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:
Jun. 23, 2009
Filed:
May. 15, 2003
Mark Gregory Alana, Austin, TX (US);
Barry S. Barnett, Austin, TX (US);
Binh Thanh Chu, Austin, TX (US);
Casimer Maurice Decusatis, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Mark Gregory Alana, Austin, TX (US);
Barry S. Barnett, Austin, TX (US);
Binh Thanh Chu, Austin, TX (US);
Casimer Maurice DeCusatis, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method is disclosed for providing highly available, redundant optical modules using a single network connection in a data processing system. An embedded network interface or network adapter card that occupies one network slot is included and includes a plurality of optical modules. The embedded network interface or network adapter card is used to communicate with a network utilizing one of the optical modules. One of the optical modules is currently designated as an active module. A redundancy controller is included on the network adapter card. The redundancy controller detects a failure of the optical module that is currently designated as the active module and changes the active module designation from the failed optical module to a remaining one of the optical modules such that the remaining one of the optical modules becomes designated as the active module. The embedded network interface or network adapter card then begins utilizing the newly designated optical module to communicate with the network.