EP0820012A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Fault isolation
Assignee: Compaq Computer Corp
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Filing: 1997-06-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-06-04
Abstract
Abstract A device causing a faulty condition in a computer system having devices is isolated by detecting for a faulty condition associated with the devices and identifying the device causing the faulty condition. The devices are coupled to a bus. The faulty condition includes a bus hang condition. The devices are turned off when a bus hang condition is detected. The devices are then turned back on to test the devices. Each device is tested by writing and reading its configuration space. Information on the bus associated with the faulty condition is stored. The stored information is retrieved after the faulty condition has occurred, with the stored information including address, data, and bus control information.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan L. Goodrum
- 👤 Jeffrey S. Autor
- 👤 Paul R. Culley
- 👤 Joseph P. Miller
- 👤 Siamak Tavallaei
- 👤 Barry S. Basile
- 👤 Elizabeth A. Richard
- 👤 Eric E. Rose
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2002; G06F11/2005; G06F11/2007; G06F11/2012; G06F11/22; G06F11/2205; G06F11/2221; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3466; G06F11/349; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0751; G06F11/0754; G06F11/0757; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/221
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
46 words
Apparatus for isolating a faulty device in a computer system having multiple devices, the apparatus comprising: a watcher for monitoring for a faulty condition associated with the devices; and a fault isolation controller responsive to the faulty condition for identifying the device causing the faulty condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fault isolation controller includes circuitry for turning off the devices when a faulty condition is detected and turns the devices back on to test the devices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fault isolation controller is used to turn the devices back on and to test the devices one at a time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the fault isolation controller is used to turn different combinations of devices back on and to test the devices until a faulty condition is detected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fault isolation controller further is used to turn off the device or devices which caused the faulty condition.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the fault isolation controller is used to turn devices off by powering them off.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a bus coupled to the devices, wherein the faulty condition includes a bus hang condition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the watcher includes a bus timer to monitor the bus to detect the bus hang condition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bus hang condition is present if the bus timer expires.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the fault isolation controller is used to test each device by writing and reading its configuration space.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of any of claims 7 to 10, wherein the faulty device is identified if the bus hang condition occurs when that device is tested.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of any of claims 7 to 11, wherein the watcher includes a storage device for storing information on the bus associated with the faulty condition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fault isolation controller further is used to retrieve the stored information after the faulty condition has occurred.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes address and data information.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes bus control information.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of any of claims 7 to 15, wherein the watcher places the bus in an idle state after the bus hang condition is detected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bus is placed in the idle state by issuing a target abort transaction.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 17, wherein the fault isolation controller further is used to power off the faulty device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A computer system comprising: mutiple devices; mass storage accessible by at least one of the devices; and apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 18.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
34 words
A method of isolating a faulty device in a computer system having multiple devices, the method comprising: detecting for a faulty condition associated with the devices; and identifying the device causing the faulty condition.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 20, further comprising: turning off the devices when a faulty condition is detected; and turning the devices back on to test the devices.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the devices are turned back on and tested one at a time.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 22, wherein different combinations of devices are turned back on and tested until a faulty condition is detected.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23, further comprising: turning off the device or devices which caused the faulty condition.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of any of claims 21 to 24, wherein the devices are turned off by powering them off.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
27 words
The method of any of claims 20 to 25, wherein the devices are coupled to a bus, and wherein the faulty condition includes a bus hang condition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 26, wherein a bus timer monitors the bus to detect the bus hang condition.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the bus hang condition is present if the bus timer expires.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of any of claims 26 to 28, wherein each device is tested by writing and reading its configuration space.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any of claims 26 to 29, wherein the faulty device is identified if the bus hang condition occurs when that device is tested.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of any of claims 26 to 30, further comprising: storing information on the bus associated with the faulty condition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 31, further comprising: retrieving the stored information after the faulty condition has occurred.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the stored information includes address and data information.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the stored information includes bus control information.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
25 words
The method of any of claims 26 to 34, further comprising: placing the bus in an idle state after the bus hang condition is detected.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 35, wherein the bus is placed in the idle state by issuing a target abort transaction.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of any of claims 20 to 35, further comprising: powering off the faulty device.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer system comprising: a bus; a watcher for detecting an illegal condition on the bus; and a storage device for storing information on the bus associated with the illegal condition.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer system of claim 38, wherein the bus includes a PCI bus.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer system of claim 39, wherein the illegal condition occurs where a PCI signal TRDY_ is asserted during a bus idle condition.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer system of claim 39, wherein the illegal condition occurs where a PCI signal STOP_ is asserted during a bus idle condition.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer system of claim 39, wherein the illegal condition occurs where a PCI signal DEVSEL_ is asserted during a bus idle condition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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