Other

Motorola Corporation

Robert S Porter

Gary L Miller

Stanley E Groves

Vernon B Goler

Mario D Nemirovsky

A system comprises a service processor and a plurality of operating units dependent on the service processor. The service processor responds to service requests from the operating units and services the operating units one at a time. A scheduler is responsible for assigning priority to the operating units and determining the order in which the service requests are handled. A register contains a value indicative of the operating unit currently being serviced and is under control of the scheduler. According to one aspect of the present invention the register is also under control of the service processor itself. Another register, under control of the service processor, is coupled to the scheduler to generate service requests thereto independent of the operating units. A memory addressable by the service processor stores data. The service processor is capable of generating addresses for the memory derived from the contents of the register indicative of the operating unit currently being serviced.

Dedicated service processor with inter-channel communication features

A timer system comprises a plurality of timer channels serviced by a single service processor. Each of the timer channels is capable of both input (capture) and output (match) functions. The microprogrammed service processor is responsible for configuring each of the channels for their intended uses and for responding to service requests generated by the channels in response to the occurrence of timer events. Features of the timer channels include the ability to continuously execute capture functions without generating service requests, the ability to execute a single capture function and service request and protect the captured value from being overwritten until the service request has been responded to and the ability to combine match and capture functions in such a way as to place a time-out window on the capture event.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Robert S Porter