US3665418A
Expired / Lapsed
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Status switching in an automatically repaired computer
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1968-07-15
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1988-07-15
Abstract
Abstract Status switching means for an automatically repaired computer system of the stand-by redundancy type adapted to replace a failed component by a stand-by spare, characterized in that the switching means include separate selection or switch means associated with each data receiving device, respectively, so that there is no sharing of a given selection means between different receiving devices, whereby no selection means constitutes a ''''hard core'''' component the failure of which would interrupt computer operation. By the operation of encoded control means, a reconfiguration of the switching system is effected to shift around a faulty component.
Inventors
- 👤 Willard Gail Bouricius
- 👤 William Caswell Carter
- 👤 John Paul Roth
- 👤 Peter Robert Schneider
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:22
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2002; G06F11/2007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
In a computer system of the stand-by redundancy type, switching means adapted to remove the effect of a failed component means, comprising a plurality of input data lines; a plurality of output data lines; a plurality of selection means the number of which is at least as great as the number of said output lines, said selection means having output sides functionally connected with said output lines, respectively; means connecting the input data lines with the input sides of said selection means, respectively, said connecting means including at least one fan-out conductor arrangement connecting one input line with at least two selection means; and control means controlling the operation of said selection means to define a first system configuration wherein certain input lines are connected with certain output lines, said control means being operable, upon failure of a said selection means to effect system reconfiguration using a different selection means, by-passing the failed selection means, to form a new connection between input lines and output lines without disabling the complete switching system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
In a computer system of the stand-by redundancy type, switching means adapted to remove the effect of a failed component means, comprising a plurality of input data lines; a plurality of output data lines; a plurality of selection means the number of which is at least as great as the number of said output lines, said selection means having output sides functionally connected with said output lines, respectively; means connecting the input data lines with the input sides of said selection means, respectively, said connecting means including at least one fan-out conductor arrangement connecting one input line with at least two selection means; and control means controlling the operation of said selection means to define a first system configuration wherein certain input lines are connected with certain output lines, said control means being operable, upon failure of a said selection means to effect system reconfiguration using a different selection means, by-passing the failed selection means, to form a new connection between input lines and output lines without disabling the complete switching system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
Switching means as defined in claim 1, wherein the system is of the module-to-module type in which said plurality of input data lines comprises a plurality of groups of lines and said plurality of output data lines comprises a plurality of groups of lines and wherein said control means is operable to connect with all of said plurality of groups of said output data lines any selected one of said plurality of groups of input data lines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
Switching means as defined in claim 2, wherein said selection means comprises groups of normally disabled gates associated with each group of output lines, respectively, the number of gates in each group thereof being equal to the number of groups of input lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Switching means as defined in claim 3, wherein said fan-out conductor means connects each group of input lines with a given gate of each gate group, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Switching means as defined in claim 1, wherein the system is of the single module-to-buss type, wherein the number of output lines is greater than the number of input lines, and further wherein said fan-out conductor means connects at least one input line with a plurality of said selection means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
Switching means as defined in claim 5, wherein said control means is operable to so reconfigure the system as to shift a plurality of input lines around said failed selection means during the replacement thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A switching system as defined in claim 5, wherein said control means includes register means containing at least one bistable device having a pair of outputs, and further including a plurality of majority circuit means each having an output connected with one of said selection means, respectively, conductor means connecting one bistable device output with the input of one majority circuit means, and fan-out conductor means connecting the other bistable device output with a plurality of said majority circuit means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Switching means as defined in claim 5, wherein at least one selection means associated with one output line comprises a tree arrangement including a plurality of AND circuits feeding a single OR circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Switching means as defined in claim 8, wherein at least one other selection means associated with another output line comprises solely an AND circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
Switching means as defined in claim 1, wherein the system is of the buss-to-module type, wherein the number of input lines exceeds the number of output lines from a module.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
Switching means as defined in claim 10, wherein at least one of said switching means comprises a tree arrangement including a plurality of AND circuits feeding an OR circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
111 words
Switching means as defined in claim 1, wherein the system is of the compound module-to-buss type, in which said plurality of input data lines comprise a plurality of groups of lines wherein the number of output lines is greater than the number of lines in a said group of input lines, and further wherein said control means includes a first register for enabling a selected one of said input line groups for connection with said output lines, and a second register for enabling a selected group of output lines equal in number to the number of lines in the selected input line group for connection with said selected input line group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
Switching means as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises shift register means of the triple modular redundancy type each stage of which includes three flip-flops.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a computer system of the stand-by redundancy type, switching means adapted to remove the effect of a failed component means, comprising a plurality of input data lines; a plurality of output data lines differing in number from said input data lines; a plurality of selection means the number of which is at least as great as the number of said output lines, said selection means having output sides functionally connected with said output lines, respectively; means connecting the input data lines with the input sides of said selection means, respectively, said connecting means including at least one fan-out conductor arrangement connecting one input line with at least two selection means; and control means controlling the operation of said selection means to define a first system configuration wherein certain input lines are connected with certain output lines, said control means being operable, upon failure of a said selection means, to effect system reconfiguration using a different selection means, by-passing the failed means, to maintain connection between the plurality of data lines having the lesser number and an equal number of data lines of the other said plurality of data lines.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a computer system of the stand-by redundancy type, switching means adapted to remove the effect of a failed component means, comprising a plurality of input data lines; a plurality of output data lines differing in number from said input data lines; a plurality of selection means the number of which is at least as great as the number of said output lines, said selection means having output sides functionally connected with said output lines, respectively; means connecting the input data lines with the input sides of said selection means, respectively, said connecting means including at least one fan-out conductor arrangement connecting one input line with at least two selection means; and control means controlling the operation of said selection means to define a first system configuration wherein certain input lines are connected with certain output lines, said control means being operable, upon failure of a said selection means, to effect system reconfiguration using a different selection means, by-passing the failed means, to maintain connection between the plurality of data lines having the lesser number and an equal number of data lines of the other said plurality of data lines.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |