REQUEST CONTROLLER, PROCESSING UNIT, ARRANGEMENT, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING REQUESTS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20100030939A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Semiconductor, LLC
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Bogenberger, Florian, Litovtchenko, Vladimir A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/263
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/24 using interrupt G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4812 by interrupt, e.g. masked

Abstract

An request controller for controlling requests of a processing unit. The request controller may include an request controller input for receiving an request and an request processing unit connected to the request controller input. The request may request to switch a context of said processing unit or to switch the processing unit from a current an operation to another operation. The request processing unit may decide on the request based on a decision criterion. An request controller output may be connected to the request processing unit, for outputting information about at least granted request request. The request processing unit may include a control logic unit including: a state input for receiving information about a current state of a system including the processing unit; and a request input for receiving information about a received request request. The control logic unit may be arranged to determine whether the received request belongs to the current state of the processor, to grant the request when the received request does belong to the current state and to reject the request in case the request does not belong to the current state. The control logic unit may further include a control logic output for outputting an request grant signal when the request is granted.

Claims

1. A request controller for controlling a request to at least one processing unit, said request requesting to switch a context of said processing unit or to switch said processing unit from a current operation to another operation, said request controller comprising:

a controller input for receiving a request;

a request processing unit connected to said controller input, for deciding on said request based on at least one decision criterion;

a controller output connected to said request processing unit, for outputting information about at least granted request;

wherein said request processing unit includes;

a control logic unit including;

a state input for receiving information about a current state of a system including said processing unit, and

a request input for receiving information about a received request;

said control logic unit being arranged to determine whether said received request belongs to said current state, to grant said request when said received request does belong to said current state and to reject said request in case the request does not belong to said current state;

said control logic unit further including a control logic output for outputting an request grant signal when said request is granted.

2. A request controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control logic unit is arranged to output, at said control logic output, an illegal request signal when said request is rejected.

3. A request controller as claimed in claim 1, including:

a counter for counting a number of granted requests;

a comparator for comparing a counter value of said counter with a counter threshold value, which comparator is arranged to grant said request in case the difference between said counter value and said counter threshold value meets a request grant criterion.

4. A request controller as claimed in claim 3, including at least two counters, each for counting a number of requests of a specific type.

5. A request controller as claimed in claim 3, including a counter controller connected to said counter and said comparator, for performing a predetermined operation on said counter value when said request is granted.

6. A request controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said comparator is arranged to reject said request in case the difference between said counter value and said counter threshold value does not meet said request grant criterion and to output an request overflow signal when said request is rejected.

7. A request controller as claimed in claim 1, including;

a current state indicator for indicating the state of said system and a state controller connected to said current state indicator, for changing said current state to a next state.

8. A request controller as claimed claim 7, wherein said state controller is connected to said control logic unit for adjusting said state indicator when a request is granted, based on a model of states of said system.

9. A request controller as claimed in claim 1, including:

a state transition controller for determining allowed transitions from the current state to a next state and for determining whether said request is associated with an allowed transition and rejecting the request when the request is not associated with an allowed transition.

10. A request controller as claimed in claim 9, wherein said state transition controller is configured to grant said request when said request is associated with an allowed transition and one or more conditions for allowing said transition are fulfilled.

11. A request controller as claimed in claim 1, including at least two request controller inputs and an request decoder connected to said request controller inputs for selecting, from two or more requests received during the same period of time, a selected request, said request decoder having a decoder output connected to said request processing unit for outputting said selected request.

12. An processing assembly including an request controller as claimed in claim 1 and a processing unit.

16. A request controller as claimed in claim 2, including:

a counter for counting a number of granted requests;

a comparator for comparing a counter value of said counter with a counter threshold value, which comparator is arranged to grant said request in case the difference between said counter value and said counter threshold value meets a request grant criterion.

17. A request controller as claimed in claim 4, including a counter controller connected to said counter and said comparator, for performing a predetermined operation on said counter value when said request is granted.

18. A request controller as claimed in claim 4, wherein said comparator is arranged to reject said request in case the difference between said counter value and said counter threshold value does not meet said request grant criterion and to output an request overflow signal when said request is rejected.

19. A request controller as claimed in claim 2, including;

a current state indicator for indicating the state of said system and a state controller connected to said current state indicator, for changing said current state to a next state.

20. A request controller as claimed claim 3, wherein said state controller is connected to said control logic unit for adjusting said state indicator when a request is granted, based on a model of states of said system.

21. A request controller as claimed in claim 2, including:

a state transition controller for determining allowed transitions from the current state to a next state and for determining whether said request is associated with an allowed transition and rejecting the request when the request is not associated with an allowed transition.

22. A request controller as claimed in claim 2, including at least two request controller inputs and an request decoder connected to said request controller inputs for selecting, from two or more requests received during the same period of time, a selected request, said request decoder having a decoder output connected to said request processing unit for outputting said selected request.

13. (canceled)

14. A method for controlling requests of a processing unit, said request requesting to switch a context of said processing unit or to switch said processing unit from a current operation to another operation, said method comprising:

receiving a request;

deciding on said request based on at least one decision criterion;

outputting information about at least granted request;

wherein receiving information about a current state of said processing unit;

receiving information about a received request includes;

determining from said information whether said received request belongs to said current state of a system including the processing unit;

granting said request when said received request does belong to said current state;

rejecting said request in case the request does not belong to said current state; and

outputting an request grant signal when said request is granted.

15. (canceled)