Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Indication and interrupt signals generated by a network adapter representing asynchronous events are managed by a host system. The network adapter includes a first mask logic for selectively disabling the indication signals from being stored in a first memory location by the host writing to a first mask register. A second mask logic which is coupled to the first memory location also selectively disables the indication signals from being stored in a second memory location creating two levels of status information. The indication signals may also be disabled from being stored in the second memory location responsive to the host writing to a second mask register. The first memory location may be read from the host in order to determine whether a network event occurred during an interrupt service routine, while interrupt means generates an interrupt signal to the host responsive to the value in the second memory location. A third level of control is provided by an internal counter which allows for automatic enabling and/or disabling of a plurality of indications and interrupts with and without explicit commands in the host driver subroutines.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim