A system and method for automatically assigning addresses to agents on a system management bus in a computer system without requiring user intervention, i.e., without requiring the user to manually or programmatically set physical or logical switches. The computer system includes a system management bus which preferably uses the I 2 C serial protocol. The bus includes at least one SMB master and a plurality of slaves for performing desired monitoring and control functions in the computer system. According to the present invention, the SMB master assigns unique addresses to each of the SMB slaves automatically and without user intervention. This provides a simpler, more efficient, and less error prone method for assigning addresses to SMB agents. In addition, the system of the present invention automatically assigns unique addresses to new devices inserted on the bus while the bus is operating and thus allows for hot pluggable devices.

Systems and method for assigning unique addresses to agents on a system management bus

A desktop communications network connects numerous peripheral devices to a host computer via a single host interface. The host interface and each peripheral device's interface has its own CPU, with software for assigning each peripheral device a unique address. The bus interface associated with each peripheral device typically stores a unique identifier string that is used by the host computer to identify each peripheral device connected to the network. Alternately, the host can distinguish identical peripheral devices by the order in which they are first used. As a result, several peripheral devices of the same type can be connected to the network, each being assigned a distinct network address. Peripherals can be connected and disconnected to the desktop bus while the system is running. The software in the host and peripheral bus interfaces automatically reconfigure the assigned bus addresses. Peripherals with sub-devices are accommodated with a communications protocol that allows up to four sub-devices to be connected to each bus interface. Each peripheral device's bus interface contains a set of capabilities information that is retrieved by the host's interface and is used to determine how the host computer communicates with each peripheral device. For instance, the capabilities information may be used to select a device driver program for use with each peripheral device. In the case of keyboards, the capabilities information may contain a translation table which specifies how the data generated by each keystroke should be interpreted.

Computer peripheral device network with peripheral address resetting capabilities

An electronic system has multiple identical Input/Output (I/O) devices which are all connected in daisy-chain fashion on a serial bus. At power-up or reset, the I/O device at the end of the chain configures itself as Device 0, and outputs data to the next device which configures it as Device 1. Device 1 then outputs data to the next device which configures it as Device 2, and so on until all the I/O devices have been assigned a device number. In this manner the I/O devices are configured to unique addresses without additional external pins or intervention by the System Controller, minimizing package size and eliminating logic which would otherwise be required if the System Controller had to configure these I/O devices.

Method for configuring multiple identical serial I/O devices to unique addresses through a serial bus

An automatically configurable I/O board and associated software avoids any need for jumpers, switches, or other configuration changes upon installation of the board. Utilization of the main computer capability to select addresses and values likely to be available involves an installation or other routine which arrives at a unique parameter through common commands and repetitive execution. Uniqueness of the parameter or address is accomplished by checking for use elsewhere in the system prior to operation of the board. Steps are taken to avoid any inappropriate changes in conflicting I/O boards by activating components on the board through use of a state machine, by using non-destructive commands for initial checks, by tristating unnecessary lines, and by re-initializing registers whenever a conflict is encountered. Additionally no address space is used to activate the board.

System for configuring an input/output board in a computer

A computer system with a plurality of devices compatible with the Fibre Channel Protocol, which computer system is provided with the capability to dynamically alter the configuration of the plurality of devices without a system reset, or without additional software overhead. This capability is realized by providing unique mapping relationships between low-level Fibre Channel information structures related to the devices and upper-level link elements compatible with an Operating System associated with the computer system.

System and method for automatically and dynamically changing an address associated with a device disposed in a fire channel environment

Apparatus for assigning addresses to devices connected to an SCSI bus (10). A second configure bus (15) interconnects address assignable devices on the SCSI bus. The assignable devices may be used in a mixed system where some devices have fixed non-assignable addresses. The master device in the SCSI bus transmits configuration commands over the configuration bus and addresses for assignment over the SCSI bus. Acknowledgements are received back from a device which has accepted an address. Once configured with an address, the device propagates subsequent configuration commands to an adjacent device.

Apparatus and method for assigning addresses to scsi supported peripheral devices

PURPOSE: To allocate appropriate addresses to all devices by a processor by receiving a configuration command and an address on a SCSI bus and connecting a configuration input terminal to a configuration output terminal after address allocation CONSTITUTION: A configuration page 15 and a master interface device 23 are added Consequently, the master device 23 can allocate addresses to all mutually connected address allocatable devices The master 23 includes a processor 60, and this processor 60 assigns a configuration command to one of two outputs in a configuration routine, and the device connected to the output can receive address allocation When detecting an activated reset line, the processor 60 opens a switch 62 to separate pairs of terminals 42 and 43 and terminals 48 and 46 Thus, appropriate addresses are allocated to all devices

Thomas Harold Newsom

Papers

Apparatus and method for assigning addresses to scsi supported peripheral devices

System and method for address assignment