Expanded memory interface for supporting expanded, conventional or extended memory for communication between an application processor and an external processor
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsSteven J. Wallace, LaVaughn F. Watts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expanded memory interface is shown including an expanded memory controller for controlling a plurality of memory components for an application processor external to the interface. The application processor is connected to the expanded memory controller, which is in turn coupled to at least one status port for communication between the application processor and an external processor. At least one of the status ports are coupled to the external processor which uses such status port as an interrupt register for indicating status changes to the application processor.
Claims25
A microcomputer, comprising:
- an application processor having conventional memory;
- an external processor;
- and
- an expanded memory interface coupled between said application processor and said external processor for communication therebetween via said expanded memory interface;
- wherein said expanded memory interface comprises at least one status port coupled to said external processor and having at least one register, wherein said external processor uses the register to indicate peripheral configurations to the application processor by writing a bit change to the register in response to peripheral configuration changes which is communicated to the application processor via the expanded memory interface and wherein the application processor dynamically responds to the peripheral configuration indications in real-time.
An expanded memory interface comprising:
- an application processor;
- an expanded memory controller connected to the application processor, wherein the expanded memory controller controls a plurality of memory components for the application processor;
- an external processor;
- and
- a plurality of status ports comprising at least one register coupled to the external processor and the expanded memory controller, wherein the external processor uses the register to indicate peripheral configurations to the application processor by writing a bit change to the register in response to peripheral configuration changes which is communicated to the application processor via the expanded memory controller and wherein the application processor dynamically responds to the peripheral configuration indications in real-time.
A card slot interface, comprising:
- an application processor;
- an external processor;
- and
- a controller connected to the application processor and the external processor, wherein the controller comprises:
- at least one status port connected to a plurality of card slots, the status port having at least one register, the register having a plurality of bits, wherein the bits communicate to the application processor any change in status at the card slots and wherein the application processor dynamically responds to a change in status at the card slots in real-time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.