摘要:
A protection circuit for a computer system having PCI expansion cards and PCI expansion slots with multiple power rails for supplying power to the PCI expansion cards, the protection circuit including a current monitor that monitors the current levels drawn by the PCI expansion card at each power rail; an inrush current controller for controlling the initial current applied to each of the power rails when an expansion card is initially inserted into an expansion slot; a voltage monitor that monitors the voltage levels applied to selected power rails; and a disconnector for disconnecting the power to the PCI expansion slot when either the current level drawn by the PCI expansion card at any of the power rails goes beyond a selected range or when the voltage levels at any of the selected monitored power rails are below a selected threshold or when commanded by the computer system.
摘要:
A method and system of intrachassis computer component command and control. The existing power rail is used as network connectivity. Further, the CEBus standard (or a CEBus standard modified for the particular power bus) is used to provide platform management functionality. This management functionality is similar to that provided by the proposed IPMI specification. However, the management functionality is implemented intrachassis, that is, it is applied to the internal components of the machine. Particularly advantageous functions, such as rollcall enumeration and command authentication and verification, are included in a preferred embodiment. Further, because these innovative techniques utilize the existing power rail, no additional external cables are required.
摘要:
A computer system which corrects errors in a second level cache controller. The cache controller erroneously provides the cycle lock signal for the entire period of a writeback cycle followed by an I/O bus access, thus causing a deadlock if an I/O bus master needs access to the host bus at the same time. A circuit determines when the writeback cycle is occurring and masks the lock signal during the writeback operation, so that the long lock assertion is not present and the arbiters can properly control the access to the buses.
摘要:
Control is switched from a first server to a second server in a fault tolerant system. The first and second servers are coupled with an expansion bus in an expansion box for communication with the expansion bus. An indication is provided to the second server to indicate the activity state of the first server. Communication between the first server and the expansion box is disabled if the indication indicates the first server is inactive. Communication between the second server and the expansion bus is disabled if the indication indicates that the first server is active. Communication between the second server is enabled if the indication indicates that the first server is inactive. The indication includes a heartbeat message transmitted periodically to the second server. The expansion bus includes a PCI bus.
摘要:
A computer system and method in which an electrically controlled “hoodlock,” which prevents the computer's chassis from unauthorized opening, can be remotely accessed through powerline communications.
摘要:
A computer-system includes a memory bus, a connector and a controller. The connector is configured to receive a memory module and prevent removal of the memory module from the connector in a first state. The connector allows removal of the memory module from the connector in a second state. The controller is configured to change a connection status between the connector and the memory bus in response to the connector changing from one of the states to the other state. A central processing unit of the computer system is configured to use the memory bus to store data in the memory module.
摘要:
A method and system of interchassis and intrachassis computer component command and control. The existing power rail is used for network connectivity for intrachassis command and control. An existing common power mains can be used for interchassis command and control. Further, a protocol, for example, the Consumer Electronic Bus (CEBus) protocol (or a CEBus protocol modified for the particular power rail) can be used to provide interchassis and intrachassis platform management functionality. This management functionality is similar to that provided by the proposed Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) specification. A chassis bridge controller is used to interface the intrachassis power rail command and control infrastructure to an exterior network. External systems (interchassis communications) can communicate to the bridge via the particular protocol over an existing common power mains as a secondary channel exterior network. However, the management functionality is implemented intrachassis, that is, it is applied to the internal components of the machine.
摘要:
Over-terminating the differential mode impedance of a differential transmission line, such as an INFINIBAND™ cable, at the receiving end, improves the differential signal integrity for typical variations in termination network impedance component (e.g., resistor) and transmission line characteristics. Eye opening of the differential signal can be made larger with reduced attenuation but increased jitter compared to under-terminating the differential mode impedance. Because the differential signal quality (larger eye opening) is improved, data can be transmitted over a longer transmission line with the same transmitter and receiver.