Dynamic request priority arbitration

Abstract

A system and method are provided for dynamically determining the priority of requests for access to a resource taking into account changes in the access needs of a requesting agent over time. A requesting agent selects a priority level from a plurality of priority selections to include with a priority request to an arbiter. Work requests requiring the access to a resource may be stored in a work request queue. The priority level may be dynamic. The dynamic priority level enables the agent to sequentially increase or decrease the priority level of a priority request when threshold values representing the number of work requests in the work request queue are reached. The threshold values which cause the priority level to be increased may be higher than the threshold values which cause the priority level to be decreased to provide hysteresis. The dynamic priority level may, alternatively, enable the agent to start a timer for timing a pending priority request for a predetermined time period. The priority level of the priority request is increased if the priority request has not been granted before the timer expires.