초록 ▼

A method and system for communicating extended information, including status information, from a hardware device to a computer operating system. An adapter detects changes in the status of hardware devices attached thereto, including inserted, removed or requested-to-be-removed status, places inform

A method and system for communicating extended information, including status information, from a hardware device to a computer operating system. An adapter detects changes in the status of hardware devices attached thereto, including inserted, removed or requested-to-be-removed status, places information regarding that status in registers accessible to the operating system, and generates an interrupt. In handling the interrupt, the operating system reads the status information from the registers and takes appropriate action. The described framework extensibly provides the operating system with the ability to issue commands to the adapter such as commands which obtain information on the capabilities of the adapter and the hardware devices attached thereto. Another such command enables the operating system to direct the adapter to mechanically eject a device attached thereto, such as in response to detection of request-to-be-removed status. The framework thus provides for the automatic and safely-controlled removal of a hardware device under the direction of the operating system.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A system for communicating information between a hardware device and a computer operating system running on a computer having a computer memory, comprising:an adapter having an adapter memory resident on the adapter and separate from the computer memory, the adapter memor

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A system for communicating information between a hardware device and a computer operating system running on a computer having a computer memory, comprising:an adapter having an adapter memory resident on the adapter and separate from the computer memory, the adapter memory comprising a status register and a command register, the adapter further having means connected to the hardware device for writing information into the adapter memory, independent of a prior command issued from the operating system to the adapter, including status information related to the status of the hardware device, the command register operative for receiving commands written to the adapter from the computer operating system; anda computer processor connected to the computer and connected for reading the status register of the adapter memory, the computer processor operative for obtaining the status information from the status register of the adapter memory and providing the status information to the operating system in the computer memory, the computer processor further operative to write an eject command to the command register of the adapter memory in order to eject the hardware device from the computer.