Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus that provides working storage for large image and data processing systems. The apparatus comprises a computer bus, a high speed backplane bus, a local area network, a central processing unit coupled to the computer bus, an Ethernet local area network interface coupled between the computer bus and the local area network, a plurality of bidirectional input/output interface cards coupled to the computer bus and the backplane bus, and a plurality of disk modules coupled to the computer bus and the high speed backplane bus. Each interface card comprises a plurality of bidirectional input/output ports coupled to a plurality of user workstations, a fiber optic interface, and a FIFO buffer. Each disk module comprises a plurality of storage units, one of which provides for storage of parity bits and the remainder of which provides for storage of data, and a distribution card coupled to the plurality of storage units. Each distribution card comprises a controller, a double buffer, and an error correction circuit coupled between the double buffer and the plurality of storage units. The present invention permits the input/output cards to interact with more than one disk module. The apparatus uses high speed fiber optic interfaces as a standard interface, providing high performance distribution over a large area.

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First Claim