Patent · US Expired

Programmable depth first-in, first-out memory

US5097442A · kind A · utility

83Cited by
11References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 21, 1988
Grant dateMar 17, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 21, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2205/126
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A first-in, first-out memory (10) can store a programmable number of data words at respective address locations within a memory (76). A read address generator (50, 58) generates a read pointer for pointing to a read address location in the memory (76). A depth address generator (42) points to a depth address location in the memory that is displaced from the read address location by a predetermined number of address locations. This depth address generator (42) is incremented to a next read depth address responsive to a read pulse (20) issued from a read/write controller (12). A write address generator (80) points to a write address location within memory (76). A comparator (52) compares the value stored in the write address generator (42) to the read depth address location stored in depth address generator (42) and is operable to generate a FULL memory status flag (24) responsive to their equality. Preferably, the comparator (52) also compares the read address to the write address, and is operable to generate an EMPTY status flag (26) responsive to their equality.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.