System for providing control of data transmission by destination node using stream values transmitted from plural source nodes
AssigneeApple Computer, Inc.
InventorsSteven G. Roskowski, Dean M. Drako, William T. Krein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for allowing a component of a computer system to which data is to be written to control the order of transfer of that data including circuitry for providing a numbered signal signifying that a particular component has a set of data which is to be transferred to the destination component, circuitry associated with the destination component for choosing among all of the numbered signals to select from all sets of data a next set of data in a particular numerical order, and circuitry associated with the destination component for selecting other than the next set of data in the particular numerical order.
Claims13
In a computer system having a plurality of components, each with associated nodes, a method for controlling the transfer of sets of data from a plurality of source components to a destination component comprising the steps of:
- assigning a stream value to each set of data to be transferred from each source component to said destination component, wherein said stream value identifies associated sets of data within the computer system;
- transmitting each stream value of each set of data to be transferred to a destination node of said destination component prior to transmission of said sets of data to be transferred;
- selecting for transfer in a particular order by said destination node, a next set of data from said sets of data using said transmitted stream values;
- and
- skipping said next set of data by said destination node in response to a skip signal from said destination component.
A computer system comprising:
- a plurality of source nodes each having an associated source component, wherein each source node comprises a logic circuit configured to assign a stream value to each of a plurality of sets of data when said set of data are to be transferred within said computer system, said stream value identifying associated sets of data within said computer system, and to transmit said stream value prior to transmission of said sets of data, and a storage device coupled to said logic circuit and configured to store said stream values;
- and
- a destination node coupled to each source node and having an associated destination component, wherein said destination node comprises an arbitration circuit to review said stream values to determine a next set of data to be transferred from one of said source nodes to said destination component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.