Gte Communication Systems Corporation

Gte Automatic Electric Incorporated

Robert J Abrant

George K Tarleton

Michael D Martys

An address generator which provides addresses for machine storage and software retrieval of computer status information. A counter is used to generate address signals in a descending order until it is disabled by a computer during alarm conditions. Under such conditions the counter provides a bias address for referencing the most recent status word. A gating circuit gates computer generated address signals to an adder circuit during the alarm conditions. The adder circuit adds the computer generated address signals to the counter generated bias signal to provide address signals which reference physical storage locations in a memory.

Address generator

A synchronizing circuit that synchronizes the non-maskable interrupt (NMI) input signals of two separate microprocessor subsystems that are running synchronously as part of a fault tolerant computer system. This circuit enables both microprocessors to detect and respond to an error condition at an identical point in their relative bus timing sequence even though there may be a real time skew between the bus timing of these two subsystems. Storage and gating circuitry are used to provide the precise timing signals required for such synchronization.

Interrupt synchronizing circuit

A synchronizing circuit synchronizes the asynchronous ready signals for two separate microprocessor subsystems that are running synchronously as part of a fault tolerant computer system. Duplicated synchronization circuits, confined in a master-slave arrangement, are utilized with the duplicate microprocessors. Storage and gating circuitry are used to provide the precise timing signals required for such synchronization.

Ready line synchronization circuit for use in a duplicated computer

A memory access selection circuit including a microprocessor, address, data and control multiplexers, a random access memory, storage circuits and related logic circuitry. This circuit allows both an external processor and the microprocessor to receive data from and transmit data to, the random access memory. The microprocessor controls access of the external processor to the random access memory by controlling and monitoring the multiplexer and storage circuits. This prevents erroneous data, address and control signals from appearing at the memory when switching between the microprocessor and the external processor as sources to the memory.

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Villa Park, IL, United States of America

Robert J Abrant