Fast arbiter having easy scaling for large numbers of requesters, large

Abstract

A computer system having an arbitration mechanism for controlling the coupling order between a plurality of requesters and a plurality of resources, where each resource has an associated resource type. The arbitration mechanism includes a plurality of request processing units, each associated with one of the plurality of requesters. The request processing units receive resource type request signals from an associated requester. The arbitration mechanism also includes a plurality of grant processing units, each associated with one of the plurality of resources. The grant processing units monitor a status signal from its associated resource. The arbitration mechanism further includes a common broadcast medium which is coupled to all of the request processing units and grant processing units. The request and grant processing units arbitrate for access to the common broadcast medium, and then use the common broadcast medium to exchange information to control the coupling order between the plurality of resources and the plurality of requesters in the computer system. When a request processing unit and a grant processing unit have arbitrated for the coupling of a particular requester and a particular resource, a controller establishes a connection between the requester and the resource through a resource access path.