Panafacom Limited

Isamu Hasebe

Mitsuru Yamamoto

Takao Isogawa

Jun Arai

A direct memory access control (DMAC) system, in a data processing system, includes at least a central processing unit and a memory, the memory being capable of storing and providing data in any one of several predetermined formats. A plurality of input/output control ports, each connecting a respective input/output device to a common data bus, control data transfer in either direction between the device and the memory. A direct memory access control unit is connected to the common data bus for receiving an access request signal from any of the plurality of input/output control ports, and is connected to the memory for providing thereto, in response to the access request signal, instructions at least as to the size and desired format of the data transfer. A bus switching unit connects the common data bus to the memory, and is connected to the direct memory access control unit for receiving the instructions. The bus switching unit is responsive to the direct memory access control unit for interfacing the memory to the common data bus in such a manner as to cause the data transfer to be of the desired format.

Direct memory access control system with byte/word control of data bus

In a multiprocessor system having a plurality of processors, each of identical construction, each processor is internally equipped with a fixed address supply source which generates a non-unique fixed address for accessing a common memory unit over commonly connected bus lines, and a sequential state indicate signal generator for generating a logic '1' or '0' synchronizing signal when a special condition (for example, interrupt) occurs with respect to the processor. A shared memory access control system for a multiprocessor system, as above described, includes circuitry, external to and associated with at least each processor except for one processor, responsive to the synchronizing signal from its respective processor for modifying the non-unique fixed address from the respective processor so that, as a result, each processor is able to address the common memory over the commonly connected bus lines with a unique fixed address.

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Yokohama, Japan

Isamu Hasebe