Dedicated centralized signaling mechanism for selectively signaling devices in a multiprocessor system
US5239629A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 1990 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F15/8092
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A signaling mechanism for sending and receiving signals to and from any one of all of a plurality of devices, including peripheral controllers and processors, in a multiprocessor system. The signaling mechanism includes two switches, a first switch routing a signal command generated by the device to a signal dispatch logic and a second switch for receiving signals generated by the signal dispatch logic and routing the signals to the selected device. The signal dispatch logic receiving the signal command, decodes the destination select value and generates a signal to be sent to the selected device. The signal command includes a destination select value representing a device selectably determined by the device. The signaling mechanism also includes an arbitration mechanism connected to the signal dispatch logic and the first switch for resolving simultaneous conflicting signal commands issued by two or more devices. The signal generated by the signal dispatch logic may include a plurality of bits representing one or more types of predefined signals to be acted upon by the device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.