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:
Jul. 18, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1992
Daniel F Casper, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
John R Flanagan, Staatsburg, NY (US);
Gerald H Miracle, Pleasant Valley, NY (US);
Richard A Neuner, Port Ewen, NY (US);
Peter L Potvin, Ulster Park, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A device control unit operating under the protocol of a parallel bus is connected by a serial link to a channel that is primarily adapted to operate under a different protocol with device control units connected by a serial link. An extender unit interconnects the parallel bus and the serial link and performs the specific operations of the parallel bus protocol. The channel and the extender unit send serial frames on the link for data transfer and associated operations. These frames are constructed according to a protocol that provides an intermediate step in translating between the protocol of the serial control units and the protocol of the parallel control units. The channel is operable in either mode (by microcode) and the new protocol permits the serial channel mode to be independent of the protocol of the parallel control unit and it permits the two modes to be closely similar in many features. New operations using the protocol reduce the delays that would otherwise be required in the communications between the channel and the extender unit. The serial link can be made longer when the delays are reduced.