Patents by Inventor Jeffrey C. Hanscom

Jeffrey C. Hanscom has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10958595
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett, Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 10541943
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett, Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Publication number: 20200007469
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett, Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Publication number: 20190207871
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett, Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 10277533
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett, Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 10275388
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter operable to receive packets in a single clock cycle. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to receive a first packet on a first pipeline and a second packet on a second pipeline in a same clock cycle. The controller is further operable to route a header portion of the first packet and a header portion of the second packet on a header path to a header buffer including a plurality of physical arrays in parallel through a header buffer write interface having a single offset address. The controller is operable to route a payload portion of the first packet and a payload portion of the second packet on a data path to a data buffer including a plurality of physical arrays in parallel through a data buffer write interface having a single offset address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Tynan J. Garrett, John M. Pritz
  • Patent number: 10223310
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter that includes a multi-source selector coupled to a flow-through input, an elastic first-in-first-out (FIFO) structure, a completion queue, and an output bus. A controller is operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to select the flow-through input to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the elastic FIFO structure is empty. The elastic FIFO structure is selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the elastic FIFO structure includes at least one entry. The completion queue is selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the completion queue includes at least one entry. The flow-through input is routed into the elastic FIFO structure based on the completion queue being selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 10216656
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through buffer operable to be asynchronously read while being written at different clock frequencies. The system also includes a controller operatively connected to the cut-through buffer. The controller is operable to write one or more values into the cut-through buffer in a first clock domain and compare a number of values written into the cut-through buffer to a notification threshold. A notification indicator is passed from the first clock domain to a second clock domain based on determining that the number of values written into the cut-through buffer meets the notification threshold. Based on receiving the notification indicator, the cut-through buffer is read from the second clock domain continuously without pausing until the one or more values are retrieved and any additional values written to the cut-through buffer during the reading of the one or more values are retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Eric N. Lais, John M. Pritz
  • Patent number: 10176135
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter operable to receive a plurality of packets in a single clock cycle. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to receive a first packet at a data link layer and determine a state of a first output indicator to maintain packet ordering. Based on determining that a first receiver formatting interface is selected by the first output indicator, the controller performs an alignment adjustment and output of the first packet by the first receiver formatting interface. Based on determining that a second receiver formatting interface is selected by the first output indicator, the controller performs the alignment adjustment and output of the first packet by the second receiver formatting interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Eric N. Lais, John M. Pritz
  • Publication number: 20180145872
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Tynan J. Garrett, Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Publication number: 20180089114
    Abstract: A system includes a cut-through buffer operable to be asynchronously read while being written at different clock frequencies. The system also includes a controller operatively connected to the cut-through buffer. The controller is operable to write one or more values into the cut-through buffer in a first clock domain and compare a number of values written into the cut-through buffer to a notification threshold. A notification indicator is passed from the first clock domain to a second clock domain based on determining that the number of values written into the cut-through buffer meets the notification threshold. Based on receiving the notification indicator, the cut-through buffer is read from the second clock domain continuously without pausing until the one or more values are retrieved and any additional values written to the cut-through buffer during the reading of the one or more values are retrieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Eric N. Lais, John M. Pritz
  • Publication number: 20180089124
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter operable to receive a plurality of packets in a single clock cycle. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to receive a first packet at a data link layer and determine a state of a first output indicator to maintain packet ordering. Based on determining that a first receiver formatting interface is selected by the first output indicator, the controller performs an alignment adjustment and output of the first packet by the first receiver formatting interface. Based on determining that a second receiver formatting interface is selected by the first output indicator, the controller performs the alignment adjustment and output of the first packet by the second receiver formatting interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Eric N. Lais, John M. Pritz
  • Publication number: 20180089136
