1. A method of communicating between an initial device and a target device connected by a plurality of intermediate segments in a distributed arbitration system, comprising:
establishing an arbitration timer for a communication request by the initial device;
arbitrating use of each of the intermediate segments based on the arbitration timer; and
allocating use of each intermediate segment to the initial device based on the arbitration timer such that other communication requests for use of at least one of the plurality of intermediate segments are rejected.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein arbitrating comprises:
requesting use of each intermediate segment between the initial device and the target device using the arbitration timer.
3. The method according to claim 1, and further comprising:
transmitting an acknowledgement from the target device to the initial device indicating that each intermediate segment between the initial device and target device has been allocated to the initial device.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein arbitrating comprises:
requesting use of a first intermediate segment between the initial device and the target device using the arbitration timer; and
determining if the communication request wins arbitration of the first intermediate segment based on the arbitration timer.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein if it is determined that the communication request wins arbitration, then arbitrating further comprises:
allocating use of the first intermediate segment to the initial device; and
requesting use of a second intermediate segment connected to the first intermediate segment.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein requesting use of the second intermediate segment further comprises transmitting the arbitration timer to the second intermediate segment.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein arbitrating further comprises:
determining if the communication request wins arbitration of the second intermediate segment based on the arbitration timer.
8. The method according to claim 5, wherein if it is determined that the communication request does not win arbitration of the second intermediate segment, then use of the first intermediate segment by the initial device is released.
9. The method according to claim 5, wherein arbitrating further comprises:
determining if the communication request wins arbitration of the second intermediate segment based on the arbitration timer.
10. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising:
allocating use of at least one intermediate segment to the initial device; and
releasing use of each intermediate segment that has been allocated when the communication request does not win arbitration of one of the intermediate segments.
11. The method according to claim 2 and further comprising:
delaying a period of time before requesting use of each intermediate segment.
12. A system, comprising:
an initial device;
a target device; and
a plurality of intermediate segments connecting the initial device and the target device, each intermediate segment comprising:
a controller adapted to receive a communication request having an arbitration timer from the initial device, arbitrate use of the respective intermediate segments based on the arbitration timer and allocate use of its respective intermediate segment such that other communication requests for use of the respective intermediate segment are rejected.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein each controller is further adapted to receive an acknowledgment from the target device indicating that each intermediate segment has been allocated to the initial device and adapted to transmit the acknowledgment to the initial device.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein each controller is further adapted to determine if the arbitration timer received with the communication request is the oldest arbitration timer when compared to at least one other arbitration timer.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the initial device is adapted to delay a period of time before initiating a communication request.
16. The system of claim 12, wherein each controller is further adapted to store the oldest arbitration timer of a pending communication request.
17. The system of claim 12, wherein each controller is further adapted to allocate use of its respective intermediate segment to the initial device and request use of a next intermediate segment.
18. The system of claim 12, wherein each controller is further adapted to transmit the arbitration timer to a next intermediate segment.
19. A system, comprising:
an initial device;
a target device;
a plurality of intermediate segments connecting the initial device to the target device; and
means for arbitrating use of each of the plurality of intermediate segments using an arbitration timer; and
means for allocating use of the plurality of intermediate segments such that other communication requests for the plurality of intermediate segments are rejected.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the initial device transmits a communication request having the arbitration timer to a first intermediate segment.
21. The system of claim 19 and further comprising means for rejecting a communication request if use of one of the plurality of intermediate segments has been allocated.
22. The system of claim 19 and further comprising means for releasing use of previously allocated intermediate segments if a communication request is rejected.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of minimizing the sending of communications to incorrect recipients, said method comprising:
identifying in a communication a recipient to receive the communication;
determining, in response to the identifying, whether the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient; and
specifying that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient, in response to the determining indicating that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying is by an originator of the communication, and wherein the specifying includes providing a warning to the originator that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises checking an indicator associated with the identified recipient to determine if the identified recipient is indicated as ambiguous.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indicator is located in an entry of a shared repository corresponding to the identified recipient.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising setting the indicator in the entry.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the setting comprises:
specifying in another repository write accessible by the identified recipient that a designation used to identify the recipient is ambiguous; and
using the specification in the another repository to set the indicator in the shared repository.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, in response to the identified recipient being indicated as an ambiguous recipient, whether a designation of the identified recipient is to be added to a local repository of an originator of the communication; and
including the designation in the local repository, in response to the determining indicating that it is to be included.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein inclusion in the local repository is an indication that the identified recipient is no longer indicated as an ambiguous recipient.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking, in response to the specifying, whether the intended recipient is correct.
10. A system of minimizing the sending of communications to incorrect recipients, said system comprising:
at least one communications unit to:
identify in a communication a recipient to receive the communication;
determine, in response to the identifying, whether the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient; and
specify that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient, in response to the determining indicating that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises checking an indicator associated with the identified recipient to determine if the identified recipient is indicated as ambiguous, and wherein the indicator is located in an entry of a shared repository corresponding to the identified recipient.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one communications unit is further adapted to set the indicator in the entry.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the setting comprises:
specifying in another repository write accessible by the identified recipient that a designation used to identify the recipient is ambiguous; and
using the specification in the another repository to set the indicator in the shared repository.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one communications unit is further adapted to:
determine, in response to the identified recipient being indicated as an ambiguous recipient, whether a designation of the identified recipient is to be added to a local repository of an originator of the communication; and
include the designation in the local repository, in response to the determining indicating that it is to be included.
15. An article of manufacture comprising:
at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic to minimize the sending of communications to incorrect recipients, said computer readable program code logic for execution by a computer for performing a method comprising:
identifying in a communication a recipient to receive the communication;
determining, in response to the identifying, whether the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient; and
specifying that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient, in response to the determining indicating that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the identifying is by an originator of the communication, and wherein the specifying includes providing a warning to the originator that the identified recipient is indicated as an ambiguous recipient.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the determining comprises checking an indicator associated with the identified recipient to determine if the identified recipient is indicated as ambiguous, and wherein the indicator is located in an entry of a shared repository corresponding to the identified recipient.
18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, further comprising setting the indicator in the entry.
19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the setting comprises:
specifying in another repository write accessible by the identified recipient that a designation used to identify the recipient is ambiguous; and
using the specification in the another repository to set the indicator in the shared repository.
20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising:
determining, in response to the identified recipient being indicated as an ambiguous recipient, whether a designation of the identified recipient is to be added to a local repository of an originator of the communication; and
including the designation in the local repository, in response to the determining indicating that it is to be included.