System for transferring input/output data independently through an input/output bus interface in response to programmable instructions stored in a program memory
US5835788A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/28
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A programmable DMA controller that uses an instruction set dedicated to moving data efficiently over a bus, comprising a program memory, a program counter, a FIFO memory, a bus buffer, registers, an accumulator, and an ALU. The DMA controller instruction set comprises the following instructions: load, move, add, subtract, branch on zero, branch on not zero, lock, and interrupt. Another DMA controller embodiment uses a SIMD processor. In operation, a CPU downloads DMA programs to the DMA controller. The DMA controller stores these programs in its program memory. The CPU signals the DMA to begin a DMA transfer operation. The ALU and associated devices execute the program instructions to perform the desired DMA transfer. The DMA controller then sends an interrupt to the CPU to indicate the DMA transfer is complete.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.