System and method for implementing a separate virtual channel for posted requests in a multiprocessor computer system
US6950438B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 17, 2000 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 22, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system employs virtual channels and allocates different resources to the virtual channels. More particularly, the computer system provides a posted commands virtual channel separate from the non-posted commands virtual channel for routing posted and non-posted commands or requests through coherent and noncoherent fabrics within the computer system. Because separate resources are allocated to the virtual channels in the computer system, posted requests may be allowed to become unordered with other requests from the same source. Implementation of a separate posted commands virtual channel may allow the computer system to maintain compatibility with I/O systems in which posted write requests may become unordered with previous posted requests (e.g., the Peripheral Component Interconnect Bus, or PCI). Implementation of the separate posted commands virtual channel thus may assist in providing deadlock-free operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.