Douglas Hamilton

Title: Douglas Hamilton: Innovator in Memory Access Management

Introduction

Douglas Hamilton is a notable inventor based in Allen, TX (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of computer systems, particularly in memory access management. With a total of 2 patents, Hamilton's work focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of memory bandwidth allocation.

Latest Patents

Hamilton's latest patents include a requesting device capable of canceling its memory access requests upon detecting higher priority devices. This innovative memory bandwidth allocation scheme ensures that when a first device requests access to a resource and detects two higher priority devices also requesting access, it shuts itself down. The first device deactivates its access request signals and clears its buffers, reactivating only when it receives a graphics VSYNC signal. This allocation scheme prevents the arbiter from getting stuck in a loop serving only high priority requests, thereby ensuring that lower priority requests are also addressed.

Another significant patent by Hamilton involves dynamic arbitration priority. This arbitration controller temporarily raises the priority of a graphic device's high watermark (HWM) request above that of the BitBLT engine while the device's low watermark (LWM) request is being served. This mechanism ensures that the BitBLT engine cannot interrupt the transfer of data to the graphics device. Each device capable of issuing memory access requests is categorized into one of four classes, with LWM requests being the highest priority, followed by CPU memory access requests, BitBLT engine requests, and finally HWM requests.

Career Highlights

Hamilton is currently employed at Cirrus Logic Inc., where he continues to innovate and develop solutions in the realm of memory management. His work has had a profound impact on the efficiency of computer systems, making them more responsive and capable of handling multiple requests simultaneously.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Hamilton has collaborated with notable colleagues such as Robert M Nally and Pete Edward Nelsen. These collaborations have further enriched his work and contributed to advancements in technology.

Conclusion

Douglas Hamilton's contributions to memory access management through his innovative patents have significantly enhanced the performance of computer systems. His work at Cirrus Logic Inc. and collaborations with esteemed colleagues underscore his commitment to advancing technology in this critical area.