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Multiprocessor system

  • US 4,228,496 A
  • Filed: 09/07/1976
  • Issued: 10/14/1980
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1976
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A multiprocessor system of the kind in which separate processor modules operate concurrently and cooperatively for system control and application processing, said multiprocessor system comprising,a plurality of separate processor modules,each processor module comprising a central processing unit within the processor module, a separate main read-write word addressable memory within the processor module having sufficient capacity for the storage of system control and application programs and data, and a dedicated memory bus within the processor module connecting the separate main memory in the processor module exclusively to its associated central processing unit in the processor module for access to said programs and data without contention with central processing units in other processor modules,interprocessor bus means separate and distinct from an input/output system and from a memory bus and interconnecting the processor modules for direct processor module to processor module signaling and data transfer,said interprocessor bus means including,a common shared interprocessor bus,interprocessor control means in each processor module for connection that processor module to the interprocessor bus, andcentralized bus controller means operatively associated with the interprocessor bus and each interprocessor control means for determining the priority of data transfers over the interprocessor bus and for controlling transmissions over the interprocessor bus,said bus controller means including,arbitration means for centrally arbitrating the priority of said data transfers andbus clock generator means for controlling the time sequence of data transfer by a processor module over the interprocessor bus, said processor module including:

  • reading means for reading data from the associated main read/write memory of that processor module for transmission to the interprocessor bus, andwriting means for writing data received from the interprocessor bus into a specied location in the association main read/write memory of that processor module, wherein said reading and writing means are effective to transfer data from the memory of a sender processor module to the memory of a receiver processor module, and wherein each processor module includes a buffer for each other processor module and also includes location pointing means for directing incoming data from an interprocessor bus to a specified location in a related buffer in the memory of a receiver processor module.

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