Jeffrey W Harper

US Patent:

55308872, Jun 25, 1996

Filed:

Feb 28, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/204692

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Harper - Austin TX
James C. Peterson - Round Rock TX
James D. Touchton - Davie FL
Wendel G. Voigt - Austin TX
Gregory M. Vrana - Austin TX

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 9445
G06F 1310

US Classification:

395800

Abstract:

Data processing apparatus performs automatic hardware device identification and system setup in computer systems that have a Programmable Option Select (POS) feature, where the system includes multi-card adapters (adapters with attached daughter card(s)), and/or multi-card planar complexes (system boards with pluggable processor complexes and/or I/O risers). In particular, the apparatus uniquely identifies the aforementioned multi-card devices utilizing unique "combination type" POS IDs, where a combination type POS ID is a POS ID specifically preassigned to a combination of cards rather than to a single type of card. According to the invention, the unique combination type POS ID is partitioned across the combination of cards (for example, hardwired into each card). When the cards are combined, the partitioned ID is synthesized and becomes available to the system. The combination type ID may be used by the system to automatically identify and configure the multi-card device combination, perform diagnostics, etc.

US Patent:

54817552, Jan 2, 1996

Filed:

May 2, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/236672

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Harper - Austin TX
Paul W. Kalendra - Boca Raton FL
William J. Piazza - Boca Raton FL
Howard C. Tanner - Austin TX
Anh Vinh - Austin TX

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1300
G06F 1200
G06F 1202

US Classification:

395823

Abstract:

A register distributed across multiple single port adapters allows the system to operate the single port adapters identically to a single multi-port adapter. Each adapter has its own priority logic identical to the logic used on a multi-port adapter to select an individual port. The priority logic on the adapter allows the system to deselect one adapter and select another adapter in one operation. Each adapter has switch settings to allow selective control of individual bits on the system bus, which allows multiple adapters to respond to the processor simultaneously for different ports in the same manner as a multi-port adapter. By replying simultaneously, the system can use the same software to control two different hardware adapter types: single port, or multi-port.