Patent US5023779A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5023779A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Distributed processing environment fault isolation
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1982-09-21
•
Granted: 1991-06-11
•
Expires: 2002-09-21
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is to designate one of the processors in a multiprocessor control as the master processor. All the other processors report their faults to the master processor. When it receives a fault message, the master processor records the type of fault and the source of the message in suitable memory locations. The master will also time stamp the fault message to identify the first fault message. Finally, the master will transmit a message to itself to verify that the master's communication channel is valid to verify whether the master processor itself or one of the remote processors is faulty.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony M. Federico
- 👤 Ronald A. Ippolito
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 11:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0706; G06F11/0733; G06F11/0721; G06F11/0724; G06F11/079
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
In a control for controlling the operation of a printing machine, the printing machine including a plurality of operating components for producing images on a copy sheet, the control including a master processor with memory and message receive circuitry, a shared communication channel, and a plurality of remote processors connected to a master processor through the shared communication channel, the master processor adapted for transmitting a verification message to itself over the message receive circuitry, the method of the master processor identifying a fault occurring in one of the remote processors manifested by a fault message comprising the steps of: one of the remote processors recognizing said fault and generating said fault message, said one of the remote processors conveying the fault message to the master processor, the master processor recording the fault message in said memory, the master processor transmitting said verification message to itself over said message receive circuitry for verifying the integrity of the message receive circuitry, and the master processor identifing the source of the fault to be said one of the remote processors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
In a control for controlling the operation of a printing machine, the printing machine including a plurality of operating components for producing images on a copy sheet, the control including a master processor with memory and message receive circuitry, a shared communication channel, and a plurality of remote processors connected to a master processor through the shared communication channel, the master processor adapted for transmitting a verification message to itself over the message receive circuitry, the method of the master processor identifying a fault occurring in one of the remote processors manifested by a fault message comprising the steps of: one of the remote processors recognizing said fault and generating said fault message, said one of the remote processors conveying the fault message to the master processor, the master processor recording the fault message in said memory, the master processor transmitting said verification message to itself over said message receive circuitry for verifying the integrity of the message receive circuitry, and the master processor identifing the source of the fault to be said one of the remote processors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the control includes a running clock pulse count and the step of recording the fault message includes the step of time stamping and fault message in the master processor memory with the current clock pulse count in order to determine the source of the first fault in a succession of faults.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
198 words
In a reproduction machine control for controlling the operation of a plurality of reproduction machine operating components including a photoreceptor, said operating components cooperating with one another to produce impressions on copy sheets, the machine control comprising a master processor and a plurality of remote processors, each of the remote processors adapted for generating fault messages, each of the processors having transmit and receive means, the master processor having a memory for recording a machine fault, each of the processors being interconnected via a common communication channel, the method of identifying faults in the control comprising the steps of (1) one of the remote processors recognizing the machine fault, (2) said one of the remote processors conveying a fault message in response to recognizing the machine fault to the master processor via said communication channel, (3) said master processor recording the fault message in said memory identifying said one of the remote processors, (4) said master processor transmitting a message to itself over its transmit and receive means, and (5) said master processor determining the integrity of its receive means whereby the master processor identifies the machine fault to be related to said one of the remote processors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
198 words
In a reproduction machine control for controlling the operation of a plurality of reproduction machine operating components including a photoreceptor, said operating components cooperating with one another to produce impressions on copy sheets, the machine control comprising a master processor and a plurality of remote processors, each of the remote processors adapted for generating fault messages, each of the processors having transmit and receive means, the master processor having a memory for recording a machine fault, each of the processors being interconnected via a common communication channel, the method of identifying faults in the control comprising the steps of (1) one of the remote processors recognizing the machine fault, (2) said one of the remote processors conveying a fault message in response to recognizing the machine fault to the master processor via said communication channel, (3) said master processor recording the fault message in said memory identifying said one of the remote processors, (4) said master processor transmitting a message to itself over its transmit and receive means, and (5) said master processor determining the integrity of its receive means whereby the master processor identifies the machine fault to be related to said one of the remote processors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3614742A
Cited
US3983539A
Cited
US3983541A
Cited
US3699529A
Cited
US3760365A
Cited
US3787816A
Cited
US3812469A
Cited
US3805247A
Cited
US3896290A
Cited
US3916383A
Cited
US3813647A
Cited
US4084228A
Cited
US4123794A
Cited
US3978452A
Cited
US4099252A
Cited
US4044334A
Cited
US4064375A
Cited
US4219873A
Cited
US4224664A
Cited
US4170791A
Cited
US4186299A
Cited
US4138718A
Cited
US4283769A
Cited
US4215395A
Cited
US4270168A
Cited
US4229790A
Cited
US4228495A
Cited
US4253145A
Cited
JPS5587256A
Cited
US4327993A
Cited
US4304001A
Cited
US4410983A
Cited
US4322846A
Cited
US4412281A
Cited
US4442502A
Cited
US4454588A
Cited
US4413335A
Cited
US4468731A
Cited
US4503534A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-06-10 | 1994-12-10 | 1995-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-10 | 1998-12-10 | 1999-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-06-10 | 2002-12-10 | 2003-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |