International Business Machines Corporation

Don S Keener

Gregory J Moore

Jimmy Grant Foster, Sr

Robert Russell Wolford

Donna Casteel Hardee

Andrew B McNeill

Richard W Voorhees

Thomas H Newsom

Arthur L Chin

Edward I Wachtel

Kevin L Scheiern

Eric S Stine

Howard J Locker

Jerry D Dixon

Timothy V Lee

Neal A Osborn

Gerald A Marazas

Serafin J Garcia, Jr

Gregory F Bush

Ku-Jei King

Stephanie P Payne

Jeanne E Morel

Mw Wang

Serafin J Eleazar-Garcia, Jr

A heat sink for dissipating a thermal load is disclosed that includes one or more heat sink bases configured around a central axis of the heat sink so as to define an interior space, at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load, a thermal transport connected to the at least one heat sink base receiving the thermal load so as to distribute the thermal load in the heat sink, and heat-dissipating fins connected to each heat sink base, the heat-dissipating fins extending from each heat sink base into the interior space of the heat sink, each heat-dissipating fin shaped according to the location of the heat-dissipating fin with respect to the location of the thermal load and the location of the distributed thermal load in the heat sink.

Heat sink for dissipating a thermal load

A printed circuit assembly, along with a server and method incorporating such printed circuit assembly, are disclosed for determining a storage configuration for use in a computer system via a simple hardware change. The printed circuit assembly may comprise a paddle board slot for connection to a paddle board for determining a storage configuration; a bus coupled to the paddle board; and a southbridge coupled to the bus, the southbridge comprising signal lines coupled to the paddle board slot through the bus. The storage configuration of the printed circuit assembly may be determined via the paddle board when the paddle board is connected to the paddle board slot.

Printed circuit assembly with determination of storage configuration based on installed paddle board

A heat sink for distributing a thermal load is disclosed that includes two or more base plates connected and oriented around a central axis of the heat sink, at least one base plate receiving the thermal load, each base plate having thermal transport paths, the thermal transport paths oriented among the base plates so as to have the capability of accepting thermal transports having a plurality of lengths for thermal distribution between at least two base plates, heat-dissipating fins connected to each base plate, the heat-dissipating fins spaced apart in parallel and extending from each base plate towards the central axis of the heat sink, and a thermal transport connected between the base plate receiving the thermal load and at least one other base plate so as to distribute the thermal load among the base plates of the heat sink.

Heat sink for distributing a thermal load

An apparatus, system and method for cooling vertically stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs). In one embodiment, a first PCB is disposed within a substantially enclosed lower chamber inside a PCB containment housing. A second PCB is disposed above the first PCB within the housing to define a substantially enclosed upper chamber above the lower chamber. The second PCB includes one or more airflow apertures defined therethrough and providing vertical air flow coupling between the upper and lower chambers. An airflow actuating device is utilized to generate a primary forced airflow within the upper chamber which is substantially parallel to the surface plane of the second PCB. The primary forced airflow further induces a negative air pressure in the upper chamber such that a mixed convection airflow is established between the upper and lower chambers via the second PCB apertures.

Cooling apparatus for vertically stacked printed circuit boards

A heatpipe for cooling an integrated circuit. The heatpipe includes a pipe and radial fins that are formed by extruding a single piece of material, such as heat conducting metal. Each of the radial fins extends away from the pipe and runs (preferably) the length of the pipe. Each radial fin has normally oriented subfins that provide additional heat convection surface areas to the radial fins. Within the pipe are interior fins, also formed during the material extrusion process. The interior fins provide additional conduction cooling to a heat transferring fluid circulating within the pipe.

Heat sink made from a singly extruded heatpipe

A computing system with a SCSI controller includes SCSI transmission mode selection apparatus and method to switch the transmission line drivers between transmitting in SCSI 1, SCSI 2 or another mode. The controller selects a maximum data transmission rate compatible with each peripheral device connected to the controller. A user-defined option code is decoded by the controller to provide the user with control over transmission mode options for the drivers in the controller. Based on the data transmission rate and the selected option, the controller selects the SCSI transmission mode to use for each driver type, acknowledge line or data lines.

System providing user definable selection of different data transmission

This invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to a personal computer using a small computer systems interface (SCSI) controller coupled directly to the local processor bus for controlling data transfer with storage memory devices such as fixed or removable media electromagnetic storage devices. The storage controller in accordance with this invention has internal volatile memory for transitory storage of data being communicated to coupled volatile memory. It further has control drivers interposed between the internal volatile memory and external volatile memory for controlling communication of data to the external volatile memory, with an enable driver and an enable receiver enchained between the control drivers and a source of signals controlling data communication. The enchained driver and receiver are connected for issuing a write signal to the external volatile memory prior to enablement of data communication through the control drivers and for sustaining a control signal communicated to the control drivers for enabling data communication until after deactivation of the write signal.

