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:
Mar. 18, 1997
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1993
James T Brady, San Jose, CA (US);
Damon W Finney, San Jose, CA (US);
Donald J Lang, Cupertino, CA (US);
George B Marenin, San Jose, CA (US);
David Nowlen, Morgan Hill, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A multi-node data processing system implements a method that assures that plural messages are enabled 'fair' access to a data stream. Each node includes apparatus for controlling message transmissions and/or receptions from another node over a communication network. The method comprises the steps of: transmitting a routing message from a first destination node to a source node, the routing message signalling a readiness of the destination node to receive a data message; transmitting a first data message to the first destination node from the source node in response to the ready message; transmitting a conditional disconnect message from the first destination node to the source node upon receipt of a predetermined amount (i.e. a 'slice') of the first data message. The source node responds to the conditional disconnect message by either (1) disconnecting from the first destination node, and commencing transmission of a slice of a second data message to a second destination node if during transmission of the slice of the first data message, the source node has received a ready message from the second destination node; or (2) continuing transmission of the data message to the first destination node until message end or, following the procedure in (1) if a new ready message is received by the source node from a further destination node, whichever occurs first.