Advanced Logic Research, Inc.

Amiga Development LLC

Advanced Research Logic, Inc.

Felix Pinai

Vic Sangveraphunsiri

Cameron Spears

Thomas Shu

Manhtien Phan

At least two clusters of CPUs are present in a multiprocessor computer system. Each CPU cluster has a given number of CPUs, each CPU having an associated ID such as an ID number. An additional ID number, not associated with a CPU in the same cluster, is associated with the opposite CPU cluster that appears to the original cluster as a 'phantom' processor. A round-robin bus arbitration scheme allows ordered ownership of a common bus within a first cluster until the ID reaches the 'phantom' processor, at which time bus ownership passes to a CPU in the second cluster. This arrangement is preferably symmetric, so that when a CPU from the first cluster requests ownership of the bus, it is granted bus ownership by virtue of the first cluster's appearance to the second cluster as a 'phantom' CPU.

Multiprocessor arrangement including bus arbitration scheme involving

An interface allows a given CPU (Central Processing Unit) to communicate concurrently with a large number of disk drives in a high-performance, low-cost system. Plural seek operations can be performed concurrently, to serve a common processor. Also, heterogeneous physical drives--of any physical or logical configuration (storage capacity, number of heads, and so forth)--can be combined into one or more 'logical' drives as seen by a host operating system. An 'on-board' embodiment provides an 'enhanced' IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) disk drive that is an extension of the industry-standard IDE drives, allowing an arbitrary number of independently seeking IDE drives on a conventionally single-seeking, two-drive-maximum bus. In a 'paddle board' embodiment, low-cost IDE drives of arbitrary physical size, storage capacity and geometry, can be combined simply and inexpensively into a high-performance storage device. For example, a 3.5' 80 MB (megabyte) drive can be transparently combined with a 2.5' 60 MB drive. The inventive concept can thus be embodied with either a 'paddle board' controller (with standard IDE drives), or with no additional controller (employing 'enhanced' IDE drives).

On-board interface for concurrent seeks of multiple disk drives of a

Paddle board interface for concurrent seeks on multiple disk drives of a

An interface allows a given CPU (Central Processing Unit) to communicate concurrently with a large number of disk drives in a high-performance, low-cost system. Plural seek operations can be performed concurrently, to serve a common processor. Also, heterogeneous physical drives--of any physical or logical configuration (storage capacity, number of heads, and so forth)--can be combined into one or more 'logical' drives as seen by a host operating system. An 'on-board' embodiment provides an 'enhanced' IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) disk drive that is an extension of the industry-standard IDE drives, allowing an arbitrary number of independently seeking IDE drives on a conventionally single-seeking, two-drive-maximum bus. In a 'paddle board' embodiment, low-cost IDE drives of arbitrary physical size, storage capacity and geometry, can be combined simply and inexpensively into a high-performance storage device. For example, a 3.5'80 MB (megabyte) drive can be transparently combined with a 2.5' 60 MB drive. The inventive concept can thus be embodied with either a 'paddle board' controller (with standard IDE drives), or with no additional controller (employing 'enhanced' IDE drives).

Apparatus for performing concurrent seeks on plural integrated drive

Growing community of inventors

Fountain Valley, CA, United States of America

Felix Pinai