Patent EP0042988A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0042988A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Communication system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1981-06-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A communication system includes a plurality of requestors and a plurality of responders representing resources. A protocol exercised by all elements provides accurate and consistent interconnection of all elements in a system where messages may be delayed or lost. Requestors are provided with means to transmit a request for use of a plurality of resources, respond to acceptances from one or more responders and create a cooperative relationship by transmitting a confirmation to one responder and cancellation of the request to all other responders. Responders become committed to a requestor by signalling an acceptance to a request if a previous acceptance has not been transmitted, or if the resource is not already committed to another requestor, and subsequent confirmation signal is received. The responder does not become committed after transmitting an acceptance if the next signal directed to it from the requestor is a request cancellation. Request signals and cancellation signals by a requestor can either be broadcast simultaneously to all responders of a class or transmitted to particular, designated responders, one at a time.
Inventors
- 👤 David Frederick Bantz
- 👤 Michel Francois Choquet
- 👤 Jack Lee Rosenfeld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
251 words
A communication system including one or more requestors (1, 2) and one or more responders (3, 4) each representing a resource useable by the requestors, and means for establishing a message transmitting connection between a requestor and a responder in accordance with a protocol of signal transmissions between the requestors and responders, including, in combination: signal conveying means (5) for transmitting signals in accordance with the protocol; a requestor protocol interface (Fig. 6) connecting said signal conveying means to each requestor; a responder protocol interface (Fig. 2) connecting said signal conveying means to each resource; said requestor protocol interface including; means (255) for transmitting a request signal for resource use; means 240, 243) for receiving and storing responder acceptance signals; means (246, 248) responsive to said means for receiving responder acceptance signals, for transmitting a confirmation signal (247) to a responder, and request cancellation signal (250, 258); said responder protocol interface including; means (45, 41, 42, 43) for receiving and storing a request signal for resource use; conditional means (Fig. 4) responsive to said means for receiving a request signal, for transmitting an acceptance signal (65); means (21) for indicating the associated resource is committed for use by a requestor; means (47) for receiving a confirmation signal; means (86) for receiving a request cancellation signal; and means (70, 71, 72, 73) connecting said means for indicating, and said means for receiving a request cancellation signal, to said conditional means, for controlling the ability of the responder to transmit an acceptance signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
251 words
A communication system including one or more requestors (1, 2) and one or more responders (3, 4) each representing a resource useable by the requestors, and means for establishing a message transmitting connection between a requestor and a responder in accordance with a protocol of signal transmissions between the requestors and responders, including, in combination: signal conveying means (5) for transmitting signals in accordance with the protocol; a requestor protocol interface (Fig. 6) connecting said signal conveying means to each requestor; a responder protocol interface (Fig. 2) connecting said signal conveying means to each resource; said requestor protocol interface including; means (255) for transmitting a request signal for resource use; means 240, 243) for receiving and storing responder acceptance signals; means (246, 248) responsive to said means for receiving responder acceptance signals, for transmitting a confirmation signal (247) to a responder, and request cancellation signal (250, 258); said responder protocol interface including; means (45, 41, 42, 43) for receiving and storing a request signal for resource use; conditional means (Fig. 4) responsive to said means for receiving a request signal, for transmitting an acceptance signal (65); means (21) for indicating the associated resource is committed for use by a requestor; means (47) for receiving a confirmation signal; means (86) for receiving a request cancellation signal; and means (70, 71, 72, 73) connecting said means for indicating, and said means for receiving a request cancellation signal, to said conditional means, for controlling the ability of the responder to transmit an acceptance signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
142 words
A communication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said requestor protocol interface further includes; means (255) for transmitting a particular resource identifying signal and a particular requestor identifying signal identifying the requestor transmitting the request signal; said means (45, 41, 42, 43) for receiving and storing a request signal includes; means (41, 60) responsive to a predetermined particular resource identifying signal, for storing the signal identifying said particular requestor in said storing means; said conditional means for transmitting an acceptance signal includes; means (49) for transmitting signals identifying said particular requestor and said predetermined particular resource; said means for receiving a confirmation signal, and said means for receiving a request cancellation signal, each include; means (46, 47), responsive to said predetermined particular resource identifying signal, and said particular requestor signal corresponding to said particular requestor signal stored in said storing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
175 words
A communication system in accordance with claim 2 wherein: said means for transmitting a particular resource identifying signal includes; means (255) for transmitting a class identifying signal, which class includes a plurality of individual resources, or alternatively an individual identifying signal for a predetermined one of said individual resources; said means for transmitting a request signal includes means (256) for selecting said means for transmitting a class identifying signal, or said individual identifying signal; said means for receiving and storing a request signal includes means (40) responsive to predetermined ones of either said class identifying signal or said individual identifying signal associated with the attached resource; said conditional means for transmitting an acceptance signal includes means (30) for transmitting said predetermined individual identifying signal; said means responsive to said means for receiving responder acceptance signals for transmitting a confirmation signal includes means (246) for selecting said means for transmitting said individual identifying signal of said predetermined resource; and said means for receiving said confirmation signal includes means (47) responsive to said predetermined individual identifying signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A communication system in accordance with claim 3 wherein: said means responsive to said means for receiving responder acceptance signals for transmitting said request cancellation signal includes; means (252, 253), operative in response to receipt of an acceptance signal for transmitting said class identifying signal and said request cancellation signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
A communication system in accordance with claim 3 wherein: said means responsive to said means for receiving responder acceptance signals for transmitting said request cancellation signal includes; first means, operative in response to receipt of an acceptance signal from only one of said individual resources, for inhibiting transmission of said cancellation signal; and second means, operative in response to receipt of an acceptance signal from a plurality of said individual resources included in a class, for transmitting a like plurality of cancellation signals and individual identifying sigals of said resources other than said predetermined individual resource.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said requestor protocol interface further includes; time-out means (202), effective in the absence of receipt of an acceptance signal, and connected to said means for transmitting a request signal, for causing retransmission of the request signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A communication system in accordance with claim 1 or claim 6, wherein: said responder protocol interface further includes; time-out means (12), effective in the absence of receipt of a confirmation signal or cancellation signal, and connected to said conditional means for transmitting an acceptance signal, for causing retransmission of the acceptance signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
A communication system in accordance with claim l, wherein: said requestor protocol interface and said responder protocol interface each include; message serial number storage; means associated with said means for transmitting a request signal and said conditional means for transmitting an acceptance signal each including means for transmitting the contents of said message serial number storage, and comparing means associated with said means responsive to said means for receiving responder acceptance signals in said requestor protocol interface, and connected to said message serial number storage for inhibiting transmission of a confirmation signal in the absence of equality with the message serial number received with the acceptance signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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