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Patent Title: Method and system for communicating interrupts between nodes of a multinode computer system

Assignee: IBM
Patent Number: US6247091
Issue Date: 06-12-2001
Application Number:
File Date:04-28-1997

Abstract: Each node of multinode computer system includes an interrupt controller, a pair of send and receive queues, and a state machine for communicating interrupts between nodes. The communication among the interrupt controller, the state machine, and the queues is coordinated by a queue manager. For sending an interrupt, the interrupt controller accepts an interrupt placed on a bus within the node and intended for another node and stores it in the send queue. The controller then notifies the interrupt source that the interrupt has been accepted before it is transmitted to other node. The interrupt has a first form suitable for transmission on the bus. A state machine within the node takes the interrupt from the send queue and puts the interrupt into a second form suitable for transmission across a network connecting the multiple nodes. For receiving an interrupt, the state machine accepts an interrupt from another node and stores it in the receive queue, notifying the interrupt source that the interrupt has been accepted before its is placed on the node bus. The interrupt has the second form suitable for transmission across the network. The interrupt controller takes the interrupt from the receive queue and puts it in the first form suitable for transmission on the bus.

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Link to USPTO

IBM Pledge dated 1/11/2005