Fault-tolerant multi-computer system
US4356546A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 5, 1980 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/1683
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A Fault-Tolerant Multi-Computer System for control applications is disclosed. The system has a plurality of Computers (10a-10n), each having an assigned set of tasks which it is capable of executing. No one Computer in the system acts as a master and no one Computer executes all of the tasks. Communication between the Computers is by individual communication links (16, 18, 20) over which each Computer sends information directly to all other Computers in the system. Each Computer comprises an Applications Computer (100) and an Operations Controller (200). The Operations Controller receives messages over the communication links and selects, from the assigned tasks, the tasks to be performed by the associated Applications Computer. Each Operations Controller includes a fault handler which checks the messages received from the other Computers. The fault handlers send and receive error messages, over the communication links, to assist in the identification of a faulty Computer. Subsequent messages from the Computers deemed to be faulty are ignored, and the tasks assigned to the faulty Computer are executed by alternate Computers in the system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.