1. An error message handling buffer, comprising:
a first buffer;
a second buffer;
a first index associated with the first buffer;
a second index associated with the second buffer;
a buffer controller operable to write and read messages in the buffer, such that messages are written to the buffer of the first and second buffers that has a buffer index value lesser than the buffer size, and read from the other of the first and second buffers, the other buffer having an index value greater than or equal to the buffer size.
2. The error message handling buffer of claim 1, wherein both the first and second index are incremented on each buffer write, the index of the first and second index having a value lesser than the buffer size indicating the next available buffer value to be written.
3. The error message handling buffer of claim 1, wherein the first and second indexes are part of the same index word.
4. The error message handling buffer of claim 1, wherein the error message handling buffer comprises a part of a processor node in a multiprocessor system.
5. The error message handling buffer of claim 1, wherein the error message handling buffer comprises a part of a processor.
6. The error message handling buffer of claim 5, wherein the processor is a processor in a multiprocessor system.
7. The error message handling buffer of claim 1, wherein the buffer available to be read and the buffer available to be written are switched by setting the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written to a value less than the buffer size, and setting the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be read to a value greater than or equal to the buffer size.
8. The error message handling buffer of claim 7, wherein the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written is set to zero.
9. The error message handling buffer of claim 7, wherein the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written is set to a value indicating the number of unread error messages stored in the buffer.
10. A method of operating a buffer, comprising:
writing messages to a first buffer having an associated first index, the first index indicating the first buffer is available for writing by having a value less than the buffer size; and
reading messages from a second buffer having an associated second index, the second index indicating the second buffer is not available for writing by having a value equal to or greater than the buffer size.
11. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, wherein the second index having a value equal to or greater than the buffer size indicates that the second buffer is available to be read.
12. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, further comprising incrementing the first index and second index on each buffer write, the index of the first and second index having a value lesser than the buffer size indicating the next available buffer value to be written.
13. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, wherein the first and second indexes are part of the same index word.
14. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, wherein the error message handling buffer comprises a part of a processor node in a multiprocessor system.
15. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, wherein the error message handling buffer comprises a part of a processor.
16. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, wherein the processor is a processor in a multiprocessor system.
17. The method of operating a buffer of claim 10, further comprising switching the buffer available to be written by setting the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written to a value less than the buffer size, and setting the index value associated with the buffer being switched to no longer be available to be written to a value greater than or equal to the buffer size.
18. The method of operating a buffer of claim 17, wherein the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written is set to zero.
19. The method of operating a buffer of claim 17, wherein the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written is set to a value indicating the number of unread error messages stored in the buffer.
20. A buffer system, comprising:
a first buffer;
a second buffer;
a first index associated with the first buffer;
a second index associated with the second buffer;
a buffer controller operable to write and read messages in the buffer, such that messages are written to the buffer of the first and second buffers that has a buffer index value lesser than the buffer size, and read from the other of the first and second buffers, the other buffer having an index value greater than or equal to the buffer size.
21. The buffer system of claim 20, wherein both the first and second index are incremented on each buffer write, the index of the first and second index having a value lesser than the buffer size indicating the next available buffer value to be written.
22. The buffer system of claim 20, wherein the buffer available to be read and the buffer available to be written are switched by setting the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written to a value less than the buffer size, and setting the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be read to a value greater than or equal to the buffer size.
23. The buffer system of claim 22, wherein the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written is set to zero.
24. The buffer system of claim 22, wherein the index value associated with the buffer being switched to available to be written is set to a value indicating the number of unread error messages stored in the buffer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-27. (canceled)
28. A gasket for sealing opposed faces, the gasket comprising a strip comprising:
(a) first and second opposed sides;
(b) an upper surface connecting the first and second opposed sides;
(c) a lower surface connecting the first and second opposed sides and spaced apart from the upper surface;
(d) a middle region comprising a portion of the strip bounded by the upper and lower surfaces, a first side region and a second side region, the first and second side regions each comprising a portion of the strip bounded by the upper and lower surfaces, the middle region, and an opposed side of the strip, so that the middle region is located between the first and second side regions; and
(e) a thickness defined by a distance between the upper and lower surfaces, wherein the thickness is greater in the middle region than it is in the side regions;
wherein the strip is arranged as a spiral comprising a plurality of windings; and
wherein the upper surface faces outwardly with respect to the spiral and the lower surface faces inwardly with respect to the spiral.
