Method and apparatus for a interfacing device drivers to a single multi-function adapter

• US 20070198720A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: NetEffect, Inc. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Rucker, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

Systems which utilize a series of managers to handle resource management. Three types of managers are preferably used, with each manager being in one of two states, active or available. The types of managers are Global Interface Manager (GIM), Resource Manager (RM) and Access Manager (AM). Associated with each device driver for a given function is a GIM. The device driver may be associated with one or more RMs and/or AMs. Among managers of a given type, one is the active manager and all other managers of that specific type are available and work with the active manager to handle resource requests. As there can be RMs for different resources, the active manager concept is applied to the RMs associated with each resource. Mechanisms are present to allow the active manager and related information to be transferred to an available manager if necessary.

Claims

1. A method for managing resources utilized by device drivers, the resources being in a multi-function device, the method comprising:

with each device driver, loading a first type manager, the first type manager controlling a lock function;

establishing the first loaded first type manager as active manager and any later loaded first type managers as available managers; and

the available first type managers cooperating with the active first type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

loading a second type manager with each device driver, the second type manager being a port access manager for the device driver;

establishing the first loaded second type manager as active manager and any later loaded second type managers as available managers;

the active second type manager cooperating with the active first type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device; and

the available second type managers cooperating with the active second type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

loading a third type manager with a device driver, the third type including subtypes, the third type managers being specific resource managers, each specific resource forming a subtype;

establishing the first loaded third type manager of each subtype as the active third type subtype manager and any later loaded third type subtype managers as available managers;

each active third type active manager cooperating with the first type active manager to manage the relevant specific resource of the multi-function device; and

each available third type manager cooperating with the active third type manager of its subtype to manage the relevant specific resource of the multi-function device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein an available third type manager requests a block of resources from the active third type manager and thereafter allocates resources from that block without further cooperating with the active third type manager for resources in that block.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring active state from an active manager to an available manager when the device driver of the active manager is unloaded.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

informing all relevant managers of the new active manager.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring active state from an active manager to an available manager when the device driver of the active manager is unloaded.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

informing all relevant managers of the new active manager.

9. A computer readable medium or media having computer-executable instructions stored therein for performing the following method for managing resources utilized by device drivers, the resources being in a multi-function device, the method comprising:

with each device driver, loading a first type manager, the first type manager controlling a lock function;

establishing the first loaded first type manager as active manager and any later loaded first type managers as available managers; and

the available first type managers cooperating with the active first type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device.

10. The computer readable medium or media of claim 9, the method further comprising:

loading a second type manager with each device driver, the second type manager being a port access manager for the device driver;

establishing the first loaded second type manager as active manager and any later loaded second type managers as available managers;

the active second type manager cooperating with the active first type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device; and

the available second type managers cooperating with the active second type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device.

11. The computer readable medium or media of claim 10, the method further comprising:

loading a third type manager with a device driver, the third type including subtypes, the third type managers being specific resource managers, each specific resource forming a subtype;

establishing the first loaded third type manager of each subtype as the active third type subtype manager and any later loaded third type subtype managers as available managers;

each active third type active manager cooperating with the first type active manager to manage the relevant specific resource of the multi-function device; and

each available third type manager cooperating with the active third type manager of its subtype to manage the relevant specific resource of the multi-function device.

12. The computer readable medium or media of claim 11, wherein an available third type manager requests a block of resources from the active third type manager and thereafter allocates resources from that block without further cooperating with the active third type manager for resources in that block.

13. The computer readable medium or media of claim 11, the method further comprising:

transferring active state from an active manager to an available manager when the device driver of the active manager is unloaded.

14. The computer readable medium or media of claim 13, the method further comprising:

informing all relevant managers of the new active manager.

15. The computer readable medium or media of claim 9, the method further comprising:

transferring active state from an active manager to an available manager when the device driver of the active manager is unloaded.

16. The computer readable medium or media of claim 15, the method further comprising:

informing all relevant managers of the new active manager.

17. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

memory, operatively coupled to the central processing unit, said memory adapted to contain a plurality of device drivers;

a multi-function device containing shared resources and operatively coupled to the central processing unit and the memory; and

device drivers causing the central processing unit to perform the following method, the method including;

with each device driver, loading a first type manager, the first type manager controlling a lock function;

establishing the first loaded first type manager as active manager and any later loaded first type managers as available managers; and

the available first type managers cooperating with the active first type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device.

18. The system of claim 17, the method further comprising:

loading a second type manager with each device driver, the second type manager being a port access manager for the device driver;

establishing the first loaded second type manager as active manager and any later loaded second type managers as available managers;

the active second type manager cooperating with the active first type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device; and

the available second type managers cooperating with the active second type manager to manage resources of the multi-function device.

19. The system of claim 18, the method further comprising:

loading a third type manager with a device driver, the third type including subtypes, the third type managers being specific resource managers, each specific resource forming a subtype;

establishing the first loaded third type manager of each subtype as the active third type subtype manager and any later loaded third type subtype managers as available managers;

each active third type active manager cooperating with the first type active manager to manage the relevant specific resource of the multi-function device; and

each available third type manager cooperating with the active third type manager of its subtype to manage the relevant specific resource of the multi-function device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein an available third type manager requests a block of resources from the active third type manager and thereafter allocates resources from that block without further cooperating with the active third type manager for resources in that block.

21. The system of claim 19, the method further comprising:

transferring active state from an active manager to an available manager when the device driver of the active manager is unloaded.

22. The system of claim 21, the method further comprising:

informing all relevant managers of the new active manager.

23. The system of claim 17, the method further comprising:

transferring active state from an active manager to an available manager when the device driver of the active manager is unloaded.

24. The system of claim 23, the method further comprising:

informing all relevant managers of the new active manager.