I o Channels

I/O channels:
Input output processors in IBM-370
computer are called as channel. A typical computer system configuration includes a number of channels with each channel attached to one or more I/O devices. The I/O can be classified into three
categories: 1. Multiplexer channel. 2. Selector channel. 3. Block multiplexer channel.

1.
Multiplexer channel: A multiplexer channel is used to connect more than one slow or medium speed I/O device. These devices can transfer the data or receive the data from any other device simultaneously. (full duplex)
2.
Selector
channel:
selector
channel
is
designed to handle one high speed I/O device at a time. Selector channel is a dedicated one and its transfer rate is higher than the multiplexer.
3.
Block
multiplexer
channel:
The
block
multiplexer channel combines the features of both multiplexer and selector channels. Block multiplexer with the feature of multiplexer
channel is used to connect with more than one device. But with the selector channel feature, a single device can transfer its data at a time. When an I/O device is selected one of the following operations can be performed:
1.
Write: This means transfer of data from memory to I/O devices.
2.
Read: This means transfer of data from I/O device to memory.
3. Read backward: This means reading a magnetic tape while a tape moves in the backward direction. 4. Control: This is used to indicate an operation and this does not involve any data transfer such signals are winding or forwarding a magnetic tapes.
Strobe: The whole components of a computer system are controlled by a clock pluses generated by the clock called generator. When the two devices (CPU and I/O devices) share the common pulse is know as synchronous communication. Since in this case the devices are under control of a signal clock, the data transmission is very efficient, with least extra pulses added for data transfer but it requires complex hardware circuit, hence it is very complex. When the sending and receiving units are controlled by a separate clock, it is know as asynchronous communication. E.g. if the CPU and I/O device are controlled by separate clock pulses. It is called asynchronous communication. In asynchronous
communication the CPU and I/O devices works as independently. This approach is used in mainly computers.
Asynchronous data transfer between two independent units requires that control signals be transmitted between the communicating units to indicate the time at which the data is to be transmitted. There are two ways for indicating the CPU one is strobe and another is handshaking.
Strobe: The store method of asynchronous data transfer employs a single control lines in each transfer. The strobe may be initiated either by source or destination. The data bus carries binary
information from the source to destination. Every time the bus has some garbage data (invalid) on it. But when the sender has sent some data to the receiver, it first sends the control signal means strobe signal to the receiver. The receiver then knows that the data on data line is valid for me. This strobe
signal remains active for some time of period. When the receiver receives the data from data bus the sender removes the data on data bus and disables the control signal. The new data is sent after nano/pico seconds when the strobe signal is enabled or activated again. The shows this concept when the source initiated the strobe signals.
The another instated process may be started by the destination. The destination generated the strobe signals for source unit to put data on the data bus. After receiving the data the strobe signal is disabled. The drawback of strobe is that the sender or receiver never knows that the data on the data line is valid or invalid.
Handshaking: The drawback of strobe is solved by the handshaking. The handshaking uses two control signals (two wires). One of them is same as in the strobe. The another control line is towards who activated the handshaking. Actually second control line plays an acknowledgement rate i.e. it shows that sender or receiver has received the valid data on the data bus. The block diagram of handshaking shows it concept:
The sender first sends the data valid line then the receiver known that the data from the data bus. After receiving the data the receiver then sends the data accept line to the sender. Then the sender knows that the data has successfully accepted by the receiver. After sending the data the data valid line is disabled by the sender and the data accepted is
disabled by the receiver. The system goes to the initial stage. The sender does not send the next data item until after the receiver shows its readiness to accept new data by disabling its data accepted signal.
Time out: If the data accept signal is not received by the source within a fixed time interval, then source assumes that the receiver has not received the data valid signal due to some fault in the transmission line or in the destination unit itself. The source will then inform CPU about the condition and error recovery program will be executed by CPU. Addressing mode: The main function of the
computer is to execute instructions. An instructions contains an operation code (opcode

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I/O channels:

Input output processors in IBM-370

categories: 1. Multiplexer channel. 2. Selector channel. 3. Block multiplexer channel.

Write: This means transfer of data from memory to I/O devices.

Read: This means transfer of data from I/O device to memory.

computer is to execute instructions. An instructions contains an operation code (opcode

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