Patent ID: 6067587
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of serializing received packets of data accompanying commands from a data source, the method performed by a data processing system including a plurality of channel interfaces, each channel interface including a buffer and interface controller, with the data processing system further including a main packet data buffer, control data structures in a main memory, and a main processor, with the channel interfaces and main processor coupled by a locking system including request and grant signals, said method comprising the steps of:receiving a command at a first channel interface;utilizing said locking system to secure a lock by said first channel interface to prevent other channel interfaces from accessing ownership fields in said control data structures;querying a .sub.-- BUSY status element in a control data structure;if said .sub.-- BUSY status element is set:releasing the lock; andrejecting the command received at said first channel interface;if said .sub.-- BUSY status element is not set:setting the .sub.-- BUSY status element;releasing the lock to allow other channel interfaces to access other control data fields;accessing a PacketID field in the control data structure to obtain a packet ID number;assigning the packet ID number to an incoming packet associated with the command received;executing the command received while holding the .sub.-- BUSY status element set and storing a packet associated with the command in the buffer of said first channel interface;subsequent to executing the command, incrementing the packetID in the PacketID field of the control data structure and clearing the .sub.-- BUSY status element; andreturning ending status to the data source.