System diagnostic location codes

• US 6,148,419 A
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Duron, Mike Conrad, Faust, Robert Allan, Gray, Forrest Clifton, Ahrens, George Henry, Szabo, Kurt Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US09/164,132
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500.38, 395/500.42, 710/15-19, 714/7-9, 714/25-32, 714/44-48
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display

Abstract

A multitude of devices coupled to a processor are each given a location code, which is then displayed in proximity to each of the devices. Then, when the processor indicates an error within a particular device, the service person can easily find which device has the error by the displayed location code associated with the device.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising:

a processor coupled to a plurality of peripheral devices by a bus system;

circuitry for determining a unique location code for each of the plurality of peripheral devices; and

a display on each of the plurality of peripheral devices for displaying the location code pertaining to its respective peripheral device.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for re-determining unique location codes for each of the plurality of peripheral devices when an arrangement of the plurality of peripheral devices is modified.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a display associated with the processor for displaying the unique location code of a particular one of the plurality of peripheral devices when it incurs an error.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is located proximate to its respective peripheral device.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the bus system arranges the plurality of peripheral devices in a loop with respect to the processor.

6. A method comprising the steps of:

connecting a plurality of devices to a processor via a bus system;

determining relative locations of the plurality of devices with respect to each other and the processor;

assigning unique location codes to each of the plurality of devices as a function of their relative locations; and

displaying in proximity to each device its unique location code.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an error in one of the plurality of devices;

displaying the location code of the one of the plurality of devices having the error.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the location code of the one of the plurality of devices having the error is displayed by the processor.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

rearranging the relative locations of the plurality of devices with respect to each other and the processor;

re-assigning unique location codes to each of the plurality of devices as a function of their rearranged relative locations; and

displaying in proximity to each device its re-assigned unique location code.