Patent · US Active

Utilizing programmable channels for allocation of buffer space and transaction control in data communications

US7882278B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
20References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 30, 2009
Grant dateFeb 1, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 30, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F13/4059
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A control mechanism for data bus communications employs channels to which bus transactions are assigned, each channel having independent flow control. The control mechanism enforces an ordering algorithm among channels, whereby at least some transactions may pass other transactions. Channel attributes are programmable to vary the ordering conditions. Preferably, each channel is allocated its own programmable buffer area. The control mechanism independently determines, for each channel, whether buffer space is available and enforces flow control independently for each channel accordingly. Flow control is preferably credit-based, credits representing buffer space or some other capacity of a receiver to receive data. Preferably, the flow control mechanism comprises a central interconnect module controlling internal communications of an integrated circuit chip.

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