Method and apparatus for supporting and presenting multiple serial bus nodes using distinct configuration ROM images
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for presenting a plurality of link devices as separate nodes within a single serial bus module by generating individual or a distinct configuration ROM image for each link device in the module. Each configuration ROM includes an entry for a distinct identifier representing the corresponding link device thereby creating a one to one mapping of link device to node via the distinct configuration ROM.
1. A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a computer, present a plurality of link devices as separate nodes to a serial bus module, by:
a) creating an individual configuration ROM image for each link device in said plurality, regardless of whether they share a node; and
b) presenting said configuration ROM images for each said link device.
2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein each said configuration ROM image includes an entry for a distinct identifier for a corresponding link device.
3. The computer-readable method of claim 2 , wherein said presenting said configuration ROM image comprises:
a) receiving from one of said link devices a block request and a link ID; and
b) providing configuration ROM associated with said link ID.
4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said creating and presenting said configuration ROM image are carried out by transaction layer software.
5. A computer program product, comprising:
code for causing a machine to create an individual configuration ROM image for each link device in said plurality, regardless of whether they share a node; and
code for causing a machine to present said configuration ROM images for each said link device to a serial bus module.
6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein each said configuration ROM image includes an entry for a distinct identifier for a corresponding link device.
7. The computer program product of claim 5 , wherein said code for causing a machine to present said configuration ROM image comprises:
code for causing a machine to receive from one of said link devices a block request and a link ID; and
code for causing a machine to provide a configuration ROM associated with said link ID.
8. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein said code for causing a machine to create and present said configuration ROM image comprises instructions executed by a transaction layer of a node.