Method and apparatus for an I/O controller to alert an external system management controller
US7103692B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 14, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 1, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/24
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus to allow an I/O controller to alert an external controller using an enhanced SMBus implementation that enables bi-directional capability on SMBALERT#. I/O controller includes an auxiliary control register and alert output enable (AOEN) register. When host sets AOE bit in auxiliary control register, SMBALERT# signal is configured as an output signal with bi-directional functionality. External controller uses an interface command to write to AOEN register and determine events/conditions it wants to be alerted on. SMBALERT# is activated in response to a detected event/condition. In response to SMBALERT#, external controller determines the alert generation condition using byte read commands on the system management bus, and clears SMBALERT#.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.