29. The gasket of claim 28, wherein the thickness is greatest at a point approximately midway between the opposed sides.
30. The gasket of claim 28, wherein the upper and lower surfaces converge toward each other as they extend from the middle region toward each opposed side.
31. The gasket of claim 28, wherein at least one of the upper and lower surfaces comprises a curve.
32. The gasket of claim 31, wherein the upper surface comprises an upper curve and the lower surface comprises a lower curve.
33. The gasket of claim 32, wherein the lower surface further comprises:
(a) a first straight region adjacent to and between a first end of the lower curve and the first opposed side and
(b) a second straight region adjacent to and between a second end of the lower curve and the second opposed side.
34. The gasket of claim 32, wherein the upper surface is curved from one opposed side to the other opposed side.
35. The gasket of claim 32, wherein at least one of the upper and lower curves comprises an arc.
36. The gasket of claim 35, wherein the lower curve comprises a lower arc and the upper curve comprises an upper arc.
37. The gasket of claim 36, wherein the upper arc and the lower arc extend from a common axis.
38. The gasket of claim 36, wherein the upper arc comprises an upper axis and the lower arc comprises a lower axis, and wherein the upper and lower axes are spaced apart from each other.
39. The gasket of claim 38, wherein the upper axis and the lower axis are spaced apart from each other by a distance equal to the thickness of the strip measured along a line from the first surface to the second surface at a point approximately midway between the opposed sides.
40. The gasket of claim 36, wherein the upper curve comprises:
(a) a middle arc comprising a middle radius, wherein the middle arc defines the upper surface of the middle region of the strip;
(b) a first side arc comprising a first side radius, wherein the first side arc defines the upper surface of the first side region of the strip; and
(c) a second side arc comprising a second side radius, wherein the second side arc defines the upper surface of the second side region of the strip;
wherein the first side radius and the second side radius are the same, and
wherein the middle radius is smaller than the first and second side radii.
41. The gasket of claim 40, wherein the lower arc comprises a lower radius and wherein the lower radius is substantially equal to the middle radius of the upper curve.
42. The gasket of claim 41, wherein the thickness is constant within each side region.
43. The gasket of claim 35, wherein the arc is centered around a point approximately midway between the opposed sides.
44. The gasket of claim 36 wherein the upper surface is convex and the lower surface is concave.
45. The gasket of claim 28, wherein the strip is a first strip, wherein the gasket further comprises:
a second strip comprising:
(a) first and second opposed sides,
(b) a lower surface connecting the first and second opposed sides, and
(c) an upper surface connecting the first and second opposed sides,
wherein the upper surface of the first strip is adjacent to the lower surface of the second strip;
wherein the first and second strips are arranged as alternately wound spirals; and
wherein the first strip comprises properties that are different from properties of the second strip.
46. The gasket of claim 28, further comprising a soft sealant material adjacent to and between the upper surface of the strip within a first winding and the lower surface of the strip within a second winding.
47. The gasket of claim 28, further comprising a soft sealant material extending over each opposed side of the strip.
48. The gasket of claim 46, further comprising a second soft sealant material extending over each opposed side of the strip.
49. The gasket of claim 48, wherein the sealing material that extends between adjacent windings is a different material than the second soft sealing material that extends over each opposed side of the stip.
50. A gasket for sealing opposed faces, the gasket comprising a strip comprising:
(a) first and second opposed sides;
(b) an upper surface connecting the first and second opposed sides, wherein the upper surface comprises an upper curve;
(c) a lower surface connecting the first and second opposed sides and spaced apart from the upper surface, wherein the lower surface comprises
(i) a lower curve,
(ii) a first straight region adjacent to and between the lower curve and the first opposed side, and
(iii) a second straight region adjacent to and between the second end of the lower curve and the second opposed side;
wherein the strip is arranged as a spiral comprising a plurality of windings; and
wherein the upper surface faces outwardly with respect to the spiral and the lower surface faces inwardly with respect to the spiral.
51. The gasket of claim 50, wherein the upper surface is curved from one opposed side to the other opposed side.
52. The gasket of claim 50, wherein at least one of the upper and lower curves comprises an arc.
53. The gasket of claim 52, wherein the lower curve comprises a lower arc and the upper curve comprises an upper arc.
54. The gasket of claim 53, wherein the upper arc and the lower arc extend from a common axis.
55. A method of effecting a seal between two opposed faces comprising placing the gasket of claim 1 between the two opposed faces.
56. A method of forming a seal arrangement comprising placing a gasket of claim 1 between two opposed faces, and securing the gasket between the two opposed faces.