Patent · US Expired

Communications between partitioned host processors and management processor

US6785892B1 · kind B1 · utility

70Cited by
6References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 23, 2000
Grant dateAug 31, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F15/167
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An inventive protocol for communicating between a management processor and host processors allows for the cooperative management of resources among host processors within a partition and also among a set of partitions in a computer system, wherein each partition may function under an instantiation of an operating system with a group of host processors. The protocol employs a message passing system using mailbox pairs in fixed but moveable or relocatable locations within the computer system shared memory. The messages share a format having specific codes or descriptors that act as codes for coordination of message interpretation. These codes include at least a validity flag and a sequence enumerator, and in a response message of a request/response message pair, a status indicator. Additionally, routing codes and function codes and code modifiers may be provided. Specific implementation details and messages are described to enable the smooth functioning of complex multiprocessor systems.

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