System and method for alert generation using network interface

• US 7,006,522 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Chi-Lie, Henderson, Nathan, Hu, Baodong
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scheibel, Jr., Robert C.
• Application Number:
  US09/796,063
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 370/463, 370/501, 370/502, 709/250, 710/52, 713/300, 713/310, 713/340
• US Class Current: 370/463
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0604 using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time

Abstract

A system which provides for generation of alert packets using network interfaces. The alert packets are downloaded into a network interface, for example during a transition from an OS-present state to an OS-absent state. The alert packets are provided with control fields which, in various combinations, indicate alert conditions upon which such packets are to be transmitted, and which indicate a repetition mode for transmission of the packet after a match of the alert condition. Logic in the network interface, causes scanning in the plurality of packets downloaded into the network interface at scan intervals to identify packets having control codes matching alert signals received by the network interface. The process allows for more than one alert packet to be matched with a single alert signal during a given scan interval, and to be transmitted. Also, in one embodiment, each alert packet which matches an alert signal can be transmitted according to a repetition mode indicated in the control fields of the packet.

Claims

1. A data processing system, comprising:

a host processor;

a network interlace coupled to the host processor, and including memory for storing a plurality of packets to be transmitted by the network interface; and

a system management system issuing alert signals in response to events;

wherein the network interface includes logic responsive to the alert signals to scan the plurality of packets stored in the memory at scan intervals, and transmit multiple different packets in the plurality of packets which include control codes matching a single alert signal during a given scan interval, one or more particular packets in the plurality of packets includes a control code indicating a repetition number for the particular packet, and wherein the logic is responsive to said repetition number to transmit the particular packet the repetition number of times in response to matching the alert signal during the given scan interval.

2. A data processing system, comprising:

a host processor;

a network interface coupled to the bust processor, and including memory for storing a plurality of packets to be transmitted by the network interlace; and

a system management system issuing alert signals in response to events;

wherein the network interface includes logic responsive to the alert signals to scan the plurality of packets stored in the memory at scan intervals, and transmit packets in the plurality of packets which include control codes matching an alert signal during a particular scan interval, and wherein at least one particular packet in the plurality of packets includes a control code indicating a repetition number for the particular packet, and the logic is responsive to said repetition number to transmit the particular packet the repetition number of times in response to matching the alert signal during the particular scan interval.

3. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein the packets include a field for control codes, and the logic reads the field for each packet in the plurality of packets during a given scan interval.

4. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein the system management system includes a system management bus coupled to the network interface, and said alert signals comprise data transmitted on the system management bus.

5. The data processing system or claim 4, wherein the system management bus comprises a serial bus, and the network interface includes a serial bus interface.

6. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein said network interlace comprises an integrated circuit including signal pins, and the system management system is coupled to the signal pins on the integrated circuit.

7. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein said network interface comprises an integrated circuit including a serial bus interface, dedicated signal pins, and alert signal input logic coupled to the dedicated signal pins and the serial bus interface accepting alert signals from one or both of the serial bus interface and the dedicated signal pins.

8. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein the alert signals issued by the system management system include signals indicating system and power management related events.

9. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein said host processor includes resources entering a first state in which an operating system is active and a second state in which the operating system is inactive, and which store the plurality of packets in the network interface in connection with a transition from the first state to the second state.

10. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein said host processor includes resources entering a first state in which an operating system is active and a second state in which the operating system is inactive, and in which said logic in the network interface operates during the second state.

11. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein said network interface includes an alert register storing alert signals, and said host processor includes resources entering a first state in which an operating system is active and a second state in which the operating system is inactive, and in which said logic in the network interface operates during the second state, and in which said host processor polls said alert register during the first state.

12. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein said logic includes circuits indicating an alert edge indicating timing of receipt of an alert signal, and circuits indicating an alert level indicating whether an alert signal is being asserted or not.

13. In a data processing system in which alert signals are generated in response to events, and including a network interface, a method comprising:

storing a plurality of packets in the network interface;

scanning the plurality of packets in scan intervals to identify packets having control codes matching alert signals received by the network interface so that more than one packet nay be identified in a particular scan interval; and

transmitting the identified packets;

wherein the plurality of packets comprise control fields having data indicating a reception count for the packet, and said transmitting includes repeating transmission of the identified packets a number of times equal to the repetition count in response to a match during the particular scan interval.

14. In a data processing system in which alert signals are generated in response to events, and including a network interface, a method comprising:

storing a plurality or packets in the network interface, wherein the plurality of packets comprise control fields having data indicating a repetition mode for at least one of the plurality of packets;

scanning the plurality of packets in scan intervals to identify packets having control codes matching alert signals received by the network interface; and

transmitting at least one identified packet according to the repetition model;

the indicated repetition mode provides for repeated transmission a number of times equal to repetition count in response to matching an alert signal in a particular scan interval.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indicated repetition mode provides for repeated transmission an indefinite number of times until an alert signal is cleared.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of packets comprise control fields, and including indicating an alert edge upon receipt of an alert signal, and indicating an alert level signaling whether an alert signal is being asserted or not;

and wherein

said transmitting includes transmitting in response to an alert edge or in response to an alert level based upon data in the control fields.

16. In a data processing system in which alert signals are generated in response to events, and including a network interface, a method comprising:

storing a plurality of packets in the network interface, wherein the plurality of packets comprise control fields having data indicating a repetition mode for at least one of the plurality of packets;

scanning the plurality or packets in scan intervals to identify packets having control codes matching alert signals received by the network interface; and

transmitting at least one identified packet according to the repetition mode;

wherein the control fields include data indicating one of a plurality of repetition modes, including a first repetition mode providing for repeated transmission a number or times equal to a repetition count in response to matching an alert signal in a particular scan interval, and a second repetition mode providing for repeated transmission an indefinite number of times until an alert signal is cleared.

17. In a data processing system in which alert signals are generated in response to events, and including a network interface, a method comprising:

storing a plurality of packets in the network interface, wherein the plurality of packets comprise control fields having data indicating a repetition mode for at least one of the plurality of packets;

scanning the plurality of packets in scan intervals to identify packets having control codes matching alert signals received by the network interface, and

transmitting at least one identified packet according to the repetition mode;

wherein the control fields include data indicating one of a plurality of repetition modes, including a first repetition mode providing for repeated transmission a number of times equal to a repetition count greater than one in response to matching an alert signal in a particular scan interval, a second repetition mode providing for transmission once in response to matching an alert signal, and a third repetition mode providing for repeated transmission an indefinite number of times until an alert signal is cleared.

19. In a data processing system in which alert signals are generated in response to events, and including a network interface, a method comprising:

storing a plurality of packets in the network interface, wherein the plurality of packets comprise control fields having data indicating a repetition mode for at least one of the plurality of packets;

scanning the plurality of packets in scan intervals to identify packets having control codes matching alert signals received by the network interface;

transmitting at least one identified packet according to the repetition mode;

indicating an alert edge upon receipt of an alert signal, and indicating an alert level signaling whether an alert signal is being asserted or not; and

wherein the control fields include data indicating one of a plurality or repetition modes including a first repetition mode providing for repeated transmission a number or times equal to repetition count in response to matching an alert signal on an alert edge, a second repetition mode providing for repeated transmission an indefinite number of times in response to matching on an alert level.