System and method for address broadcast synchronization using a plurality of switches

A system for concurrently providing addresses to a plurality of devices, comprising:

• a first switch coupled to receive address requests from a first plurality of sources, wherein said first switch is configured to output said address requests from said first plurality of sources;
• and
• a second switch coupled to receive address requests from a second plurality of sources, wherein said second switch comprises:
• a broadcast buffer coupled to receive addresses of said address requests from said second plurality of sources;
• an incoming buffer coupled to receive addresses of said output of said address requests from said first plurality of sources from said first switch;
• a delay circuit coupled to receive said address requests from said second plurality of sources, wherein said delay circuit is configured to delay said address requests from said second plurality of sources for a predetermined length of time;
• a broadcast arbiter coupled to arbitrate between ones of said address requests from said second plurality of sources and ones of said output of said address requests from said first plurality of sources from said first switch for a selected address request;
• wherein said first switch and said second switch are further configured to broadcast concurrently a corresponding address to said selected address request in said broadcast arbiter.

A method for concurrently providing addresses to a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

• receiving at a first switch a first address and a corresponding first request from a first device;
• receiving at a second switch a second address and a corresponding second request from a second device, wherein said second switch is different from said first switch;
• transferring said second address and said corresponding second request to said first switch;
• delaying said corresponding first request in said first switch;
• arbitrating in said first switch between said corresponding first request and said corresponding second request for whether said first address or said second address will comprise a first transmission;
• and
• concurrently broadcasting to a plurality of devices said first transmission from said first switch and said first transmission from said second switch, wherein said first transmission from said first switch and said first transmission from said second switch are identical.

A system for concurrently providing addresses to a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

• means for receiving at a first switch a first address and a corresponding first request from a first device;
• means for receiving at a second switch a second address and a corresponding second request from a second device, wherein said second switch is different from said first switch;
• means for transferring said second address and said corresponding second request to said first switch;
• means for delaying said corresponding first request in said first switch;
• means for arbitrating in said first switch between said corresponding first request and said corresponding second request for whether said first address or said second address will comprise a first transmission;
• means for concurrently broadcasting to a plurality of devices said first transmission from said first switch and said first transmission from said second switch, wherein said first transmission from said switch and said first transmission from said second switch are identical.

A method of arbitrating in a first switch and a second switch between requests to said first switch and said second switch, the method comprising:

• tracking which switch was most recently selected;
• tracking which switch is next to be selected;
• in response to a reset,
• selecting the first switch;
• and
• indicting the second switch as next to be selected;
• in response to only a local request to said first switch or only a remote request to said second switch,
• selecting the first switch;
• and
• indicting the first switch as next to be selected;
• in response to only a local request to said second switch or only a remote request to said first switch,
• selecting the second switch;
• and
• indicting the second switch as next to be selected;
• in response to both a local request and a remote request concurrently,
• selecting a switch not most recently selected;
• and
• indicting the switch not most recently selected as next to be selected;
• otherwise,
• selecting the first switch;
• and
• indicting the switch most recently selected as next to be selected.