Patent ID: 7013336

Claim:
A method for communicating to a host system a numerically variable characteristic of a subsystem, said method comprising the steps of: said subsystem receiving a request from said host system to monitor said numerically variable characteristic of said subsystem and report to said host system a value of said characteristic or an amount of change of said characteristic when a minimum numerical amount of said change occurs, said request specifying said minimum numerical amount of said change; and in response to the receiving step, said subsystem monitoring said characteristic, and if and approximately when said minimum numerical amount of said change subsequently occurs in said said characteristic, said subsystem reporting a value of said characteristic or an amount of change of said characteristic to said host system, if no change occurs or less than said minimum numerical amount of change occurs before a predetermined time-out, said subsystem reporting to said host system a value of said characteristic or an amount of change of said characteristic upon said predetermined time-out.