US6188973B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic mapping, monitoring, and control of computer room components
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
•
Filing: 1999-03-29
•
Granted: 2001-02-13
•
Expires: 2019-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for automatically mapping on a computer display a graphical representation of a physical arrangement of a plurality of computer components in one or more cabinets, each cabinet having one or more shelves for housing the computer components. The status of the components is periodically monitored and the computer display updated accordingly. A graphical user interface is provided for user observation of the physical arrangement and status of computer components in the cabinets, as well as user control of the operational parameters of the components.
Inventors
- 👤 Reuben Martinez
- 👤 Timothy Lieber
- 👤 Timothy J. Morris
- 👤 Brian J. Purvis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 06:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/20; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/3003; G06F11/3006; G06F11/3058; G06Q10/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for determining a location of a specified disk drive within an arrangement of a plurality of disk dries, comprising: a computer system having a communications interface coupled to each of said plurality of disk drives; a plurality of status light indicators each of which is physically connected to a different one of said plurality of disk drives; and a graphical user interface, executing on said computer system, said graphical user interface selectively generating a message that is conveyed to circuitry coupled to a status light indicator associated with said specified disk drive such that the status light indicator is illuminated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for determining a location of a specified disk drive within an arrangement of a plurality of disk dries, comprising: a computer system having a communications interface coupled to each of said plurality of disk drives; a plurality of status light indicators each of which is physically connected to a different one of said plurality of disk drives; and a graphical user interface, executing on said computer system, said graphical user interface selectively generating a message that is conveyed to circuitry coupled to a status light indicator associated with said specified disk drive such that the status light indicator is illuminated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus for determining a location of said specified disk drive, as descried in claim 1 , wherein each of said status light indicators is an LED that is disposed on a surface of the associated disk drive that can be visually monitored by a system administrator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus for determining a location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 2 wherein said status light indicator associated with said specified disk drive is illuminated in conjunction with said graphical user interface displaying a cabinet identification, a cabinet type, a shelf number and a slot number of said specified disk drive such that the system administrator can locate said specified disk drive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus for determining a location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 3 , wherein said illumination of said status light indicators is also used to locate components that are associated with said specified disk drive.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus for determining a location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 4 , wherein said graphical user interface conveys said message to circuits associated with each of said status light indicators that are associated with a disk drive that has similar predetermined characteristics to said specified disk drive.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
113 words
The apparatus for determining a location of a specified disk drive within an arrangement of a plurality of disk drives, comprising: a computer system having a means for communicating information to and from each of said plurality of disk drives; means for visually indicating a location of said specified disk drive coupled to each of said plurality of disk drives; and a user interface means, executing on said computer system, for receiving an indication of said specified disk drive, said user interface means comprising means for conveying a message to said visual indication means such that said visual indication means allows a system administrator to determine said location of said specified disk drive.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
113 words
The apparatus for determining a location of a specified disk drive within an arrangement of a plurality of disk drives, comprising: a computer system having a means for communicating information to and from each of said plurality of disk drives; means for visually indicating a location of said specified disk drive coupled to each of said plurality of disk drives; and a user interface means, executing on said computer system, for receiving an indication of said specified disk drive, said user interface means comprising means for conveying a message to said visual indication means such that said visual indication means allows a system administrator to determine said location of said specified disk drive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus for determining said location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 6 , wherein said visual indication means comprises a status light indicator and related circuitry, said status light indicator being disposed on a surface of aid specified disk drive that can be visually monitored by the system administrator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus for determining said location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 7 , wherein said status light indicator is an LED at is illuminated in conjunction with said user interface means displaying location information associated with said specified disk drive.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus for determining said location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 8 , wherein said status light indicator is further illuminated to locate components that are associated with said specified disk drive.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus for determining said location of said specified disk drive, as described in claim 9 , wherein said user interface means conveys a message to said visual indication means such that locations of ones of said plurality of disk drives having similar predetermined characteristics are indicated.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for determining a location of a specified disk drive within an arrangement of a plurality of disk drives, comprising the steps of: executing a graphical user interface application on a computer system; receiving, by said graphical user interface, an indication of said specified disk drive; generating, by said graphical user interface, a first message that is conveyed to a status light indicator disposed on said specified disk drive; and illuminating said status light indicator, responsive to said message, such that said location of said specified disk drive is determined.