Asynchronous arbiter using multiple arbiter elements to enhance speed
US5713025A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 27, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 8, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L25/085
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An arbiter circuit is described that is capable of granting a first user access to a shared resource while concurrently arbitrating subsequent requests from the first user to other users seeking access to the shared resource. The arbiter of the present invention includes a first arbiter element and a second arbiter element. The first arbiter element is initially used to arbitrate and issue a grant signal in response to one or more request signals from two or more users. The second arbiter element arbitrates and issues the next grant signal in response to subsequent request signal or signals from the one or other users. In one embodiment of the invention, the first and second arbiter elements are used alternately. In other embodiments, third and fourth arbiter elements are used to arbitrate in response to subsequent requests. The arbiter circuits of the present invention all reduce the delays in the access of users to the shared resource.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.