Method and apparatus for supporting and presenting multiple serial bus nodes using distinct configuration ROM images

• US 7,191,266 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray; Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US10/944,265
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 710104-106, 710/62, 710/63, 710/2, 710/305, 710/8, 709/253, 709/301, 709/302, 709/220, 370/463, 714/1, 358/1.15, 711/102, 711/170, 713/1, 713/100
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0012 High speed serial bus, e.g. IEEE P1394
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method and apparatus for presenting a plurality of link devices as separate nodes within a single serial bus module by generating individual or a distinct configuration ROM image for each link device in the module. Each configuration ROM includes an entry for a distinct identifier representing the corresponding link device thereby creating a one to one mapping of link device to node via the distinct configuration ROM.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a computer, present a plurality of link devices as separate nodes to a serial bus module, by:

a) creating an individual configuration ROM image for each link device in said plurality, regardless of whether they share a node; and

b) presenting said configuration ROM images for each said link device.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein each said configuration ROM image includes an entry for a distinct identifier for a corresponding link device.

3. The computer-readable method of claim 2, wherein said presenting said configuration ROM image comprises:

a) receiving from one of said link devices a block request and a link ID; and

b) providing configuration ROM associated with said link ID.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said creating and presenting said configuration ROM image are carried out by transaction layer software.

5. A computer program product, comprising:

code for causing a machine to create an individual configuration ROM image for each link device in said plurality, regardless of whether they share a node; and

code for causing a machine to present said configuration ROM images for each said link device to a serial bus module.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein each said configuration ROM image includes an entry for a distinct identifier for a corresponding link device.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said code for causing a machine to present said configuration ROM image comprises:

code for causing a machine to receive from one of said link devices a block request and a link ID; and

code for causing a machine to provide a configuration ROM associated with said link ID.

8. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein said code for causing a machine to create and present said configuration ROM image comprises instructions executed by a transaction layer of a node.