US6385668B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for compound hardware configuration control
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1999-04-08
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Granted: 2002-05-07
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Expires: 2019-04-08
Abstract
Abstract Hardware reconfiguration is accomplished through the use of low-level, self-terminating software processes that allows a high degree of parallelism in the reconfiguration operation, even in systems utilizing a mixture of recently developed hardware and software in combination with legacy components. In a system including a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, a method is provided for performing hardware reconfiguration, the method comprising the steps of receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements, and, in response thereto, initiating at least one master terminal process to determine family relationships among the predetermined hardware elements and other hardware elements to which the predetermined hardware elements are connected. Based upon these family relationships, terminal slave processes are initiated to accomplish hardware element reconfiguration. Apparatus for performing hardware reconfiguration is also described.
Inventors
- 👤 Terry Gene Gaddess
- 👤 Mark Wellbrock
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/4401; G06F9/4411; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/177
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
For a system including a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, a method for performing hardware reconfiguration, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements, and, in response thereto; (b) initiating a master terminal process to determine family relationships among said predetermined hardware elements and other hardware elements to which the predetermined hardware elements are connected; (c1) determining, based upon family relationships, those hardware elements that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process to form a first set of hardware elements; and (c2) initiating a slave terminal process for one or more hardware elements to be reconfigured that are not elements of the first set of hardware elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
For a system including a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, a method for performing hardware reconfiguration, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements, and, in response thereto; (b) initiating a master terminal process to determine family relationships among said predetermined hardware elements and other hardware elements to which the predetermined hardware elements are connected; (c1) determining, based upon family relationships, those hardware elements that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process to form a first set of hardware elements; and (c2) initiating a slave terminal process for one or more hardware elements to be reconfigured that are not elements of the first set of hardware elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (a) of receiving a request comprises receiving a request for hardware reconfiguration at a system process of the centralized processor resource via a predetermined messaging protocol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
98 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (b) of initiating a master terminal process to determine family relationships further comprises the steps of: (b1) invoking a master terminal process and supplying at least one parameter identifying hardware elements to be reconfigured; and (b2) at the master terminal process, calling a software primitive to access an associated data base, acquire stored information relating to the hardware elements to be reconfigured, and determine family relationships among the hardware elements to be reconfigured and other hardware elements to which the hardware elements to be reconfigured are connected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the associated data base includes both static and dynamic information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method in accordance with claim 4 , wherein static information includes data related to physical characteristics of the hardware elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein physical characteristics include type of hardware element and points of physical connection to other hardware elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method in accordance with claim 4 , wherein dynamic information includes data related to status of hardware elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein status of hardware elements includes operational status, and, if the hardware element is not operational, hardware status includes information relating to hardware defects.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the step of determining family relationships comprises determining a degree of dependence of subtending hardware elements on modules to which they subtend.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the degree of dependence is defined by assigning a relationship to each hardware element selected from the set of relationships consisting of: a dedicated relationship; a delegated relationship; and an acquired relationship.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the dedicated relationship comprises a relationship that includes hardware elements subtending to an element originally requested for reconfiguration that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the delegated relationship comprises a relationship that includes hardware elements subtending to an element originally requested for reconfiguration that is reconfigured by a slave terminal process different from the process used to reconfigure the immediate parent element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the slave terminal process in initiated by the master terminal process.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the slave terminal process is initiated by another slave terminal process.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the acquired relationship comprises a relationship that includes hardware elements that are not dedicated or delegated, and for which a slave process is designed to assume responsibility.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
123 words
For a system including a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, apparatus for performing hardware reconfiguration comprising: means for receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements; means for initiating, in response to said request, a master terminal process to determine family relationships among said predetermined hardware elements and other hardware elements to which the predetermined hardware elements are connected; means for determining, based upon family relationships, those hardware elements that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process to form a first set of hardware elements; and means for initiating a slave terminal process for one or more hardware elements to be reconfigured that are not elements of the first set of hardware elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
123 words
For a system including a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, apparatus for performing hardware reconfiguration comprising: means for receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements; means for initiating, in response to said request, a master terminal process to determine family relationships among said predetermined hardware elements and other hardware elements to which the predetermined hardware elements are connected; means for determining, based upon family relationships, those hardware elements that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process to form a first set of hardware elements; and means for initiating a slave terminal process for one or more hardware elements to be reconfigured that are not elements of the first set of hardware elements.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the means for receiving a request for reconfiguration comprises a software process running on the centralized processor resource.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the means for initiating the master terminal process to determine family relationships comprises: computer executable program code means for accessing an associated data base, acquiring stored information relating to the hardware elements to be reconfigured, and determining family relationships among the hardware elements to be reconfigured and other hardware elements to which the hardware elements to be reconfigured are connected.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
185 words
In a telecommunications switch module that includes a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, a method for performing hardware reconfiguration, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements at a system process of the centralized processor resource via a predetermined messaging protocol, and, in response thereto; (b) invoking a master terminal process and supplying at least one parameter identifying hardware elements to be reconfigured; (c) at the master terminal process, calling a primitive process to access an associated data base, acquire stored information relating to the hardware elements to be reconfigured, and determine family relationships among the hardware elements to be reconfigured and other hardware elements to which the hardware elements to be reconfigured are connected; (d) determining, based upon the family relationships, those hardware elements that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process to form a first set of hardware elements; and (e) initiating a slave terminal process for one or more hardware elements to be reconfigured that are not elements of the first set of hardware elements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
185 words
In a telecommunications switch module that includes a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, a method for performing hardware reconfiguration, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements at a system process of the centralized processor resource via a predetermined messaging protocol, and, in response thereto; (b) invoking a master terminal process and supplying at least one parameter identifying hardware elements to be reconfigured; (c) at the master terminal process, calling a primitive process to access an associated data base, acquire stored information relating to the hardware elements to be reconfigured, and determine family relationships among the hardware elements to be reconfigured and other hardware elements to which the hardware elements to be reconfigured are connected; (d) determining, based upon the family relationships, those hardware elements that must be reconfigured by the master terminal process to form a first set of hardware elements; and (e) initiating a slave terminal process for one or more hardware elements to be reconfigured that are not elements of the first set of hardware elements.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-05-06 | 2005-11-05 | 2006-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-05-06 | 2009-11-05 | 2010-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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