System using descriptor and having hardware state machine coupled to DMA for implementing peripheral device bus mastering via USB controller or IrDA controller

A system for implementing peripheral device bus mastering in a desktop personal computer (PC) system comprising, in combination:

• desktop PC system comprising:
• Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller means for transferring data to and from memory of said desktop PC system;
• hardware state machine means coupled to said DMA controller means for programming said DMA controller means, generating and sending command signals, and receiving completion status after transfer of data is complete;
• descriptor means stored in said memory of said desktop PC system for describing each data transfer that said hardware state machine means initiates, controls, and completes;
• register means stored within said hardware state machine for storing address information of said descriptor means;
• bus controller means coupled to said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means for implementing a memory data transfer request from said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means;
• and
• Infrared Data Association (IrDA) controller means coupled to said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means for receiving and responding to said command signals from said hardware state machine means, transferring said data to and from said DMA controller means, and generating and returning said completion status to said hardware state machine means after said transfer of data is complete, said IrDA controller means further being coupled to peripheral devices wherein said IrDA controller means is managed by a packet protocol that requires the management of a number of separate data packets of varying sizes.

A method for implementing peripheral device bus mastering in a desktop personal computer (PC) system comprising the steps of:

• providing a desktop PC system;
• providing Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller means coupled to said desktop PC system for transferring data to and from memory of said desktop PC system;
• providing hardware state machine means coupled to said DMA controller means for programming said DMA controller means, generating and sending command signals, and receiving completion status after transfer of data is complete;
• providing descriptor means stored in said memory of said desktop PC system for describing each data transfer that said hardware state machine means initiates, controls, and completes;
• providing register means stored within said hardware state machine for storing address information of said descriptor means;
• providing bus controller means coupled to said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means for implementing a memory data transfer request from said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means;
• and
• providing Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller means coupled to said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means for receiving and responding to said command signals from said hardware state machine means, transferring said data to and from said DMA controller means, and generating and returning said completion status to said hardware state machine means after said transfer of data is complete, said USB controller means further being coupled to peripheral devices wherein said USB controller means interfaces with said peripheral devices over a serial bus.

A method for implementing peripheral device bus mastering in a desktop personal computer (PC) system comprising the steps of:

• providing a desktop PC system;
• providing Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller means coupled to said desktop PC system for transferring data to and from memory of said desktop PC system;
• providing hardware state machine means coupled to said DMA controller means for programming said DMA controller means, generating and sending command signals, and receiving completion status after transfer of data is complete;
• providing descriptor means stored in said memory of said desktop PC system for describing each data transfer that said hardware state machine means initiates, controls, and completes;
• providing register means stored within said hardware state machine for storing address information of said descriptor means;
• providing bus controller means coupled to said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means for implementing a memory data transfer request from said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means;
• and
• providing Infrared Data Association (IrDA) controller means coupled to said DMA controller means and said hardware state machine means for receiving and responding to said command signals from said hardware state machine means, transferring said data to and from said DMA controller means, and generating and returning said completion status to said hardware state machine means after said transfer of data is complete, said IrDA controller means further being coupled to peripheral devices wherein said IrDA controller means is managed by a packet protocol that requires the management of a number of separate data packets of varying sizes.