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter operable to receive packets in a single clock cycle. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to receive a first packet on a first pipeline and a second packet on a second pipeline in a same clock cycle. The controller is further operable to route a header portion of the first packet and a header portion of the second packet on a header path to a header buffer including a plurality of physical arrays in parallel through a header buffer write interface having a single offset address. The controller is operable to route a payload portion of the first packet and a payload portion of the second packet on a data path to a data buffer including a plurality of physical arrays in parallel through a data buffer write interface having a single offset address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Tynan J. Garrett, John M. Pritz
  • Publication number: 20180081838
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter that includes a multi-source selector coupled to a flow-through input, an elastic first-in-first-out (FIFO) structure, a completion queue, and an output bus. A controller is operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to select the flow-through input to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the elastic FIFO structure is empty. The elastic FIFO structure is selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the elastic FIFO structure includes at least one entry. The completion queue is selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the completion queue includes at least one entry. The flow-through input is routed into the elastic FIFO structure based on the completion queue being selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 9798685
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter that includes a multi-source selector coupled to a flow-through input, an elastic first-in-first-out (FIFO) structure, a completion queue, and an output bus. A controller is operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to select the flow-through input to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the elastic FIFO structure is empty. The elastic FIFO structure is selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the elastic FIFO structure includes at least one entry. The completion queue is selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus based on determining that the completion queue includes at least one entry. The flow-through input is routed into the elastic FIFO structure based on the completion queue being selected to pass through the multi-source selector to the output bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 9792167
    Abstract: Examples of techniques for transparent north port recovery of an error in an input/output device are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method may include: detecting, by a processing device, a command timeout; sending, by the processing device, an input/output (I/O) error signal to a host processing system connected to the hardware device via a north port of the hardware device; terminating, by the host processing system, a link between the north port of the hardware device and the host processing system; enabling, by the processing device, halt command forwarding on the hardware device; halting, by the processing device, commands upon detecting the halt command forwarding; and resetting, by the processing device, the link between the north port of the hardware device and the host processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Becht, Clinton E. Bubb, Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Andreas Kohler, Ying-Yeung Li, Mushfiq U. Saleheen, Raymond Wong, Jie Zheng
  • Patent number: 9760514
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter operable to receive a plurality of packets in a single clock cycle. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to receive a first packet at a data link layer and determine a state of a first output indicator to maintain packet ordering. Based on determining that a first receiver formatting interface is selected by the first output indicator, the controller performs an alignment adjustment and output of the first packet by the first receiver formatting interface. Based on determining that a second receiver formatting interface is selected by the first output indicator, the controller performs the alignment adjustment and output of the first packet by the second receiver formatting interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Eric N. Lais, John M. Pritz
  • Patent number: 9753876
    Abstract: A system includes an input/output adapter operable to receive a plurality of packets. The system includes a controller operatively connected to the input/output adapter. The controller is operable to receive a first packet including completion data on a first multi-stage pipeline and a second packet including completion data on a second multi-stage pipeline in parallel. The controller shares completion update information between the first multi-stage pipeline and the second multi-stage pipeline based on determining that the completion data of the first packet and the completion data of the second packet are associated with a same request. An aspect of the completion update information is adjusted to maintain a sequential completion order in a buffer to hold the completion data of the first packet and the completion data of the second packet based on the sharing of the completion update information between the first multi-stage pipeline and the second multi-stage pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Hanscom
  • Patent number: 8909745
    Abstract: Programmable hardware devices are re-programmed without system downtime. To re-program the device, the device is quiesced, state associated with the device is saved, updates are loaded, the state is restored and operations are resumed, all transparent to the system, except for a possible delay in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carl A. Bender, Nihad Hadzic, Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Howard M. Haynie, Jeffrey M. Turner
  • Patent number: 8903966
    Abstract: Programmable hardware devices are re-programmed without system downtime. To re-program the device, the device is quiesced, state associated with the device is saved, updates are loaded, the state is restored and operations are resumed, all transparent to the system, except for a possible delay in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carl A. Bender, Nihad Hadzic, Jeffrey C. Hanscom, Howard M. Haynie, Jeffrey M. Turner