Secondary Processor Device Ownership via Central Switch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Configuring a computing system to allow device ownership by both a central processing system and a secondary processing system introduces complexity and cost, potentially leading to the secondary processing system becoming a bottleneck for data transfers.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a secondary processor device ownership system with a central processing system that includes an integrated switch device, allowing the central processing system to provide a device ownership engine to configure and hide device ownership from the operating system, enabling the secondary processing system to reconfigure and access its owned devices without direct physical connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If secondary processing system is configured with integrated switch device for device ownership, then device ownership capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice ownership capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the switch device functionality from the secondary processing system and relocates it to the central processing system. The central processing system's integrated switch device is configured to facilitate communications between the secondary processing system and devices, eliminating the need for the secondary processing system to have its own integrated switch device while maintaining device ownership capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The central processing system's integrated switch device is made multi-functional by configuring it to handle both traditional central processing system device communications and secondary processing system device communications. This universal switch device serves multiple purposes: facilitating communications for devices owned by both the central and secondary processing systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If secondary processing system is configured with integrated switch device for device ownership, then device ownership capability is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice ownership capabilityVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The switch device functionality is extracted from the secondary processing system and consolidated into the central processing system. This eliminates the need to manufacture and integrate a separate integrated switch device into the secondary processing system, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and component bills of materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the switch device resources of the central processing system to also serve the secondary processing system's device ownership needs. By combining the switch device functionality into a single shared resource rather than duplicating it across both processing systems, the overall system cost is reduced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Speed

If secondary processing system owns devices directly with physical connection, then device access speed is improved, but secondary processing system becomes a bottleneck

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice access speedVSAvoiddata transfer throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces the central processing system's integrated switch device as an intermediary between the secondary processing system and the devices. Data transfers between the secondary processing system and devices flow through this intermediary switch device, which maintains fast access speeds while preventing the secondary processing system from becoming a bottleneck by distributing the communication burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If devices are hidden from central processing system operating system, then secondary processing system ownership is improved, but operating system device visibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecondary processing system ownershipVSAvoidoperating system device visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making device visibility selective: devices owned by the secondary processing system are hidden from the central processing system's operating system, while devices owned by the central processing system remain visible. This localized visibility control allows the secondary processing system to have full ownership of its devices without the central processing system's operating system needing to be aware of them, resolving the contradiction between ownership and visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11593120B1Secondary processor device ownership assignment system

Publication Date: 2023.02.28 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A secondary processor device ownership assignment system includes a chassis that houses devices, a secondary processing system, a central processing system that includes an integrated switch device that is coupled to each of the devices and the secondary processing system, and a device ownership subsystem that is coupled to the central processing system. The device ownership system accesses device information for a subset of the devices that will be owned by the secondary processing system, and configures the device information for the subset of the devices such that the subset of the devices are hidden from an operating system provided by the central processing system. The secondary processing system reconfigures the device information for the subset of the plurality of devices such that the subset of the plurality of devices are accessible by the secondary processing system.