US 6,185,520 B2 · Method and system for bus switching data transfers

Abstract

In a computer system having a plurality of peripheral devices, a data transfer system for implementing transparent direct communication between the devices and the computer system. The system of the present invention includes a switch having a plurality of ports. Each of the plurality of ports is adapted to couple to a respective one of a plurality of devices. Each of the plurality of ports is further adapted to accept data from its respective device and transmit data to its respective device in a bi-directional manner. The switch communicatively couples a first pair of the plurality of ports to enable communication between their respective devices and communicatively couples a second pair of the plurality of ports to enable communication between their respective devices such that communication between the first pair of ports and communication between the second pair of ports occurs simultaneously and independently, thereby implementing efficient switched data transfers between the respective devices and greatly increasing the total data transfer bandwidth of the computer system.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A shared bus emulating switch for implementing transparent direct communication between a plurality of shared bus devices, comprising:

a switch having a first port and a second port, said first port and said second port adapted to respectively couple to a first shared bus device and a second shared bus device;
a third port and a fourth port adapted to respectively couple to a third shared bus device and a fourth shared bus device;
said switch adapted to communicatively couple said first port and said second port to enable a transparent direct communication between said first shared bus device and said second shared bus device and communicatively couple said third port and said fourth port to enable a transparent direct communication between said third shared bus device and said fourth shared bus;
and
said communication between said third shared bus device and said fourth shared bus device simultaneous with respect to said communication between said first shared bus device and said second shared bus device, wherein said switch emulates a shared bus protocol.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for bus switching data transfers

Life of this patent

Method and system for bus switching data transfers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16