Method and apparatus for response modes in pipelined environment
AssigneeSonics, Inc.
InventorsWolf-Dietrich Weber, Jay S. Tomlinson, Drew E. Wingard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pipelined network is disclosed which provides for at least one mode to control the state of a response flag and when the target device is unable to respond to an initiator device request.
Claims22
A pipelined network, comprising:
- at least one initiator device configured to issue requests;
- a target device configured to receive requests;
- and
- bus signal lines comprising lines to issue requests and responses to requests between initiator devices and the target device and a response flag coupled between the target device and at least one of the initiator devices;
- the target device having logic to respond to the request in different modes of operation comprising
- a first mode wherein a no-response-available (NRA) response is selectively issued and a response flag is set to a first state if space is available in the target device to service the request;
- a second mode wherein an NRA response is selectively issued and the response flag is set to the first state if space is available in the target device to service the request and a port of the target device is not busy;
- a third mode wherein an NRA response is selectively issued and the response flag is set to the first state;
- and
- control logic to direct the logic which mode of operation to utilize when issuing the NRA response and setting the state of the response flag to a first initiator device when the target device is unavailable to service the request of the first initiator device.
A pipelined network, comprising:
- at least one initiator device configured to issue requests;
- a target device configured to receive requests;
- and
- bus signal lines comprising lines to issue requests and responses to requests between initiator devices and the target device and a response flag coupled between the target device and at least one of the initiator devices;
- the target device having logic to respond to the request in different modes of operation comprising
- a first mode wherein a NRA response is selectively issued and a response flag is set to a first state if an early-flow-control indication is in an inactive state;
- a second mode wherein an NRA response is selectively issued and the response flag is set to the first state;
- and
- control logic to direct the logic which mode of operation to utilize when issuing the NRA response and setting the state of the response flag to a first initiator device when the target device is unavailable to service the request of the first initiator device.
A pipelined network comprising:
- at least one initiator device configured to issue requests;
- a target device configured to receive requests;
- and
- bus signal lines comprising lines to issue requests and responses to requests between initiator devices and the target device and a response flag coupled between the target device and at least one of the initiator devices;
- the target device having logic to respond to the request in different modes of operation comprising
- a first mode wherein a NRA response is selectively issued and a response flag is set to a first state if a first condition exists;
- a second mode wherein an NRA response is selectively issued and the response flag is set to the first state if a second condition exists;
- and
- control logic to direct the logic which mode of operation to utilize when issuing the NRA response and setting the state of the response flag to a first initiator device when the target device is unavailable to service the request of the first initiator device.
In a pipelined network comprising at least one initiator device configured to issue requests and at least one target device coupled to receive requests from at least one initiator device, a method for notifying initiator devices that a target device is unavailable to service an initiator device request, the method comprising:
- directing the target to operate in a first mode of operation or in a second mode of operation;
- wherein if the target operates in the first mode, then
- selectively issuing a NRA response and setting a response flag to a first state if space is available in the target device to service the request and the target device is busy;
- selectively issuing an NRA response and setting the response flag to the first state if space is available in the target device to service the request and a port of the target device is not busy;
- wherein if the target operates in the second mode, then
- selecting a response to issue to an initiator device when a target device is unavailable to service the initiator device request.
In a pipelined network comprising at least one initiator device configured to issue requests and at least one target device coupled to receive requests from at least one initiator device, a method for notifying initiator devices that a target device is unavailable to service an initiator device request, the method comprising:
- directing the target to operate in a first mode of operation or in a second mode of operation;
- wherein if the target operates in the first mode, then
- selectively issuing a NRA response and setting the response flag to the first state if an early-flow-control indication is in a first state;
- selectively issuing the NRA response and setting the response flag to the first state;
- and
- selecting a response to issue to an initiator device when a target device is unavailable to service the initiator device request.
In a pipelined network comprising at least one initiator device configured to issue requests and at least one target device coupled to receive requests from at least one initiator device, a method for notifying initiator devices that a target device is unavailable to service an initiator device request, the method comprising:
- directing the target to operate in a first mode of operation or in a second mode of operation;
- wherein if the target operates in the first mode, then
- selectively issuing a NRA response and setting a response flag to a first state if a first condition exists;
- selectively issuing the NRA response and setting the response flag to the first state if a second condition exists;
- and
- selecting a response to issue to an initiator device when the target device is unavailable to service the initiator device request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.