Method for sharing a resource and circuit making use of same

Abstract

A method is provided for interfacing a plurality of processing components with a shared resource component. A token signal path is provided to allow propagation of a token through the processing components, wherein possession of the token by a given processing component enables the latter to conduct a transaction with the shared resource component. Token processing logic is also provided for propagating the token from one processing component to another along the token signal path, the propagating being done at a propagation rate that is related to a transaction rate associated with the shared resource component. The token processing logic also generates a trigger signal at least in part based on the token and propagates to trigger signal to the shared resource component to convey initiation of a transaction with the shared resource component. A circuit comprising a plurality of processing components and a shared resource component is provided wherein the plurality processing components and the shared resource components are interfaced with one another using the method proposed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.