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. 15, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 24, 1999
Saravanan Agasaveeran, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Rajesh Agrawal, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
James Balestriere, Dulwich Hill, AU;
Steven Berl, Piedmont, CA (US);
Gordon Cox, Lindfield, AU;
Satish Gannu, Bangalore, IN;
Aniruddha Khare, Westmead, AU;
M. Salim Olime, Plumpton, AU;
John G. Waclawsky, Fredrick, MD (US);
Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention is directed to techniques for transferring data using a device driver that is arranged to prevent improper operation of a non-primary routine (e.g., an administrative operation) from causing improper operation of a primary routine (e.g., a data transfer operation). Accordingly, the primary routine can continue to operate properly after a failure of the non-primary routine. In one arrangement, a data communications device transfers data. The data communications device includes a port that couples to a network, and a processor coupled to the port. The data communications device further includes memory, coupled to the processor, that stores a device driver. The device driver has a first set of instructions that directs the processor to perform a data transfer routine that moves data between memory and the port, and a second set of instructions that directs the processor to perform an administrative routine. The second set of instructions is arranged to prevent improper operation of the administrative routine from causing improper operation of the data transfer routine. In particular, execution and communication mechanisms enable the primary and administrative routines to operate in such a fault-tolerant manner.