Method for improving the real-time functionality of a personal computer which employs an interrupt servicing DMA controller
US5754884A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 19, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 20, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/28
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for performing data transfers in a computer system comprising an improved DMA controller (DMAC) for performing DMA transfers between a peripheral device and system memory and receiving and servicing interrupts generated by the peripheral device. The system comprises a CPU, system memory, the DMA controller and a plurality of peripheral devices interconnected by buses. The CPU programs the peripheral, such as a disk drive, to retrieve or store data. When the peripheral has retrieved the data or is ready to receive the data the peripheral generates an interrupt. The CPU programs the DMAC to perform DMA transfers between the peripheral and the system memory and to selectively decouple the interrupt request from the peripheral to the CPU so that the DMAC can service the interrupt from the peripheral rather than the CPU. The decoupling is selectively performed so that, in the case of a write to the peripheral, the DMAC can receive the interrupt from the peripheral and perform the data transfer. In the case of a read from the peripheral, the DMAC performs the data transfer, then receives and services the interrupt from the peripheral. The CPU also programs the DMAC to selectivel…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.