System for facilitating the replacement or insertion of devices in a computer system through the use of a graphical user interface
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- one or more slots configured to receive at least one peripheral adapter;
a software module configured to provide a graphical user interface that indicates whether a selected operational slot in the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function; and
one or more hardware modules in the electronic device configured to control the power to the selected operational slot.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user'"'"'s replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a “hot” condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the system carries out the “hot swap” or “hot add” functions. The system, which consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and associated computer software modules, allows the user to select a desired peripheral device location within a server, and then provides the modular software structure to automatically execute a series of steps in the hot swap or hot add process. Each step is prompted by the user from the GUI, to invoke commands to instruct a network server through its operating system and hardware to suspend the appropriate device adapters, if necessary, power down the desired device slot or canister, allow the user to replace or insert a new device, and finally restart the adapters and the slot power. The system requires very little detailed input from the user other than identifying the particular peripheral device slot within the server to be maintained.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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one or more slots configured to receive at least one peripheral adapter; a software module configured to provide a graphical user interface that indicates whether a selected operational slot in the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function; and one or more hardware modules in the electronic device configured to control the power to the selected operational slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, comprising:
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an electronic device; a user interface module; and at least one module configured to communicate with the user interface module and inform the user interface module as to whether a selected operational adapter location in the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function, the module additionally configured to transmit instructions regarding the hot insert of an adapter in the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, comprising:
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an electronic device; means for providing a graphical user interface; means for hot inserting an adapter in the electronic device; the graphical user interface including means for displaying the steps to hot insert an adapter; and means in communication with the graphical user interface communicating information as to whether a selected functioning adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and for hot inserting an adapter. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. An electronic device for hot inserting an adapter, the electronic device comprising:
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an electronic device and one or more peripheral adapters; a configuration manager capable of freezing communications between the electronic device and the peripheral adapters; a power management module capable of issuing commands to enable and disable the power to the peripheral adapters; and a graphical user interface delivering instructions to confirm that a particular functioning adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An electronic device comprising:
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an electronic device; and a graphical user interface configured to provide one or more screen displays for communicating information to a user as to whether an selected operational adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and for displaying information regarding the steps for hot inserting an adapter. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
displaying on a display device a graphical user interface configured to provide one or more screen displays for communicating information to a user as to whether a selected operational adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, the system comprising:
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an electronic device having a plurality of adapter locations; a user interface module in communication with the electronic device, the user interface module configured to indicate whether or not a selected functioning adapter location is configured to support a hot input function; and at least one communication module in communication with the user interface module and the selected functioning adapter location, wherein the at least one communication module transmits information to the user interface module as to whether the selected functioning adapter location is configured to support the hot input function. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, the system comprising:
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an electronic device; a user interface means for communicating with the electronic device; and means for providing information via the user interface means as to whether a selected operational adapter location of the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An electronic system for hot inserting an adapter, the system comprising:
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an electronic device having at least one adapter; a configuration manager capable of suspending communications between the electronic device and the at least one adapter; a power management module capable of managing power to the at least one adapter; and a user interface in communication with the configuration module to confirm that a particular functioning adapter location is configured to support a hot input function. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. An electronic device comprising a user interface having a first screen display providing a list of steps in a hot input function and having a second screen display providing information as to whether a selected operational adapter location is configured to support the hot input function.
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35. A computer system for facilitating the replacement or insertion of an adapter, the computer system comprising:
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a plurality of canisters, each canister having a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive a peripheral adapter; a user interface module configured to provide at least one screen display that indicates if a selected operational slot of the plurality of slots is configured to support a hot input function; and a power module configured to disable and enable power to each slot of a selected one of the plurality of canisters having the selected operational slot in response to a user request to add another peripheral adapter to the selected operational slot. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification