US 6009488

Patent Overview: US6009488A

Title: Computer having packet-based interconnect channel

Patent number: US6009488A
Application number: US08/965,760
Inventor: Gautam Kavipurapu
Original/Current Assignee: Microlinc LLC
Priority/Filing date: 1997-11-07
Publication (grant) date: 1999-12-28
Legal status (as listed): Expired – Lifetime; anticipated expiration 2017-11-07

Purpose (from the supplied text): The invention "relates to physically non-distributed microprocessor based systems and, more particularly, the communication channel between functional components within a class of computer systems commonly known as personal computers." It addresses limitations of the conventional parallel data/address bus, which the text describes as single-transaction, sequential, generically constrained by dated electrical specifications, slowed by worst-case capacitive loading, dependent on physical handshake signals (READ, WRITE, MEM, I/O, WAIT/READY), and limited by fixed data width. The stated object is "a system with the configuration flexibility of a bus-based PC while reducing the electrical problems," whereby "interfunctional-unit communication speed and flexibility are greatly enhanced."

Plain-language scope (from the supplied text): The invention "applies a point-to-point packetized interconnection str[ucture/ategy]" — i.e., instead of a shared multi-drop parallel bus, functional components communicate over point-to-point links using packets. Classification data in the source places it under bus/loop networks with centralised control (H04L12/403; H04L12/423). The source's prior-art keywords are: packet, node, microprocessor, data, devices. The excerpt references claims concerning bidirectional communication, dependent claims, ring circuit, and communication methods, but does not reproduce claim language.

Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US6009488](/patent/US6009488)/en

What the excerpt does not establish: It does not provide the full specification, any complete claim text, the drawings' contents, the identity or contents of cited prior art, claim-by-claim scope, or the outcome/merits of any litigation, ownership transfer, or validity question. It also truncates mid-sentence ("interconnection str—"), so the precise scope of the interconnection structure is not established here. No litigation, validity, or prior-art conclusions are drawn.