System for reducing arbitrated-loop overhead by maintaining control of a communications channel as long as a predetermined amount of data is available within control of channel node,申请号US19980193482-传众专利搜索

System for reducing arbitrated-loop overhead by maintaining control of a communications channel as long as a predetermined amount of data is available within control of channel node

申请公布号：US6317800(B1)

申请号：US19980193482

申请日期：1998.11.17

申请公布日期：2001.11.13

申请人：

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLP

发明人：WESTBY JUDY LYNN;MILLER MICHAEL H.

分类号：G06F13/12;G06F3/00;G06F3/06;G06F11/08;G06F11/10;G06F11/20;G06F13/00;G06F13/10;G06F13/14;G06F13/368;G11B5/012;H03M13/09;H04L1/00;H04L1/24;H04L12/42;H04L12/56;(IPC1-7):G06F13/14

主分类号：G06F13/12

摘要：Control of a loop of a fiber-channel arbitrated-loop serial communications channel is maintained (i.e., the loop connection is held open) as long as a minimum amount of data, which optionally is determined by programming (called a "programmable amount of data"), is available for transmission, in order to reduce the overall amount of time spent arbitrating for control of the loop. The improved communications channel system includes a channel node having one or more ports, each port supporting a fiber-channel arbitrated-loop serial communications channel loop, wherein each port arbitrates for control of that port's attached channel loop. The system also includes an arbitration-and-control apparatus to reduce arbitrated-loop overhead, wherein control of the channel loop, once control is achieved by arbitration, is maintained by the arbitration-and-control apparatus as long as a predetermined amount of data is available within control of the node. In addition, a method to reduce arbitrated-loop overhead is described.