Personal computer system having storage controller with memory write

This invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to a personal computer using a small computer systems interface (SCSI) controller coupled directly to the local processor bus for controlling data transfer with storage memory devices such as fixed or removable media electromagnetic storage devices. The personal computer system has a high speed local processor data bus, at least one logical processor device coupled directly to the local processor bus and capable of signalling through the local processor bus an occurrence of the transfer of blocks of data, and a storage controller coupled directly to the local processor bus for regulating communications between the processor device and storage memory devices. The storage controller has a FIFO memory for transitory storage of blocks of data being exchanged with the local processor bus and is capable of signalling through the local processor bus the state of the FIFO memory. The processor device and storage controller cooperate for exchange of blocks of data between the local processor bus and FIFO memory when the FIFO memory has available one of data to be transferred and space for reception of data and for emptying of the FIFO memory through the local processor bus as necessary.

Personal computer system having high speed local processor bus and

Arrangements for physically partitioning a bus having a well defined architecture as a physical entity, wherein the partitioning is logically transparent to a computer and devices which communicate through the bus and serves to avoid problems potentially arising because of the scope of actions permitted by the architecture. A typical bus architecture to which present arrangements have relevance is that associated with SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) buses. The potential problems allowed to occur architecturally involve: (a) exposures of data security/integrity; (b) excessive signal degradation due to use of signal rates which although allowed by the architecture are inappropriate for a particular bus loading environment also allowed by the architecture; (c) restrictions preventing parallel transfer of data between the computer and multiple storage devices; (d) restrictions unduly limiting the number of devices attachable to one logical bus path (one input-output channel of the computer). The disclosed arrangement partitions the bus into two or more physical entities which to the computer appears as one logical entity.

Physical partitioning of logically continuous bus

A digital bus circuit having an Address/Data port select decoder 170 in circuit communication with a Selector 194, a Data Port Buffer/Register 181, and an Address Port register 208. The Selector 194 is in circuit communication with an auto incrementor 216, an auto decrementor 218, and a polling function. The incrementor 216 serves to automatically increment an address present in the Address port register 208. The decrementor 218 serves to automatically decrement an address present in the Address port register 208. The polling function serves to reload the Address port register 208 with the same address. The present invention allows a number of enhanced programming methods which permit input and output operations to be implemented with fewer program code instructions. One of the programming methods disclosed by the present invention is an enhanced method of 'polling' a device's internal register by accessing the polling function.

Digital I/O bus controller circuit with auto-incrementing,

This invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to a personal computer using a small computer systems interface (SCSI) controller for controlling data transfer with storage memory devices such as fixed or removable media electromagnetic storage devices. The personal computer has three interface circuits and a controller processor. The interface circuits control exchange of data among the system central processing unit (CPU), a controller processor, and one or more storage device(s) connected to a SCSI bus. One of the interface circuits includes a least one register for storing data indicative of the content and status of a plurality of sequences of commands ('threads') issued or to be issued to the SCSI device(s).

Personal computer with small computer system interface (SCSI) data flow

This invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to a personal computer using a FIFO registers for data transfer as illustrated by a bus master device in the form of a small computer systems interface (SCSI) controller for controlling data transfer with storage memory devices such as fixed or removable media electromagnetic storage devices. In the practice of this invention, the efficiency of a system having a plurality of bus master devices is enhanced by providing for a programmable threshold fill condition for a FIFO register before arbitration for bus control occurs. Thus the invention provides an approach to maximizing the efficiency of data transfer where FIFO registers are used.

Personal computer with programmable threshold FIFO registers for data

This invention relates to personal computers and, more particularly, to a personal computer having an interface controller providing an economical way to achieve access to a direct access storage device by a small computer system interface. In accordance with this invention, the system CPU is selectively allowed to access all or only a portion of the internal registers in an interface controller, enabling implementation in conjunction with a conventional subsystem microprocessor interface to the registers if desired. With this change, either interface has full access to the interface controller's internal registers. By allowing such access, the number of component parts required can be reduced where multitasking possibilities are not desired, and the cost of providing SCSI capability significantly reduced.

Personal computer with interface controller

This invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to a personal computer using a small computer systems interface (SCSI) controller coupled directly to the local processor bus for controlling data transfer with storage memory devices such as fixed or removable media electromagnetic storage devices. The personal computer has a high speed local processor data bus and a storage controller coupled directly to said local processor bus for regulating communications between a processor and storage memory devices. The storage controller has at least one counter for tracking at least one of address and count data for blocks of data being transferred and capable of signalling through the local processor bus the state of the counter, and a bi-stable device interposed between the counter and the local processor bus for enabling delivery to the local processor bus of data representing an initial state of the counter at the beginning of a transfer of blocks of data and for continuing delivery of initial state data throughout a transfer of blocks of data. The counter and bi-stable device cooperate for permitting one of incrementing and decrementing of the counter during transfer of blocks of data while avoiding changes in counter state data delivered to the local processor bus during transfer of blocks of data.

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Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Don S Keener