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:
Nov. 28, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 05, 1998
Peter K Cheung, Milpitas, CA (US);
Adaptec, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
When more than two terminators are on a SCSI bus the bus is said to be 'over-terminated', and when less than two terminators are on the bus, the bus is said to be 'under-terminated'. When the SCSI bus is either under or over terminated, the bus does not function, and often the user does not know why the bus is not functioning. Apparatus and a method are provided for indicating to the user when the bus is not properly terminated. A terminator monitoring system and method operate in conjunction with the bus. A precision resistor is connectable to the bus so that a voltage drop is produced across the precision resistor. A circuit monitors the value of the produced voltage drop across the precision resistor to provide an indication of the number of terminators on the bus. A switch selectably connects the precision resistor to the bus, and there is a source of a reference voltage. The monitoring circuit includes a comparison circuit responsive to the voltage drop across the precision resistor and to the reference voltage for indicating whether the number of terminators on the bus exceeds a limit or is less than the limit. The system notifies a system user of an undesired (or improper) termination condition of the bus, wherein each of a plurality of devices connected to the bus may have a termination enabled.