Interface system having a programmable number of channels and methods of implementing same
US6470409B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 26, 1996 |
| Grant date | Oct 22, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 27, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/385
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multi-channel data transfer circuit and method which provides an interface between a computer system and a multi-channel communication controller. The data transfer circuit is programmable to provide a selectable number of communication channels between the computer system and the communication controller. The data transfer circuit is further programmable to provide a selectable number of entries in each of the communication channels. In a particular embodiment, FIFO memories within the data transfer circuit are logically partitioned to provide the desired number of communication channels and the desired number of entries per channel. The data transfer circuit includes a multi-channel transmit circuit for providing data values from the computer system to the communication controller, and a multi-channel receive circuit for providing data values from the computer communication controller to the computer system. Both the transmit and receive circuits include caching systems to promote burst accesses to the computer system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.