Decreasing average time to access a computer bus by eliminating arbitration delay when the bus is idle
US5255373A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 1991 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/36
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus to improve computer bus access time. A bus is described which has sequential control states and fixed transaction times. Without the invention, arbitration may be delayed as the bus sequences through control states. With the invention, arbitration is immediate if the bus is idle. When any transaction is initiated, a counter is initialized to the number of control states in the standard transaction time. If the counter reaches zero, the bus is idle. If the bus is not idle, a sequence of bus control states is repeated. If the bus is idle, the bus is forced to remain in an arbitration state, thereby enabling any subsequent arbitration to take place immediately.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.