Patent · US Expired

Memory architecture for facilitating optimum replaceable unit (ORU) detection and diagnosis

US4563736A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
1References
43Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1983
Grant dateJan 7, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/20
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A single computer board data processing system includes a multiport memory system which is accessible by I/O controllers through a system bus I/O memory port or directly by the system's central processing unit (CPU) via a CPU memory port. The logic and control circuits of the memory ports and CPU are included within the computer main board while memory modules/pacs are contained on one or more memory daughter boards which plug into memory input/output connectors contained on the main board. The port address and data paths connect in common to the memory connectors for transmitting and receiving memory addresses and data between the memory modules and the CPU and I/O ports. At least one register connects between the CPU and to common address path. When the CPU is placed in a diagnostic mode of operation, this register together with existing data registers are conditioned to store signals representative of the address and data being transmitted to the memory modules enabling the CPU to diagnose whether the main board or portions thereof has failed without requiring any testing of the memory modules.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.