Virtualized PCI endpoint for extended systems

• US 9,064,058 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NUON Incorporated
• Original Assignee: NUON Incorporated
• Inventors: Daniel, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US12/653,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 710/313, 710/300, 710/306, 710/312, 710/314, 710/315
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

Virtualization of a PCI Endpoint via the Internet and LANs. The invention is a solution that allows the use of low-complexity, low-cost PCI Express Endpoint Type 0 cores or custom logic for relatively simple virtualization applications. The invention combines two physically separate assemblies in such a way that they appear to the host system as one local multifunctional PCI Express Endpoint device.

Claims

1. A system configured to virtualize a local bus function via the Internet and LANs.

2. The system as specified in claim 1 wherein the local bus is PCI or PCI Express.

3. The system as specified in claim 2 wherein the system is configured to encapsulate/un-encapsulate data packets of PCI or PCI Express.

4. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein there is no PCI/PCI bridge provided to virtualize the local bus.

5. The system as specified in claim 1 where there is no PCI/PCI bridge provided to virtualize the local bus.

6. The system as specified in claim 1 wherein the local bus function is a PCI Endpoint function.

7. The system as specified in claim 1 wherein the system comprises:

a local assembly configured to adapt the local bus to a network and implement a subset of PCI Endpoint functionality;

a virtualization protocol and transport configured to transport packets from the local assembly via the network;

at least one remote assembly configured to receive the packets and adapt the network to a subset of PCI Endpoint functionality;

wherein the local assembly and the at least one remote assembly together form a complete PCI Endpoint functionality.

8. The system as specified in claim 7 wherein the transport is defined by an Internet Protocol Suite.

9. The system as specified in claim 8, wherein the transport is TCP/IP.

10. The system as specified in claim 7, where the transport is a LAN.

11. The system as specified in claim 10, wherein the LAN is an Ethernet.

12. The system as specified in claim 7, wherein the transport is a direct connect arrangement configured to utilize an Ethernet physical layer as the transport, without consideration of a MAC hardware address or any interceding external Ethernet switch.

13. The system as specified in claim 7, wherein the transport is a wireless transport and the local assembly and the at least one remote assembly include a radio platform.

14. The system as specified in claim 7 wherein the virtualization protocol is i-PCI.

15. The system as specified in claim 7 wherein the local assembly and remote assembly are configured to appear to the host system as one local multifunctional PCI Express Endpoint device.

16. The system as specified in claim 7 further comprising a plurality of remote assemblies each having an associated application, the associated applications configured to implement a single function.

17. The system as specified in claim 7 wherein a transaction layer and application layer associated with the Endpoint is located at the remote assembly.

18. The system as specified in claim 7 wherein the local assembly is an adapter card that is configured to not act on any transactions other than to present an PCI Express Endpoint port interface to a host system and accomplish data transport per the i-PCI specification.

19. The system as specified in claim 1 wherein the system comprises a PCI Express Endpoint Type 0 core.

20. The system as specified in claim 1 wherein the system is switchless.