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for determining a location of a specified disk drive within an arrangement of a plurality of disk drives, comprising the steps of: executing a graphical user interface application on a computer system; receiving, by said graphical user interface, an indication of said specified disk drive; generating, by said graphical user interface, a first message that is conveyed to a status light indicator disposed on said specified disk drive; and illuminating said status light indicator, responsive to said message, such that said location of said specified disk drive is determined.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method for determining a location of a specified disk drive, as described in claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: determining ones of said plurality of disk drives that have similar characteristics; conveyed a second message to plurality of status light indicators that are disposed on said disk dries having similar characteristics; illuminating said status light indicators disposed on said disk drives having similar characteristics in response to said second message.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method for determining a location of a specified disk drive, as described in claim 12 , wherein each of said status light indicators is an LED that is disposed on a surface of an associated disk drive that can be visually monitored by a system administrator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method for determining a location of a specified disk drive, as descried in claim 13 , wherein said status light indicator associated with said specified disk drive is illuminated in conjunction with said graphical user interface displaying a cabinet identification, a cabinet type, a shelf number and a slot number of said specified disk drive such that said system administrator can locate said specified disk drive.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method for determining a location of a specified disk drive, as described in claim 14 , wherein said illuminating of said status light indicators is also used to locate components that are associated with said specified disk drive.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive that is located within an arrangement of a plurality of disk drives, comprising: a plurality of physical locations wherein said plurality of disk drives are located, each of said physical locations having an identification address; a monitoring unit, having an electrical connection to each of said physical locations such that status information associated with each of said plurality of disk drives can be retrieved, said status information including said identification address of each physical location and a corresponding permanent address of a disk drive that is located at that physical location; a computer system, having a communications interface connected to said monitoring unit for receiving said status information; and a computer program, executing on said computer system, for tracking changes in the physical location of said specified disk drive by monitoring said status information.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive that is located within an arrangement of a plurality of disk drives, comprising: a plurality of physical locations wherein said plurality of disk drives are located, each of said physical locations having an identification address; a monitoring unit, having an electrical connection to each of said physical locations such that status information associated with each of said plurality of disk drives can be retrieved, said status information including said identification address of each physical location and a corresponding permanent address of a disk drive that is located at that physical location; a computer system, having a communications interface connected to said monitoring unit for receiving said status information; and a computer program, executing on said computer system, for tracking changes in the physical location of said specified disk drive by monitoring said status information.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
95 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive, as described in claim 16 , further comprising: an address assignment module for assigning a unique address to each one of said plurality of disk drives that are detected, by a detecting module, to be located in one of said plurality of physical locations, said unique address corresponding to the physical location of each one of said disk drives; and a drawing module portion of said computer program for representing said physical arrangement of said plurality of disk drives on said computer display.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive, as described in claim 17 , wherein said computer program is a graphical user interface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
101 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive, as described in claim 18 , wherein said graphical user interface further comprises: a polling module for periodically polling each of said plurality of disk drives to retrieve a status flag, said status flag having an indicator for each one of said plurality of disk drives indicating a change in said operational status of any one of said plurality of components; a checking module for testing if said status flag is active; and a querying module for querying said one of said plurality of components for said operational status.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
71 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive, as described in claim 19 , wherein aid graphical user interface further comprises: a component attribute monitoring module for monitoring a modification in said component attribute for each of said plurality of components installed in each of said one or more shelves and for updating said computer display with a graphical representation of said modification in said component attribute.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system for providing status information associated with a specified disk drive, as described in claim 16 , wherein said monitoring unit is located on a shelf containing a predetermined number of said physical locations wherein said plurality of disk drives are located.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4575714A
Cited
US4754397A
Cited
US4903194A
Cited
US4974156A
Cited
US5606664A
Cited
US5471600A
Cited
US5428752A
Cited
US5555390A
Cited
US5428555A
Cited
US5628027A
Cited
US5586250A
Cited
US5835700A
Cited
US5500940A
Cited
US5581201A
Cited
US5636347A
Cited
US5659698A
Cited
US5586253A
Cited
US5613154A
Cited
US5613074A
Cited
US5659795A
Cited
US5636342A
Cited
US5838891A
Cited
US5850539A
Cited
US5848230A
Cited
US5684671A
Cited
US5877938A
Cited
US5734208A
Cited
US5790782A
Cited
US5892973A
Cited
US5956665A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-13 | 2004-08-14 | 2005-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-13 | 2008-08-14 | 2009-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-13 | 2012-08-14 | 2013-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |