Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for improving bus master performance

US6971033B2 · kind B2 · utility

18Cited by
11References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 10, 2003
Grant dateNov 29, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 4, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02D30/50
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing dynamic arbitration of memory accesses by a CPU and at least one bus master interface module based on, at least in part, monitoring a CPU throttle control signal and monitoring CPU power and performance states, and making decisions based on the monitored parameters. Bus master memory access break events and memory read and write accesses are also monitored as part of the arbitration process in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention. An arbitration (ARB) module performs the dynamic arbitration. A CPU throttle control module generates the CPU throttle control signal, indicating when the CPU is idle, and also monitors and outputs the CPU power and performance states. A memory controller (MC) module controls accesses to the memory subsystem based on, at least in part, the dynamic arbitration performed by the dynamic arbitration module.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.