Buffer control for a data path system
US4378588A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 6, 1980 |
| Grant date | Mar 29, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 6, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F15/173
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A datapath system and protocol is disclosed in which data is transferred between a computer memory and one or more peripheral devices through device controllers, each of which includes a buffer, through periodic connection of the device controller to the channel. The system and protocol are structured to permit multiple device controllers to cooperatively interact on a single channel, without direct communication between device controllers. Each device controller monitors the level of stress on its buffer and at appropriate times presents a reconnect request to the channel, together with indica for permitting the channel to determine the priority of a particular request relative to other reconnect requests. The times at which a reconnect signal should be presented are determined by monitoring the level of information storage in the buffer and relating that level to a threshold level; both overfilling and overemptying are prevented. The threshold level can be varied in accordance with a criteria which makes allowance for the number and combination of device controllers attached to the channel; and is set such that the remaining space in the buffer is sufficient to allow the buffer t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.