Abstract: A computer system including a bus master performs a method for automatically assigning addresses to agents on a bus. Addresses are automatically assigned so that a computer system user does not set physical or logical switches, either manually or through software programming. The system and method also automatically assign unique addresses to new devices that are inserted on the bus while the bus is operating, thereby supporting "hot pluggable" devices. Slave agents are originally configured to operate at a class address. At the beginning of the method, a master determines whether any of the slaves reside at the class address. If so, then the master determines a new unique address and issues a Get Bitwise UID command to the slaves residing at the class address. Each of the slaves receives the Get Bitwise UID and responsively transmits a hardware identification (UID) in a loop of bitwise byte transmissions.

Abstract: A disk controller for a disk drive array which maintains two representations of all drive defects. The controller maintains a logical defect list that is used to maintain the sector remapping structure when reconstructing redundancy information. The controller also maintains a physical defect list that is used to preserve known defect information on a physical disk basis. The physical defect list stores the defects even if the logical configuration of the disks changes. When the controller of the present invention determines that a block of data is bad, the controller allocates space for the respective stripe in an alternate block, recovers the data in the stripe and writes the recovered data to the newly allocated stripe. The controller then updates the remap tables in memory with the remap information. On each disk access, the controller searches the logical defect list to determine if the access involves one or more bad blocks.

Abstract: A low distortion sinusoidal oscillator made up of a two transistor negative resistance element combined with an LC tank for generating bias and erase signals for battery powered magnetic media recording apparatus.