The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 21, 1989
Filed:
May. 18, 1987
James A Katzman, San Jose, CA (US);
Joel F Bartlett, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Richard M Bixler, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
William H Davidow, Atherton, CA (US);
John A Despotakis, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Peter J Graziano, Los Altos, CA (US);
Michael D Green, Los Altos, CA (US);
David A Greig, Cupertino, CA (US);
Steven J Hayashi, Cupertino, CA (US);
David R Mackie, Ben Lomond, CA (US);
Dennis L McEvoy, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
James G Treybig, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Steven W Wierenga, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Tandem Computers Incorporated, Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
In a multiprocessor system comprising a plurality of individual processor modules interconnected by a bus structure, including a bus controller, for providing communication between the processor modules, a method and apparatus for interprocessor communication includes one of the processor modules sending a request signal to the bus controller to request a transmission; the bus controller polling the processor modules to identify the requesting processor module; the requestor processor module responding to the poll with the identification of the receiver processor module; the bus controller interrogating the receiver processor module to determine its status (i.e., busy or available); and the bus controller then signaling transmission commencement.