System for controlling arbitration using the memory request signal types generated by the plurality of datapaths having dual-ported local memory architecture for simultaneous data transmission

A method for processing data, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a global memory means;
• (b) providing a plurality of datapaths, each datapath comprising:
• datapath processing means for executing instructions of an instruction sequence and for providing a plurality of memory request signal types in accordance with the instructions;
• local memory means;
• global port means for transferring data between the local memory means and the global memory means;
• and
• dual port means comprising first and second local port means for transferring data between the local memory means and the datapath processing means, wherein the first and second local port means permit simultaneous transfer of data between the local memory means and the datapath processing means;
• (c) providing a data bus means coupled to the global memory means for transferring data to and from the global memory means;
• (d) controlling, with a transfer controller means connected to the plurality of data paths and to the global memory means, block transfer and scalar data transfers between the local memory means and the global memory means over the data bus means and controlling arbitration, with the transfer controller means, among competing datapaths of the plurality of datapaths to grant to a selected datapath access to the data bus means in accordance with the memory request signal types generated by the datapaths of the plurality of datapaths, wherein the datapath processing means comprises first and second scalar address registers and first and second scalar data registers;
• and
• (e) loading one of the first and second scalar data registers of a datapath with the datapath processing means of the datapath via one of the first and second local memory port means of the datapath, and simultaneously reading or writing the other one of the first and second scalar data registers of the datapath with the datapath processing means of the datapath via the other of the first and second local memory port means of the datapath.

A system for processing data, comprising:

• (a) a global memory;
• (b) a plurality of datapaths, each datapath comprising:
• a datapath processor;
• a local memory;
• a global port;
• and
• a dual port comprising first and second local ports;
• (c) a data bus coupled to the global memory;
• and
• (d) a transfer controller connected to the plurality of datapaths and to the global memory;
• wherein:
• the datapath processor of a datapath executes instructions of an instruction sequence and provides a plurality of memory request signal types in accordance with the instructions;
• the global port of the datapath transfers data between the local memory and the global memory;
• the dual port of the datapath transfers data between the local memory and the datapath processor, wherein the first and second local ports permit simultaneous transfer of data between the local memory and the datapath processor;
• the data bus transfers data to and from the global memory;
• the transfer controller controls block transfer anti scalar data transfers between the local memories and the global memory over the data bus and controls arbitration among competing datapaths of the plurality of datapaths to grant to a selected datapath access to the data bus in accordance with the memory request signal types generated by the datapaths of the plurality of datapaths;
• the datapath processors each comprise first and second scalar address registers and first and second scalar data registers;
• and
• one of the first and second scalar data registers of the datapath is loaded by the datapath processor of the datapath via one of the first and second local memory ports of the datapath, and simultaneously the other one of the first and second scalar data registers of the datapath is read or written by the datapath processor of the datapath via the other one of the first and second local memory ports of the datapath.