The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 24, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 02, 1999
Michael Frank, Newtown, PA (US);
John Raymond Wiseman, Newtown, PA (US);
ATI International Srl, Barbados, BB;
Abstract
A data bus bandwidth allocation apparatus and method uses buffer entry feedback data from a buffer, such as an overflow buffer, that receives requested data over an unregulated bus. The data bus bandwidth allocation method and apparatus generates data issue delay data based on the buffer entry feedback data to adjust data commands to a data source, such as frame buffer memory used to feed a regulated bus. In one embodiment, the data issue rate regulator utilizes a programmable threshold corresponding to a threshold of data entries in an overflow. The overflow FIFO has feedback indicating, for example, the number of free entries or the number of full entries. The data issue rate regulator provides data rate regulation information to an adjustable delay sequencer. The adjustable delay sequencer selectively sequences data reads from the frame buffer memory so that data collisions do not occur over the memory read backbone.