Reverse data channel as a bandwidth modulator

Abstract

A method of allocating bandwidth among a plurality of devices communicatively connected through a data bus provides for determining a data need of at least one of the plurality of devices, allocating portions of the data bus to the devices in response to the data need, and transmitting data between the devices on the allocated portions of the data bus. The portions of the data bus can be subbusses, each comprising at least one bit line. The data need can be based on a measure of fullness of a buffer corresponding to the at least one device. The data need can be provided as feedback from the buffer to a data bus controller which allocates the portions of the data bus. The method can use rules for assigning the subbusses which are stored in a memory. A processor can change the rules to accommodate changing conditions in the data bus. Also provided is a data communication system comprising a dynamically reconfigurable data bus, a data bus controller connected to the dynamically reconfigurable data bus for configuring subbusses of the data bus, a plurality of receiving devices connected to the data bus, and a feedback connection from at least one of the receiving devices to the data bus controller, wherein the data bus controller configures the subbusses in accordance with feedback received over the feedback connection. A memory can be connected to the data bus controller for storing rules for use by the data bus controller in configuring the subbusses. A processor can change the rules to accommodate changing conditions in the data bus.