Data reception system

• US 20090031092A1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsumura, Takeo
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/28 using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access DMA, cycle steal G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A data reception system includes a data acquisition unit acquiring data from a predetermined transmission path, an access control unit storing the data acquired by the data acquisition unit in a predetermined storage area, and a plurality of storage areas. The plurality of storage areas includes a first storage area and a second storage area having a greater storable capacity and a lower storing speed compared to the first storage area. The access control unit further includes a transfer unit. The access control unit determines whether the total amount of data stored in the first storage area is in the excess of a predetermined threshold or not and causes a transfer unit to transfer the data acquired by the data acquisition unit to the second storage area to store the data in the second storage area when the total amount is in the excess of the threshold.

Claims

1. A data reception system comprising:

a data acquisition unit acquiring data from a predetermined transmission path;

an access control unit storing the data acquired by the data acquisition unit in a predetermined storage area; and

a plurality of storage areas; and

wherein

the plurality of storage areas includes a first storage area and a second storage area having a greater storable capacity and a lower storing speed compared to the first storage area;

the access control unit further includes a transfer unit; and

the access control unit determines whether the total amount of data stored in the first storage area is in excess of a predetermined threshold or not and causes a transfer unit to transfer the data acquired by the data acquisition unit to the second storage area to store the data in the second storage area when the total amount is in excess of the threshold.

2. A data reception system according to claim 1, wherein the access control unit has the data acquired by the data acquisition unit temporarily stored in the first storage area, determines thereafter whether the total amount of data stored in the first storage area is in the excess of a predetermined threshold or not, and causes the transfer unit to transfer the data temporarily stored in the first storage area to the second storage area to store the data in the second storage area when the total amount is in excess of the predetermined threshold.

3. A data reception system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a control unit generating a reception descriptor describing information on a position in the first storage area or the second storage area to store the data acquired by the data acquisition unit when the data is stored in the first storage area or the second storage area and reading the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor to execute a predetermined process; and

a descriptor area configured to allow the reception descriptor to be stored;

wherein

the access control unit describes the reception descriptor stored in the descriptor area to include the information on the position in the first storage area or the second storage area to store the data acquired by the data acquisition unit when the data is stored in the first storage area or the second storage area; and

the access control unit reads the reception descriptor to have the data stored in the first and second storage area based on the information on the position of the data described in the reception descriptor.

4. A data reception system according to claim 3, wherein:

the access control unit adds a flag indicating that the reception descriptor is in use to the reception descriptor when the data acquired by the data acquisition unit is stored in the first storage area or the second storage area; and

the control unit reads the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor and executes a predetermined process using the data.

5. A data reception system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a descriptor area configured to allow storage of a reception descriptor allowing a description of information on a position in the first storage area or the second storage area to store the data acquired by the data acquisition unit; and

a control unit generating a reception descriptor excluding information on a position to store data before the data acquisition unit acquires data and storing the descriptor in the descriptor area,

wherein

the access control unit describes information on a position in the first storage area or the second storage area to store the data acquired by the data acquisition unit in any reception descriptor in the descriptor area when the data is stored in the storage area; and

the control unit reads the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor and executes a predetermined process using the data.

6. A data reception system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a descriptor area configured to allow storage of a description descriptor allowing description of information on a position in the first storage area or the second storage area to store the data acquired by the data acquisition unit; and

a control unit;

wherein

the access control unit generates a reception descriptor describing information on a position in the first storage area or the second storage area to store the data acquired by the data acquisition unit when the data is stored in the first storage area or the second storage area; and

the control unit reads the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor and executing a predetermined process using the data.

7. A data reception system comprising:

a data acquisition unit acquiring data from a predetermined transmission path;

an access control unit storing the data acquired by the data acquisition unit in a predetermined storage area;

a plurality of storage areas;

a descriptor area configured to allow storage of a reception descriptor concerning a position in a storage area where the data is stored; and

a control unit;

wherein

the plurality of storage areas include a first storage area and a second storage area having a greater storable capacity and a lower storing speed compared to the first storage area;

the access control unit further includes a transfer unit;

the access control unit determines whether the total amount of data stored in the first storage area is in excess of a predetermined threshold or not, causes the transfer unit to transfer the data acquired by the data acquisition unit to the second storage area to store the data in the second storage area based on position information described in the reception descriptor when the total amount is in excess of the threshold, updates the reception descriptor by adding a flag indicating that the reception descriptor is in use to the descriptor, and notifies the control unit of the update of the reception descriptor; and

the control unit reads the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor and executes a predetermined process using the data.

8. A data reception system comprising:

a data acquisition unit acquiring data from a predetermined transmission path;

an access control unit storing the data acquired by the data acquisition unit in a predetermined storage area;

a plurality of storage area including a first storage area and a second storage area having a greater storable capacity and a lower storing speed compared to the first storage area;

a descriptor area configured to allow storage of a reception descriptor allowing a description of information on the position in the first storage area or the second storage area to where the data acquired by the data acquisition unit is to be stored; and

a control unit generating a reception descriptor excluding the information on the position to store data before the data acquisition unit acquires data and storing the descriptor in the descriptor area;

wherein

the access control unit further includes a control unit;

the access control unit determines whether the total amount of data stored in the first storage area is in excess of a predetermined threshold or not, causes the transfer unit to transfer the data acquired by the data acquisition unit to the second storage area to store the data in the second storage area based on position information described in the reception descriptor when the total amount is in excess of the threshold, and describes any reception descriptor in the descriptor area to include information on the position in the first storage area or the second storage area where the data acquired by the data acquisition unit is to be stored when the data is stored in the first storage area or the second storage area; and

the control unit reads the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor and executes a predetermined process using the data.

9. A data reception system comprising:

a data acquisition unit acquiring data from a predetermined transmission path;

an access control unit storing the data acquired by the data acquisition unit in a predetermined storage area;

a plurality of storage area including a first storage area and a second storage area having a greater storable capacity and a lower storing speed compared to the first storage area;

a descriptor area configured to allow storage of a reception descriptor allowing a description of information on the position in the first storage area or the second storage area where the data acquired by the data acquisition unit is to be stored; and

a control unit;

wherein

the access control unit further includes a transfer unit;

the access control unit determines whether the total amount of data stored in the first storage area is in excess of a predetermined threshold or not, causes the transfer unit to transfer the data acquired by the data acquisition unit to the second storage area to store the data in the second storage area based on position information described in the reception descriptor when the total amount is in excess of the threshold, and generates a reception descriptor describing information on the position in the first storage area or the second storage area where the data acquired by the data acquisition unit is to be stored when the data is stored in the first storage area or the second storage area; and

the control unit reads the data stored in the first storage area or the second storage area by referring to the reception descriptor and executes a predetermined process using the data.