Honeywell Information Systems Inc.

Honeywell Bull, Inc.

Albert T McLaughlin

Donald J Rathbun

Edward F Getson, Jr

John H Kelley

Thomas J Fitzgerald

A method and apparatus for determining if matching units of an electronic system or a subsystem are assembled includes a single scratchpad memory which is addressed by the units on alternate cycles. A microprogram stored in one unit operates in synchronism with a microprogram in the other unit to write into and to test the contents of a location in scratchpad memory to determine if the two units would be operational with each other during normal operation.

Method of assuring a proper computer subsystem configuration

In a peripheral controller of a data processing system having a plurality of system units electrically coupled to a common communication bus for asynchronous intercommunication, an array of counters responsive to both hardware and firmware are connected in a manner to form a serial control data path. Prior to a data transfer, a serial data stream including an offset range count, a range count and a main memory address is shifted through the counters under firmware control. During a data transfer, the firmware enables the hardware control to increment the memory address and decrement the range count to accommodate the higher data transfer rates characteristic of hardware control.

Range count and main memory address accounting system

In a data processing system wherein a plurality of functional units are interconnected by way of a common communication bus in an environment of high data transfer rates, a logic control system is provided for interjecting firmware control during a data transfer between a disk device and main memory to accommodate unsolicited bus requests without incurring data errors or compromising the data transfer rate. Data transferred between the disk device and a disk controller interfacing directly with the common bus is routed through a FIFO (first-in-first-out) buffer under hardware control. The buffer signals the absence of data in its input register and the presence of data in its output register. The signals are logically combined and ANDed with a firmware controlled logic gate to indicate the occurrence of data transfer states. During such transfer states, data is transferred under hardware control between the FIFO buffer and main memory. When the input register of the FIFO buffer is filled during a data transfer from main memory to the disk device, or when the FIFO buffer is empty during a transfer of data from the disk device to main memory, hardware controlled data transfers are not required. In that event the firmware control system is permitted to access the common bus to service unsolicited bus requests.

Synchronization control system for firmware access of high data rate

A logic data control system including a first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer predictor is provided for the transfer of data between a main memory unit and a peripheral control unit of a data processing system. Data from main memory is stored into the input registers of the peripheral unit, and thereafter loaded into an array of data FIFOs for transfer to a peripheral storage device. A predictor FIFO operates in parallel with the data FIFOs, and is loaded with a dummy or flag byte each time a data request is made to main memory. When a data word is loaded into the data FIFOs, the input register of the predictor FIFO is sensed. If the flag byte in the predictor FIFO has dropped from the input register into the FIFO stack, a request is issued to main memory for an additional data word. When the data FIFOs are filled, the predictor FIFO also is filled and cannot generate an additional data request until a data byte has been unloaded from the data FIFOs to a peripheral storage device. The input register to the predictor FIFO thereupon is emptied, and another data request may be made to main memory.

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Hudson, NH, United States of America

Albert T McLaughlin