Integrated circuit

US6895462B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ALCATEL · FR

Inventors

• Carl Roger Pertry · Hemmingen, DE
• Heiko Meyer · Uttenreuth, DE
• Thomas Schulz · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 20, 2002
• Grant date: May 17, 2005
• Expiry date: May 23, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F9/30101
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes a processor and at least one module and provides registers required for the modules as well as access to these registers. By concentrating the required registers according to the invention in a central register bank, which like the processor and the modules is connected to a fast AMBA-AHB bus, several advantages are achieved: for one, faster access is possible to each register. For another, the placement of the registers and the routing for the registers is simplified. This in particular allows chip area to be saved, which leads to cost savings in manufacture and enables higher component density. Furthermore, a slow AMBA-APB bus has now become optional.