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. 09, 2004
Filed:
May. 18, 1999
Donald Jay Albin, Jr., Tucson, AZ (US);
Robert George Emberty, Tucson, AZ (US);
Craig Anthony Klein, Tucson, AZ (US);
David Adam Sinclair, Waterlooville, GB;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A multiplexing system and method for servicing serially linked targets or RAID devices. The multiplexing system couples service interfaces from various targets and devices. The multiplexing system provides a single service link to a single service unit interface. The single service link allows easy access/communications or remote access/communications to an individual target or disk drive within the RAID system. A service unit is directly or remotely coupled to the service unit interface. The multiplexing system has an outgoing multiplexer, an in-going multiplexer, and a multiplexer controller. The service unit communicates with the multiplexing system to select the desired target or disk drive to be serviced. The multiplexer controller detects incoming select target commands and compares incoming target address information with a presently defined multiplexer controller target address information. A switch command is activated or occurs when the incoming select target address information is different with the presently defined multiplexer controller target address information. The multiplexing system accordingly switches to a different target or disk drive to be looked at and serviced when a switch command has been activated or has occurred.