Omar A Saiyid

US Patent:

54954746, Feb 27, 1996

Filed:

Sep 17, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/946204

Inventors:

Howard T. Olnowich - Endwell NY
Michael H. Fisher - Rochester MN
Robert F. Lusch - Vestal NY
Michael A. Maniguet - Owego NY
Omar A. Saiyid - Reston VA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corp. - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H04L 1202

US Classification:

370 53

Abstract:

A modularly expandable switch-based planar apparatus for insertable multiple bus-based processor cards and/or expansion cards and interconnecting the cards via a multi-stage switch network which resides on the planar apparatus. The cards require no modification or change of any kind, since the connection to the planar apparatus is made as if the planar apparatus contained the standard MicroChannel interconnection. The planar apparatus implements bus converter units to convert the standard bus interface provided by the cards to the switch network interface, so that functions provided by the cards can communicate in parallel over the switch network.