System for handling requests for dma data transfers between a host

Abstract

A multi-media user task (host) computer is interfaced to a high speed DSP which provides support functions to the host computer via an interprocessor DMA bus master and controller. Support of multiple dynamic hard real-time signal processing task requirements are met by posting signal processor support task requests from the host processor through the interprocessor DMA controller to the signal processor and its operating system. The signal processor builds data transfer packet request execution lists in a partitioned queue in its own memory and executes internal signal processor tasks invoked by users at the host system by extracting signal sample data from incoming data packets presented by the interprocessor DMA controller in response to its execution of the DMA packet transfer request queues built by the signal processor in the partitioned queue. Processed signal values etc. are extracted from signal processor memory by the DMA interprocessor controller executing the partitioned packet request lists and delivered to the host processor. A very large number of packet transfers in support of numerous user tasks and implementing a very large number of DMA channels is thus made possible while avoiding the need for arbitration between the channels on the part of the signal processor or the host processor.