Chester W Heath

US Patent:

6640206, Oct 28, 2003

Filed:

Dec 17, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/465675

Inventors:

Robin Lynn Callender - Bellevue WA
Chester A. Heath - Chapel Hill NC

Assignee:

Omnicluster Technologies Inc. - Boca Raton FL

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

703253, 709213, 709223, 709238

Abstract:

A presently disclosed network oriented multiprocessing system, concentrated into a small space, uses a LAN (local area network) emulation protocol to transmit data packets directly between processing subsystems of the system via a bus connecting the processing subsystems. The processing subsystems and bus thereby constitute components of a virtual LAN defined by the LAN emulation protocol. The system also contains a storage subsystem which is connected to the same bus and is not a part of the virtual LAN. The spatial concentration of the system allows the bus to be operated at a speed sufficient to enable the processing subsystems to share access to the storage subsystem via the bus for retrieving stored information immediately relevant to program processes being executed in respective processing subsystems. Signal processes on said bus representing transfers relative to said virtual LAN are distinctly different from signal processes on the bus that are used to transfer information between said storage and processing subsystems. The virtual LAN defined by the LAN emulation protocol contains a virtual port for each processing subsystem currently active in the virtual LAN.