing an identifier and a command from a host computer to a subsystem controller; identifying said command as a protocol command based on said identifier; and if said command is identified as said protocol command, causing said subsystem controller to perform an action, and otherwise, passing said command to a device controlled by said subsystem controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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12. A computer-implemented communication method comprising:
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storing first identifying information in a subsystem controller, said subsystem controller coupled to control a computer subsystem; writing from a host computer to said subsystem controller, said writing communicating second identifying information from said host computer to said subsystem controller, wherein said second identifying information is used to identify protocol write commands; and reading from said subsystem controller, said reading communicating third identifying information from said host computer to said subsystem controller, wherein said third identifying information is used to identify protocol read commands. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A computer-implemented method for communicating with a computer subsystem, said method comprising:
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writing a data packet from a host computer to a subsystem controller coupled thereto, wherein said data packet contains first identifying information and second identifying information and said subsystem controller is coupled to control the computer subsystem; comparing said first identifying information to stored identifying information stored in said subsystem controller; storing said second identifying information in said subsystem controller, if said first identifying information matches said stored identifying information, and passing said data packet to the computer subsystem, otherwise; and reading from said subsystem controller using said second identifying information. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-implemented method of communicating using a communications protocol, said method comprising:
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issuing a write command from a host computer to a subsystem controller coupled thereto, wherein said write command contains identifying information and said subsystem controller is coupled to control a computer subsystem; determining if said write command is a protocol write command by analyzing said identifying information; and causing said subsystem controller to perform an action specified by said write command, if said write command is determined to be said protocol write command, and to pass said write command to said computer subsystem, otherwise. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer-implemented method for communicating with a computer subsystem, said method comprising:
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writing a data packet from a host computer to a subsystem controller coupled thereto, wherein said data packet contains a signature and a first identifier and said subsystem controller is coupled to control the computer subsystem; comparing said signature to a stored signature stored in said subsystem controller; storing said first identifier as a stored identifier in said subsystem controller, if said signature matches said stored signature, and passing said data packet to the computer subsystem, otherwise; and reading from said subsystem controller using a second identifier, said subsystem providing information to said host computer if said second identifier matches said stored identifier. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer-implemented method for communicating with a computer subsystem, said method comprising:
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issuing a write command from a host computer to a subsystem controller, said write command writing a data packet to said subsystem controller, said data packet containing a signature and a first identifier, and said subsystem controller coupled to control the computer subsystem; detecting said signature; storing said first identifier; issuing a read command to said subsystem, said read command including a second identifier; detecting said second identifier; comparing said second identifier with said first identifier; and returning information from said subsystem to said host computer if said second identifier matches said first identifier, and passing said data packet to the computer subsystem, otherwise. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A computer-implemented method for communicating with a computer subsystem, said method comprising:
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issuing a write command from a host computer to a subsystem controller coupled thereto, said write command writing a data packet to said subsystem controller, said data packet containing a signature and an identifier, and said subsystem controller coupled to control the computer subsystem; detecting said signature; storing said identifier; issuing a read command to said subsystem controller, said read command including said identifier; detecting said identifier within said read command; and returning information from said subsystem to said host computer upon detecting said identifier. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A computer system comprising:
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a computer subsystem; a subsystem controller, coupled to control said computer subsystem; and a processor coupled to said subsystem controller and configured to communicate with said subsystem controller by virtue of being configured to; issue a write command to write a data packet from said processor to said subsystem controller, wherein said data packet contains a signature and an identifier, said subsystem controller is configured to compare said signature to a stored signature stored in said subsystem controller, and said subsystem controller is configured to store said identifier in said subsystem controller, if said signature matches said stored signature, and to pass said write command to said computer subsystem, otherwise, and issue a read command, said read command including said identifier and reading from the subsystem controller using said identifier. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A computer program product for communicating with a computer subsystem, said product comprising:
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code that writes a data packet from a host computer to a subsystem controller coupled thereto, wherein said data packet contains a signature and an identifier and said subsystem controller is coupled to control the computer subsystem; code that compares said signature to a stored signature stored in said subsystem controller; code that stores said identifier in said subsystem controller, if said signature matches said stored signature, and passes said data packet to the computer subsystem, otherwise; and code that reads from said subsystem controller using said identifier. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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issuing a write command from a host computer to a subsystem controller, wherein said subsystem controller is coupled to control a computer subsystem; and determining if said write command contains a signature, and if said write command contains a signature, executing said write command on said subsystem controller, and otherwise, passing said write command to said computer subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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issuing a write command from a host computer to a subsystem controller, wherein said write command writes a data packet to said subsystem controller and said subsystem controller is coupled to control a computer subsystem; detecting a signature within said data packet; and executing a command contained in said data packet on said subsystem controller if said data packet contains a signature, and otherwise, passing said data packet to said computer subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. A computer-implemented method for controlling a subsystem controller via protocol commands issued by a host computer, said method comprising:
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issuing a write command from the host computer to the subsystem controller, wherein said subsystem controller is coupled to control a computer subsystem; and determining if said write command contains a signature, and, if said write command contains a signature, executing a sign-on command on the subsystem controller, said sign-on command enabling the subsystem controller to receive the protocol commands by causing the subsystem controller to store a first identifier, and otherwise, passing said write command to said computer subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification