Smart arbitration for non-symmetric data streams
US5907688A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 25, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/364
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for selecting a data stream in an access to a shared bus in a computer system. The method begins by requesting access to the shared bus. An evaluation of whether a first or a second data stream is a higher priority data stream is performed after the access request. The higher priority stream is selected to access the shared bus. A bus agent implementing this method includes a data stream selector coupled to receive a plurality of data streams. Bus cycle generation circuitry is coupled to a bus request line and a bus grant line. A priority evaluation circuit coupled to the data stream selector and the bus cycle generation circuitry is configured to control selection of one of the plurality of data streams based on a priority selection.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.