Method for detecting dropouts in data delivered over a bandwidth-limited bus
AssigneeConexant Systems, Inc.
InventorsMatthew J. DiMeo, John M. Brooks, Steven S. Mair, Daniel A. Marotta
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Abstract
A method for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system. Each address in the computer system buffer memory is initialized to a selected code value known not to exist in the data to be transferred. After sequential transfer of data to the buffer memory, the presence of the selected code value in the buffer memory indicates that a dropout occured.
Claims31
A method for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, including the steps of:
- (a) initializing each address location in a buffer memory within the computer system to a selected code value known not to exist within data generated within the digital data source;
- (b) initiating a transfer of such data over the bus to sequential locations within the buffer memory;
- (c) indicating if a dropout occurred during such transfer upon detection of the presence of the selected code value within the buffer memory.
A method for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, including the steps of:
- (a) monitoring data generated within the digital data source for occurrences of a selected code value;
- (b) replacing each occurrence of the selected code value with a substitute code value;
- (c) initializing each address location in a buffer memory within the computer system to the selected code value;
- (d) initiating a transfer of the data over the bus to sequential locations within the buffer memory;
- (e) indicating if a dropout occurred during such transfer upon detection of the presence of the selected code value within the buffer memory.
A system for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, including:
- (a) a monitoring circuit that monitors a selected portion of data generated within the digital data source for a data value that does not occur with the selected portion of data;
- (b) a communication circuit for transmitting the data value to the computer system as a selected code value;
- (c) a programmed processor configured to receive the selected code value and initialize each address location in a buffer memory within the computer system to the selected code value;
- (d) a data transfer system for initiating a transfer of the data within the data buffer over the bus to sequential locations within the buffer memory;
- (e) a programmed processor for indicating if a dropout occurred during such transfer upon detection of the presence of the selected code value within the buffer memory.
A system for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, including:
- (a) a monitoring circuit that monitors data generated within the digital data source for occurrences of a selected code value, and replaces each such occurrence with a substitute code value;
- (b) a programmed processor for initializing each address location in a buffer memory within the computer system to the selected code value;
- (c) a data transfer system for initiating a transfer of the data over the bus to sequential locations within the buffer memory;
- (d) a programmed processor for indicating if a dropout occurred during such transfer upon detection of the presence of the selected code value within the buffer memory.
A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, wherein the digital data source monitors a selected portion of data generated within the digital data source for a data value that does not occur with the selected portion of data and communicates the data value to the computer system as a selected code value, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
- (a) initialize each address location in a buffer memory within the computer system to the selected code value;
- (b) indicate if a dropout occurred during a transfer of the data within the internal data buffer over the bus to sequential locations within the buffer memory upon detection of the presence of the selected code value within the buffer memory.
A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, wherein the digital data source monitors data generated within the digital data source for occurrences of a selected code value, replaces each occurrence of the selected code value with a substitute code value, and temporarily stores such data in an internal data buffer, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
- (a) initialize each address location in a buffer memory within the computer system to the selected code value;
- (b) indicate if a dropout occurred during a transfer of the data within the internal data buffer over the bus to sequential locations within the buffer memory upon detection of the presence of the selected code value within the buffer memory.
A method for detecting dropouts in digital data transferred over a bus from a digital data source to a computer system, comprising:
- (a) initializing addresses in a buffer memory within the computer system to a selected code value that is expected not to be transferred from the digital data source;
- (b) initiating a transfer of digital data from the digital data source to target addresses within the buffer memory;
- and
- (c) indicating if a dropout occurred during such transfer upon detecting the selected code value within the buffer memory target addresses.
A system for detecting data transfer failures through a data bus, comprising:
- a) a monitoring subsystem configured to ensure an absence of a selected code within data units to be transferred from a data source to a data target memory;
- b) a data communication system configured to transfer data from the data source to the data target memory;
- and
- c) a data transfer failure detection subsystem configured to indicate an occurrence of a data transfer failure, wherein the data transfer failure detection subsystem indicates the occurrence of a data transfer failure by detecting a presence of the selected code within data of the data target memory subsequent to an attempted data transfer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.