Smart direct memory access controller
US5579453A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 26, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K2215/0077
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A smart direct memory access controller for data space transformation. The smart direct memory access controller can be used in computer systems to read and/or write data in a non-linear fashion in order to alter the organization of data stored within the computer system. The direct memory access controller has particular application in the electronic subsystem of a non-raster format electronic printer, such as a partial width array or full width array thermal ink jet printer. The smart direct memory access controller enables a non-raster format printer to access image organized in raster format, by viewing the data space as a non-linear or multi-dimensional memory. Memory addresses of the non-linear or multi-dimensional address space are a catenation of several data fields. Each field is one of the coordinates that defines the location of data within memory. In the smart direct memory access controller any one or more of the fields can increase when it comes time to increment the address, giving rise to data streams that are actually vectors through the data space.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.