Kenneth E Wolff

US Patent:

46548572, Mar 31, 1987

Filed:

Aug 2, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/762039

Inventors:

Joseph E. Samson - Dover MA
Kenneth T. Wolff - Medway MA
Robert Reid - Dunstable MA
Gardner C. Hendrie - Marlboro MA
Daniel M. Falkoff - Natick MA
Ronald E. Dynneson - Brighton MA
Daniel M. Clemson - Weston MA
Kurt F. Baty - Medway MA

Assignee:

Stratus Computer, Inc. - Marlboro MA

International Classification:

G06F 1120

US Classification:

371 68

Abstract:

A fualt-tolerant computer system provides information transfers between the units of a computing module, including a processor unit and a memory unit and one or more peripheral control units, on a bus structure common to all the units. Information-handling parts of the system, both in the bus structure and in each unit, can have a duplicate partner. Error detectors check the operation of the bus structure and of each system unit to provide information transfers only on fault-free bus conductors and between fault-free units. The computer system can operate in this manner essentially without interruption in the event of faults by using only fault-free conductors and functional units. Arbitration circuits of unusual speed and simplicity provide units of the computing module with access to the common bus structure according to the priority of each unit. The units of a module check incoming and outgoing signals for errors, signal other module units of a detected error, and disable the unit from sending potentially erroneous information onto the bus structure.