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:
Jan. 30, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 09, 2002
Method and apparatus for host messaging unit for peripheral component interconnect busmaster devices
Bruce Michael Cassidy, Livermore, CA (US);
Bruce Michael Cassidy, Livermore, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device contains Host Messaging Unit (HMU) which is operative to off load host processor and PCI device processor from PCI bus transfer overhead. HMU is configurable to asynchronously retrieve host processor commands from circular buffer, either by using polling or interrupt service techniques. Both host command retrieval methods are operable to remove host processor and PCI device processor from direct PCI bus command transactions, thereby increasing the efficiency of both processors. Interrupt service control of HMU is operative to buffer multiple service requests from PCI device processor, so that a more efficient use of the host processor interrupt service routine is implemented, providing for multiple service requests to be serviced in a single interrupt service request.