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:
Oct. 05, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 06, 2000
Robert Glenn Gugel, Longmont, CO (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system ( ) for data transfer is disclosed that comprises a transfer memory ( ) having one or more buffers ( , and ). Accessing units comprising direct memory access units ( and ) are coupled to the transfer memory ( ) and are operable to access the transfer memory ( ). Pointers ( , and ) stored in the transfer memory ( ) direct the accessing units ( and ) to selected ones of the buffers ( , and ) such that no two accessing units ( and ) are simultaneously accessing one buffer ( , and ). More specifically, the pointers ( , and ) may also direct a memory control unit ( ) to a buffer that is not being accessed by an accessing units ( and ). According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for data transfer is disclosed. First, a transfer memory ( ) comprising one or more buffers ( , and ) is provided. Second, pointers ( , and ) indicating selected ones of the buffers are stored in transfer memory ( ). Finally, accessing units comprising direct memory access units ( and ) operable to access the transfer memory ( ) are directed to the buffer indicated by the pointer ( and ), such that no two accessing units ( and ) are simultaneously accessing one buffer ( , and ). More specifically, a transfer memory control unit ( ) may be directed to a next buffer that is not being accessed by an accessing unit ( and ).