Communicating a message request transaction to a logical device

Abstract

A general input/output communication port implements a communication stack that includes a physical layer, a data link layer and a transaction layer. The transaction layer includes assembling a packet header for a message request transaction to one or more logical devices. The packet header includes a format field to indicate the length of the packet header and to further specify whether the packet header includes a data payload, a subset of a type field to indicate the packet header relates to the message request transaction and a message field. The message field includes a message to implement the message request transaction. The message includes at least one message that is selected from a group of messages. The group of messages to include a message to unlock a logical device, a message to reset a logical device, a message to indicate a correctable error condition, a message to indicate an uncorrectable error condition, a message to indicate a fatal error condition, a message to report a bad request packet, a message to indicate power management and a message to emulate an interrupt signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a non-mobile electronic appliance including a processor, a root complex, a host bridge, and switch wherein the non-mobile electronic appliance further includes,
 a protocol stack including layers to communicate data over an interconnect; 
 wherein the protocol stack is to assemble a plurality of packets, each of the plurality of packets to include:
 a first field to hold a first value to indicate a first packet of the plurality of 
 
   
       packets which is to include a data payload and to hold a second value to indicate a particular 
       packet of the plurality of packets and is not to include a data payload,
     a type field to indicate a packet type for the particular packet, and   a value field to indicate an identifier to be associated with the particular packet.     
 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the packet is a data packet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol stack including layers comprises a physical layer and a data link layer. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interconnect includes a communication link. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interconnect is to support a plurality of devices. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is to operate within a packet-based interconnection architecture. 
     
     
         7 . An electronic appliance, comprising:
 a server including a processor, a root complex, a host bridge, and switch wherein the server further includes,
 a protocol stack including layers to communicate data over an interconnect; 
 wherein the protocol stack is to assemble a plurality of packets, each of the plurality of packets to include:
 a first field to indicate a format for a packet type; 
 a second field to indicate a transaction completion status; 
 a third field to indicate an identification of a first device which processed 
 
   
       the transaction completion in response to a request; and
     a fourth field to indicate an identification of a second device which initiated the request.     
 
     
     
         8 . The electronic appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the second field includes a three-bit format field. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic appliance of  claim 7  includes at least one of a cellular telephone, handheld computer, multimedia device, and a digital camera. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the transaction completion status is an indication of a correct receipt of a packet. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the first device includes an endpoint device. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the interconnect is to support networks of devices. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the layers includes a transaction layer.