Patent ID: 6061360
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A communications channel system for preserving loop fairness, the system comprising:a first channel node having a first port for attachment to a fibre-channel arbitrated-loop serial communications channel, wherein the first port arbitrates for control of that port's attached communications channel;a fairness-preserving apparatus operatively coupled to the first port, wherein the first port arbitrates for control of a loop of the communications channel and, after control is achieved, the fairness-preserving apparatus causes control of the communications channel to be released based at least in part on whether a predetermined amount of use has occurred between the first port and the communications channel, wherein the predetermined amount of use includes having transferred a first predetermined amount of data;a first counter that monitors the amount of data that has been transferred;a first comparator circuit operatively coupled to the first counter that causes control of the communications channel to be released based at least in part on whether the amount of data monitored by the first counter reaches the first predetermined amount of data;a second counter that monitors the amount of data that remains to be transferred; anda second comparator circuit operatively coupled to the second counter that inhibits release of control of the communications channel based at least in part on whether the amount of data monitored by the second counter is less than a second predetermined amount of data.