[54] INTERFACE BUS WITH INDEPENDENT
DATA, COMMAND AND DIRECT CONTROL
SECTIONS FOR PARALLEL TRANSFER OF
INFORMATION BETWEEN HOST AND
INTELLIGENT STORAGE
[75] Inventors: Stephen A. Caldara, Sudbury, Mass.;
John R. McDaniel, Rochester, N.H.;
Kenneth S. Goekjian, Candia, N.H.;
Donald J. Barbarits, Durham, N.H.;
Salvatore Faletra, Somersworth,
N.H.; John E. Shur, Stratham, N.H.
[73] Assignee: Data General Corp., Westboro, Mass.
[21] Appl. No.: 350,331
[22] Filed: May 11, 1989
[51] Int. CI.' G06F 13/00
[52] U.S. CI 395/325; 364/240.1;
364/260; 364/240.5; 364/935.4; 364/DIG. 1 [58] Field of Search ... 364/200 MS File, 900 MS File;
395/425, 3.25
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,080,649 3/1978 Calle 364/200
4,106,092 8/1978 Millers 364/200
4,162,520 7/1979 Cook 364/200
4,354,225 10/1982 Frieder 364/200
4,682,304 7/1987 Tierney 364/900
4,747,047 5/1988 Coogan 364/200
4,805,090 2/1989 Coogan 364/200
4,839,793 6/1989 Brunk 395/425
4,853,847 8/1989 Ohuchi 395/425
4,860,734 9/1989 Idleman 364/200
4,864,532 9/1989 Reeve 364/900
4,888,691 12/1989 George 395/425
Primary Examiner—Thomas C. Lee
Assistant Examiner—Eric Coleman
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Jacob Frank; Joel Wall;
Irving M. Kriegsman
[57] ABSTRACT
A data processing system is disclosed in which a plurality of high performance, intelligent, mass storage inputoutput devices are linked to a host controller by an input-output interface bus which is divided into three sections. Each section is completely independent of the other two sections and used for a different and specific purpose. One section is used to transfer commands and retrieve status information. A second section is used to handle device requests for data transfer and device signals for operation complete. The third section is used to transfer data to and from a device. Since the three sections are completely independent, simultaneous transfer of command control and data to different inputoutput devices or to a single input-output device can be performed.
13 Claims, 28 Drawing Sheets
