Method and apparatus for providing interprocessor communications using shared memory
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a first processor;
a second processor coupled to the first processor;
shared memory coupled to the first and second processors; and
wherein the first processor manages the shared memory and allocates a message buffer to the second processor whenever the second processor needs to send a message to the first processor, and wherein the first processor sends a message buffer pointer to the second processor that directs the second processor to the message buffer.
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Abstract
A method for transferring messages between a first processor (102) and a second processor (104) includes the step of requesting an empty message buffer (106) from the first processor or master processor (102). The first processor (102) sends an empty message buffer pointer (108) which the second processor uses to locate the allocated memory within the shared memory (112). The second processor (104) then loads its message in the allocated memory area and sends the message (110). After receiving the message, the first processor (102) releases the allocated memory area found in shared memory (112) so that it can be used in the future. An electronic device such as a radio communication device that uses the shared memory scheme is also described.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a first processor;
a second processor coupled to the first processor;
shared memory coupled to the first and second processors; and
wherein the first processor manages the shared memory and allocates a message buffer to the second processor whenever the second processor needs to send a message to the first processor, and wherein the first processor sends a message buffer pointer to the second processor that directs the second processor to the message buffer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for providing interprocessor communication between first and second processors using a shared memory, the first processor assigned to manage the shared memory, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) sending a request from the second processor requesting an empty message buffer from the shared memory when the second processor needs to send a message to the first processor;
(b) sending a message buffer pointer from the first processor to the second processor in response to the request sent in step (a);
(c) using the message buffer pointer by the second processor to locate the empty message buffer in the shared memory where the message is going to be loaded; and
(d) loading the empty message buffer with the message.
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12. A method as defined in 11, further comprising the step of:
(e) sending the message buffer pointer back to the first processor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for providing interprocessor communication between first and second processors using a shared memory, the first processor assigned to manage the shared memory, the method comprising the steps of:
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at the first processor;
(a) allocating a memory buffer from the shared memory for use in loading a message to be sent to the second processor;
(b) loading the message in the memory buffer;
(c) sending a message buffer pointer to the second processor; and
at the second processor;
(d) using the message buffer pointer to locate the message in the shared memory. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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- 18. A method as defined in 15, wherein step (c) is performed by the first processor sending the starting address of the allocated memory buffer to a memory located in the second processor.
Specification