Single chip protocol engine and data formatter apparatus for off chip host memory to local memory transfer and conversion

A chip comprising:

• a bus interface unit, wherein the bus interface unit sends and receives data from a bus on the host;
• a protocol engine connected to the bus interface unit, wherein the protocol engine manages transfer of information from a host memory coupled to the bus to a local memory coupled to the chip and generates a list of transmit activities used to transmit data to a device;
• a link controller, wherein the link controller provides an interface for a communications link to the device;
• a transmitter connected to the link controller, wherein the transmitter manages formatting data in to a format for transfer to the device by the link controller;
• a receiver connected to the link controller, wherein the receiver managers data received by the link controller;
• and
• a context manager coupled to the protocol engine, wherein the context manager traverses the list of transmit activities and executes a transfer of data based on the list using the transmitter and wherein the context manager processes data received by the receiver.

A chip comprising:

• a bus interface unit, wherein the bus interface unit provides an interface to send and receive data from a first bus on the host;
• a protocol engine connected to the bus interface unit, wherein the protocol engine manages transfer of information from a host memory to a memory coupled to the chip and responsive to a request to transfer data, wherein the protocol engine has a plurality of modes of operation comprising:
• a first mode of operation in which the protocol engine detects a request to transfer block of data located in a host memory;
• and
• a second mode of operation, responsive to detecting the request, in which the protocol engine moves the block of data from the host memory into a local memory and creates a transmit block, wherein the transmit block includes the block of data and information used to transmit the block of data;
• a transfer engine, wherein the transfer engine detects the transmit block and sends the transmit block to a transmitter;
• the transmitter receives the transmit block and places block of data into a format for transmission, wherein the format is identified from the information;
• and
• a link controller connected to the transmitter, wherein the link controller provides an interface for a communications link to the device.