Single descriptor scatter gather data transfer to or from a host processor

An apparatus for use in transferring data involving a processing device of a processing system, the apparatus comprising:

• a host processor operatively coupled to the processing device via a system bus;
• wherein the host processor is configurable to control the transfer of information at least one of to and from a plurality of non-contiguous memory locations in a memory associated with the processing device, utilizing a data structure comprising a single descriptor, an information transfer bandwidth of the system bus thereby being more efficiently utilized than if a separate descriptor were used for transfer of information involving each of the non-contiguous memory locations.

A method for use in transferring data between a processing device and a host processor over a system bus in a processing system, the method comprising the step of:

• controlling the transfer of information at least one of to and from a plurality of non-contiguous memory locations in a memory associated with the processing device;
• wherein the transfer is controllable utilizing a data structure comprising a single descriptor, an information transfer bandwidth of the system bus thereby being more efficiently utilized than if a separate descriptor were utilized for transfer of information involving each of the non-contiguous memory locations.

A processing device couplable to a host processor over a system bus, the processing device comprising:

• control circuitry operative to determine a particular type of information transfer to be performed involving a plurality of non-contiguous memory locations in a memory associated with the processing device, the transfer to be performed between the processing device and the host processor over the system bus;
• wherein the transfer is controllable utilizing a data structure comprising a single descriptor, an information transfer bandwidth of the system bus thereby being more efficiently utilized than if a separate descriptor were utilized for transfer of information involving each of the non-contiguous memory locations.