US3792448A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Failsoft peripheral exchange
Assignee: Unisys Corp
•
Filing: 1973-05-21
•
Granted: 1974-02-12
•
Expires: 1993-05-21
Abstract
Abstract In a computer system, use of two or more I/O exchanges between peripheral controllers and serial peripheral units, such as disk files, disk packs and tape drives, provides redundant communication paths that can be made available for communication between the N controllers and the M peripheral units. All peripheral controllers and units are connected to each exchange. Each controller and unit may be manually assigned to a certain exchange. In the case of two exchanges, if a certain one fails due to loss of power, all peripheral units are automatically assigned to the other exchange.
Inventors
- 👤 W Bennett
- 👤 J Vigil
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2002; G06F11/2005; G06F11/2007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
In a computer system, a communication network providing redundant communication paths between N peripheral controllers and M peripheral units, comprising: a plurality of input/output exchanges connected to each of said N peripheral controllers and said M peripheral units; means for manually assigning certain peripheral controllers and certain peripheral units to certain of said input/output exchanges; and means for automatically reassigning to another exchange the peripheral controllers and peripheral units assigned to an exchange that has experienced a power loss.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a computer system, a communication network providing redundant communication paths between N peripheral controllers and M peripheral units, comprising: a plurality of input/output exchanges connected to each of said N peripheral controllers and said M peripheral units; means for manually assigning certain peripheral controllers and certain peripheral units to certain of said input/output exchanges; and means for automatically reassigning to another exchange the peripheral controllers and peripheral units assigned to an exchange that has experienced a power loss.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The communication network of claim 1 further comprising at each peripheral controller and peripheral unit, an exchange circuit for connecting its respective controller or peripheral unit to each of said plurality of input/output exchanges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The communication network of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of input/output exchanges provides an exchange inhibit signal to all said peripheral controllers and only certain selected input/output exchanges provide a port select signal to each of said peripheral units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The communication network of claim 1 wherein said manually assigning means comprises, a plurality of switches, one for each peripheral controller and peripheral unit, each switch selecting either a high or a low signal level to be sent to its respective peripheral controller or peripheral unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
In a computer system, a communication network providing redundant communications paths between N peripheral controllers and M peripheral units, comprising: a pair of input/output exchanges connected to each of said N peripheral controllers and said M peripheral units, each exchange having only a certain number of peripheral controllers and peripheral units assigned to it, and means responsive to a power loss in one of said input/output exchanges for automatically reassigning to the other input/output exchange, the peripheral controllers and peripheral units assigned to the exchange that have experienced the power loss.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
In a computer system, a communication network providing redundant communications paths between N peripheral controllers and M peripheral units, comprising: a pair of input/output exchanges connected to each of said N peripheral controllers and said M peripheral units, each exchange having only a certain number of peripheral controllers and peripheral units assigned to it, and means responsive to a power loss in one of said input/output exchanges for automatically reassigning to the other input/output exchange, the peripheral controllers and peripheral units assigned to the exchange that have experienced the power loss.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The communication network of claim 5 wherein said means partially resides within each of said pair of input/output exchanges, and provides an exchange inhibit signal to all said peripheral controllers and a port select signal to each of said peripheral units from one of said pair of input/output exchanges.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The communication network of claim 6 wherein a high exchange inhibit signal to a peripheral controller from a first of said pair of input/output exchanges and a high exchange inhibit signal to the same peripheral controller from a second of said pair of input/output exchanges assigns that controller to the first of said pair of input/output exchanges.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The communication network of claim 6 wherein a low exchange inhibit signal to a peripheral controller from a first said pair of input/output exchanges and a high exchange inhibit signal to the same peripheral controller from a second of said pair of input/output exchanges assigns that controller to the second of said pair of input/output exchanges.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The communication network of claim 6 wherein a high port select signal from a first input/output exchange to a peripheral unit assigns that peripheral unit to the first input/output exchange.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The communication network of claim 6 wherein a low port select signal from a first input/output exchange to a peripheral unit assigns that peripheral unit to a second of said pair of input/output exchanges.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The communication network of claim 5 further comprising: means for manually assigning certain peripheral controllers and certain peripheral units to the first or second of said pair of input/output exchanges.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
The communication network of claim 11 wherein said manually assigning means comprises: a plurality of switches, one switch for each N peripheral controller and one switch for each M peripheral unit, each controller related switch selecting either a high or low exchange inhibit signal level to be sent to its respective peripheral controller, each peripheral unit related switch selecting either a high or low port select signal level to be sent to its respective peripheral unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
The communication network of claim 12 wherein said means for automatically reassigning partially resides within each of said first and second input/output exchanges, and provides an exchange inhibit signal to all said peripheral controllers and a port select signal to each of said peripheral units from the first input/output exchange.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
The communication network of claim 12 wherein a high exchange inhibit signal to a peripheral controller from the first input/output exchange and a high exchange inhibit signal to the same peripheral controller from the second of said pair of input/output exchanges reassigns that controller to the first input/output exchange.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The communication network of claim 12 wherein a low exchange inhibit signal to a peripheral controller from the first input/output exchange and a high exchange inhibit signal to the same controller from the second input/output exchange reassign that controller to the second input/output exchange.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The communication network of claim 12 wherein a high port select signal from the first input/output exchange to a peripheral unit reassigns that peripheral unit to the first input/output exchange.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The communication network of claim 12 wherein a low port select signal from the first input/output exchange to a peripheral unit reassigns that peripheral unit to the second input/output exchange.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-11 | 1977-08-13 | 1978-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-11 | 1981-08-13 | 1982-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-11 | 1985-08-13 | 1986-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |