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. 16, 2010
Filed:
Oct. 28, 2008
Gary D. Anderson, Austin, TX (US);
Gerald J. Fahr, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Raymond J. Harrington, Staatsburg, NY (US);
Gary D. Anderson, Austin, TX (US);
Gerald J. Fahr, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Raymond J. Harrington, Staatsburg, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An arbitration mechanism is provided for arbitrating between redundant controllers having outputs electrically connected together and provided as input to at least one device under control. The arbitration mechanism includes logic for automatically determining which controller of the redundant controllers is active controller, and a hardware output interlock for the redundant controllers to ensure that output controlled by only the active controller is enabled as input to the at least one device. The arbitration mechanism also includes logic for monitoring the active controller for failure, and upon detection of failure, for automatically switching active control to another controller of the redundant controllers transparent to the at least one device.