Patent · US Expired

Minimum pin-count multiplexed address/data bus with byte enable and burst address counter support microprocessor transmitting byte enable signals on multiplexed address/data bus having burst address counter for supporting signal datum and burst transfer

US5386579A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
13References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 16, 1991
Grant dateJan 31, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 16, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0879
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multiplexed address and data bus system provides a minimum pin count with byte enable and burst address counter support. The partitioning of the address bus includes separate byte enables to indicate specifically which bytes of the word are being accessed, and two independent address lines which can function as a counter to support the burst refill. Both block reads or single datum transfers are handled similarly: a single addressing phase with multiple data phases; and all addresses in the memory system; are derived directly from the same pins regardless of whether it is a block read or not. The system allows for low cost packaging while maintaining a variety of system capabilities.

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