System for generating and sending a critical-world-first data response packet by creating response packet having data ordered in the order best matching the desired order

A system for transferring data in critical-word-first order, the system comprising:

• a requester having an input and an output for generating and sending a critical-byte first data request, wherein the requester is a state machine that creates a data request packet, transmits the data request packet, monitors for a response packet, receives a response packet including header information, and uses the header information to determine the order of data in the response packet;
• and
• a responder having an input and an output for receiving the data request, and generating and sending a critical-word-first data response packet, the input of the responder coupled to the output of the requester and the output of the responder coupled to the input of the requester;
• wherein the responder includes a state machine for processing data transfer requests by determining the orderings of data that the responder can provide;
• determining the ordering for the data requested;
• and creating a response packet with the data ordered in critical-word-aligned order beginning with the word containing the critical first byte.

A method for processing critical-byte-first data transfers, the method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring for a data request packet;
• determining a desired order for requested data;
• determining orders in which a data storage device can provide the requested data;
• determining an order of the data best matching the desired order;
• creating a response packet having data ordered within the packet in the order best matching the desired order;
• and
• transmitting the response packet on a bus.