IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,603,500
Granted Patent B2
US 7,603,500 · App. 11/837,073 · Granted Oct 13, 2009

System and method for allowing coexistence of multiple PCI managers in a PCI express system

Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,603,500
App. No.
11/837,073
Filed
Aug 10, 2007
Granted
Oct 13, 2009
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2111
USPC
710/110
Abstract

A system and method that allows a plurality of SR-PCIMs to operate within a PCIe fabric. The system and method describe a master SR-PCIM election process and transfer of mastership from a master SR-PCIM to a standby SR-PCIM under certain conditions. The system and method leverage the PCI configuration space and PCI messages so that SR-PCIMs from multiple vendors can potentially interoperate.

Claims (65)

1. A method for allowing coexistence of a plurality of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) managers in a PCI Express system comprising:

identifying one of the plurality of PCI managers as a master PCI manager;

operating the master PCI manager in a master mode of operation; and

setting each other PCI manager of the plurality of PCI managers in a state chosen from an Inactive state and a Standby state; and wherein,

the PCI Express system is a single root PCI express system; and,

each of the plurality of PCI managers comprise single root PCI managers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein

each of the plurality of PCI managers comprise a multi master control indicia portion, the multi master control indicia portion of each of the plurality of PCI managers indicating an operating state of a respective PCI manager.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

the multi master control indicia portion comprises a favored as master indication, the favored as master indication indicating whether a particular PCI manager is to operate as the master PCI manager.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein

the multi master control indicia portion comprises a master state indicia portion, the master state indicia portion indicating the operating state of the respective PCI manager.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

exchanging a plurality of control messages between the plurality of PCI managers, the plurality of control messages controlling operational states of each of the plurality of PCI managers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the plurality of control messages comprise

a handover control message, the handover control message initiating a process of handing over mastership to a higher priority PCI manager,

an acknowledge control message, the acknowledge control message acknowledging that a handover has occurred;

a disable control message, the disable control message disabling a PCI manager that is operating in a standby mode of operation;

a standby control message, the standby control message causing an inactive PCI manager to transition to the standby state; and,

a discover control message, the discover control message causes a PCI manager that is operating in the standby state to perform a discovering operation.

7. An apparatus for allowing coexistence of a plurality of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) managers in a PCI Express system comprising:

means for identifying one of the plurality of PCI managers as a master PCI manager;

means for operating the master PCI manager in a master mode of operation; and

means for setting each other PCI manager of the plurality of PCI managers in a state chosen from an Inactive state and a Standby state; and wherein,

the PCI Express system is a single root PCI express system; and,

each of the plurality of PCI managers comprise single root PCI managers.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein

each of the plurality of PCI managers comprise a multi master control indicia portion, the multi master control indicia portion of each of the plurality of PCI managers indicating an operating state of a respective PCI manager.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein

the multi master control indicia portion comprises a favored as master indication, the favored as master indication indicating whether a particular PCI manager is to operate as the master PCI manager.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein

the multi master control indicia portion comprises a master state indicia portion, the master state indicia portion indicating the operating state of the respective PCI manager.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

means for exchanging a plurality of control messages between the plurality of PCI managers, the plurality of control messages controlling operational states of each of the plurality of PCI managers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the plurality of control messages comprise

a handover control message, the handover control message initiating a process of handing over mastership to a higher priority PCI manager,

an acknowledge control message, the acknowledge control message acknowledging that a handover has occurred;

a disable control message, the disable control message disabling a PCI manager that is operating in a standby mode of operation;

a standby control message, the standby control message causing an inactive PCI manager to transition to the standby state; and,

a discover control message, the discover control message causes a PCI manager that is operating in the standby state to perform a discovering operation.

13. An information handling system comprising

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a system for allowing coexistence of a plurality of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) managers in a PCI Express system, the system comprising instructions executable by the processor for:

identifying one of the plurality of PCI managers as a master PCI manager;

operating the master PCI manager in a master mode of operation;

setting each other PCI manager of the plurality of PCI managers in a state chosen from an Inactive state and a Standby state; and wherein,

the PCI Express system is a single root PCI express system; and,

each of the plurality of PCI managers comprise single root PCI managers.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein

each of the plurality of PCI managers comprise a multi master control indicia portion, the multi master control indicia portion of each of the plurality of PCI managers indicating an operating state of a respective PCI manager.

15. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein

the multi master control indicia portion comprises a favored as master indication, the favored as master indication indicating whether a particular PCI manager is to operate as the master PCI manager.

16. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein

the multi master control indicia portion comprises a master state indicia portion, the master state indicia portion indicating the operating state of the respective PCI manager.

17. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein the system further comprises instructions for:

exchanging a plurality of control messages between the plurality of PCI managers, the plurality of control messages controlling operational states of each of the plurality of PCI managers.

18. The information handling system of claim 17 wherein:

the plurality of control messages comprise

a handover control message, the handover control message initiating a process of handing over mastership to a higher priority PCI manager,

an acknowledge control message, the acknowledge control message acknowledging that a handover has occurred;

a disable control message, the disable control message disabling a PCI manager that is operating in a standby mode of operation;

a standby control message, the standby control message causing an Inactive PCI manager to transition to the standby state; and,

a discover control message, the discover control message causes a PCI manager that is operating in the standby state to perform a discovering operation.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2007
From: BRAHMAROUTU, SURENDER
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 019681/0934 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090043941A1 · Feb 12, 2009