Out-of-band look-ahead arbitration method and/or architecture
AssigneeCypress Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsSomnath Paul, S. Babar Raza
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising a plurality of storage devices and a scheduler circuit. Each of the plurality of storage devices may be configured to store and present one or more packets of a data stream over one or more first busses operating at a first speed. The scheduler circuit may be configured to determine which of the plurality of storage devices transmits the packets of the data stream. A second bus that may be configured to carry look ahead information and synchronize the plurality of devices. The second bus may operate at a second speed.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of storage devices each configured to store and present one or more packets of a data stream over one or more first busses, wherein each of said plurality of storage devices operates at a first speed;
- a scheduler circuit configured to determine which of said storage devices transmits the packets of the data stream;
- and
- a second bus configured to carry look ahead information and synchronize said one or more devices, wherein said second bus operates at a second speed.
A method for reading one or more packets from a plurality of devices, comprising the steps of:
- (A) detecting a queue address;
- and
- (B) determining a location of said queue address by (i) reading at least one of said one or more packets if said queue address belongs to a present device of said plurality of devices packets and (ii) waiting for a boundary differential signal if said queue address does not belong to said present device.
A method for synchronization across a plurality of storage devices, comprising the steps of:
- (A) determining a location of a previous queue address;
- (B) looking for an end of packet indication if said previous queue address belongs to a current device of said plurality of devices;
- and
- (C) detecting an address request signal, if said previous queue address does not belong to said current device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.