I/O command block chain structure in a memory
US5812877A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 22, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 15, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/126
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An I/O command block, that is stored in a memory, includes information for connecting the I/O command block to other I/O command blocks in a chain structure. Each I/O command block structure in the chain includes a chain control field, a next block pointer, and an offshoot block pointer. The chain control field includes a hold-off field, a concurrent field, an abort field, an aborted field and a progress counter. Upon the hold-off flag having the first state, execution of the I/O command block structure is inhibited. Upon the hold-off flag having the second state, execution of the I/O command block structure is enabled. The concurrent field defines a string of I/O command blocks that are enabled simultaneously for execution. The abort and aborted fields are used to allow one I/O command block to terminate another I/O command block. The progress counter determines when to enable an I/O command block, that is not an offshoot command block, for execution.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.